Whether you’re a morning person or not, chances are, you’ll find yourself craving some bloody Marys sooner than later. Because who doesn’t love the classic? And how can you go wrong with a classic with tomato juice and vodka as its base??
Okay, maybe we went too far there. But seriously, it’s hard to mess up with a bloody Mary recipe right? Well, it may seem crazy but trust us when we say there are certain things that you need to keep in mind if you want to nail the perfect bloody Mary.
What is a Bloody Mary?
A Bloody Mary is simply a cocktail made with tomato juice, vodka, spices and a garnish like celery or olives. While you can make it with or without tomato juice, we recommend the latter as it complements the spices and vodka in the best way. A bloody Mary is typically a brunch drink but can be served for any meal. A Bloody Mary is typically a brunch drink but can be served for any meal.
It can be a great drink to serve during the holidays or at a tailgate party, as it can be made with a variety of garnishes to suit the occasion. While Bloody Marys are typically served with a garnish of celery, you can also serve your guests a round of scotch on the rocks or even a glass of sparkling wine.
How to Make a Bloody Mary
A traditional bloody Mary recipe starts with tomato juice, which is then mixed with vodka, spices and a garnish like olives or celery. For our recipe, we recommend using fresh, cold-pressed tomato juice to maintain the freshness of the tomatoes. If you’re not interested in starting your day with a tomato-flavoured drink, you can always use premade tomato juice. Premade tomato juice is what most bloody Mary recipes use these days.
You can also use tomato juice concentrate if you prefer a less-fruity drink. For our recipe, we recommend using fresh, cold-pressed tomato juice to maintain the freshness of the tomatoes. If you’re not interested in starting your day with a tomato-flavoured drink, you can always use premade tomato juice. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about the rest of the recipe.
We start with a mix of tomato juice and ice cubes. This delicious mix is then seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, cayenne pepper and salt. And, of course, we finish it off with olives or celery.
Recipe for Making the Perfect Bloody Mary
- Always use fresh tomato juice, as the flavour of the tomato will be lost if you use tomato juice out of a can.
- Always use fresh lemon juice, as the flavour of the lemon will be lost if you use lemon juice out of a bottle.
- Don’t over-mix the tomato juice and ice cubes. This will result in a slushy, watered-down drink.
- To chill your Bloody Mary mix, you can add it to a Tupperware container, add some ice cubes and then add the lid on top.
- Always use cold, fresh-pressed tomato juice.
- Always use ice cubes that are at least half an inch in size.
- Always add olives or celery as the last thing in the drink. This way, the celery or olives will take on a bit of the spice in the glass without being diluted.
- Add more spices or lemon juice, if you prefer a spicier or sweeter Bloody Mary.
- Always use good-quality vodka.
- Always use a good-quality Worcestershire sauce.
- Always use high-quality cayenne pepper.
- Always use high-quality salt.
- Always use fresh lemon and lime juice.
- Always use good-quality olives.
- Always use a high-quality ice cube container.
- Always use good-quality celery.
- Always use good-quality garnishes.
Variations and Garnishes for your Bloody Marys
- For an added kick, we recommend adding a dash of horseradish.
- If you prefer a spicier Bloody Mary, add a dash of cayenne pepper to the mix. – For an extra kick, you can add a touch of Tabasco sauce or your favourite chilli sauce.
- For a sweeter Bloody Mary, you can add a bit of brown sugar to the mix.
- You can also garnish your Bloody Marys with olives, sprouts, pickles, lime wedges, kaffir lime leaves or anything else you fancy.
- You can also use a Bloody Mary as a base for a cocktail, adding different ingredients like ginger ale, rum, cognac, whisky or even some fruit juices.
Conclusion
There truly is no better way to start your day than with a delicious Bloody Mary. Whether you’re hosting a brunch, potluck or just having friends over for a drink, Bloody Marys can fit any occasion. Now that we’ve covered what a Bloody Mary is and how to make one, let’s talk about how you can improve your Bloody Mary recipe.
We’ll be talking about the proper ratio of ingredients, if you should use tomato juice or tomato concentrate, how much ice to use and more. With these tips, you’ll be making the perfect Bloody Mary for any occasion.
