Ingredients
Method
- The first thing you taste isn’t the tequila; it’s the rim. Take a lime wedge and run it around the edge of a rocks glass. Flip the glass upside down and press it into a small plate covered in Tajín or salt. Spin it slowly to make sure the coating is thick and even.
- Drop your pepper slices into the bottom of a cocktail shaker. If you want a mild glow, remove the seeds first. If you want a real kick, leave them in.
- Use a muddler to press down firmly and twist. You are looking to release the oils and the juice, not turn the pepper into a puree.
- Add your tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and agave nectar directly over the smashed peppers. Fill the shaker at least halfway with ice. You want enough mass to chill the liquid instantly without diluting it too much. Seal the top and shake vigorously for about 15 to 20 seconds.
- You’ll know you’re done when the outside of the metal shaker feels painfully cold to the touch and a frost starts to form on the surface.
- Fill your prepared, rimmed glass with fresh ice cubes. Do not reuse the ice from the shaker, as it is already starting to melt and will water down your drink.
- Use a Hawthorne strainer to pour the margarita into the glass. If you don’t like bits of pepper or pulp in your drink, you can double-strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. The liquid should be a pale, cloudy green.
Notes
The “spicy” part of a margarita is highly subjective, and peppers vary wildly in heat from one to the next. The best way to manage the temperature is through “infusion time.”
If you are nervous about the heat, don’t muddle the peppers at all. Instead, just add the slices to the shaker and shake them with the ice. This gives a hint of spice without the burn. If you are a heat seeker, let the muddled peppers sit in the tequila for two minutes before adding the ice and shaking.