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DRINKS

Margarita, Orange & OJ

Standard three-part margarita build, plus a splash of orange juice to round off the orange liqueur's edge.

OriginMexican-American, classic riff
Active5 min
Total5 min
EquipmentCocktail shaker, jigger, strainer, rocks glass, small plate for the salt rim
Method
SHAKEN
Hard shake -- it is a citrus drink
Ice
STANDARD
Full shaker; fresh cubes for serving
Dilution
~20%
12-15 sec shake
Glass
ROCKS
Fresh ice, half salt rim
1 · PREP 2 · SHAKE 3 · STRAIN 4 · GARNISH
as needed salt, for the rim Run a lime wedge around half the rim, dip that half in salt.
2 oz ≈ 59 mL blanco tequila Into the shaker. Fill with ice, shake hard 12-15 sec. Strain over fresh ice into the rimmed glass.
1 oz ≈ 30 mL fresh lime juice Juice it fresh, into the shaker.
3/4 oz ≈ 22 mL orange liqueur (Cointreau or triple sec) Into the shaker.
1/2 oz ≈ 15 mL fresh orange juice A splash, into the shaker.
to fill ice, cubed Fill the shaker. Keep fresh cubes back for the glass.
1 wheel lime wheel On the rim, or dropped in.
Protein
Produce
Dairy & Egg
Pantry & Grain
Spice & Seasoning
Liquid & Fat

Notes

The OJ splash rounds flavor, it does not sweeten. 1/2 oz softens the orange liqueur's sharp edge without turning this into an orange-juice drink. Past 3/4 oz it starts reading as fruit punch.
Blanco, not reposado. Reposado's oak comes through as bitterness against the citrus and triple sec. Save it for a neat sip or an anejo-style riff.
Half-rim the glass, not the whole rim. It guarantees a salt-free sip is always available, without having to ask for an unsalted pour separately.
Squeeze both juices fresh. Bottled lime and orange both run more acidic and less aromatic. The margin between a good margarita and a forgettable one is almost entirely in the citrus.
Strain over fresh ice, not the shaker ice. The ice in the tin has already given up its dilution. Reusing it drops watery shards into a drink that is finished balancing.
Adapted Classic riff -- the margarita base (tequila, lime, orange liqueur) with an orange juice splash added. The base drink's origin is disputed among several 1930s-40s Mexican and border-town claims. https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/711/margarita