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Mezcal Bloody Maria
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A bloody Maria replaces vodka as the main ingredient in the classic brunch cocktail, as in bloody Mary made with tequila or in this case, mezcal. The smoky mezcal, plus the Tajin give the classic cocktail a Mexican twist. I garnish the cocktail with a stalk of celery, pickled jalapeño, cherry tomato and lime for a little snack.
Mezcal Bloody Maria
Table of contents
Bloody Mary vs. Bloody Maria
What’s the difference between a classic bloody Mary and a bloody Maria? While they have many of the same ingredients, a traditional bloody Mary is made with vodka while a bloody Maria is made with tequila or mezcal!
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Mezcal – Mezcal has a distinct taste that gets its flavor from slow-roasted and distilled hearts of agave plants – it’s tequila’s smokier cousin.
- Tomato juice – Shaking the tomato juice with the ice dilutes it so it isn’t quite so thick. You can’t make a bloody Mary or bloody Maria without tomato juice! I recommend regular tomato juice or V8.
- Hot sauce – Hot sauce is used to season the tomato juice mixture. I recommend using a vinegar-based hot sauce for this recipe – it adds a good balance of acid. My favorite is a Mexican hot sauce like Cholula, Tapatio or Valentina.
- Lime – While most bloody Mary recipes use lemon juice for an addition of acid, I like to lean into the Mexican-inspired flavor and use lime.
- Tajin – Tajin® is a Mexican seasoning blend of chili peppers, lime and sea salt and is often used to enhance the flavor of fruits like watermelon or mango. Here it adds a mild, spicy addition to the rim in combination with a bit of salt.
How to Make a Mezcal Bloody Maria
Step 1: Create tajin rim.
Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a pint glass. In a shallow bowl stir together the Tajin and the kosher salt. Dip the glass in the salt mixture so it evenly coats the rim.
Step 2: Add ingredients to shaker.
Add ice to a cocktail shaker and add tomato juice, mezcal, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and pepper. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a collins glass filled with fresh ice.
Step 3: Garnish and serve.
Add the celery stalk to the glass. Thread the tomato, jalapeño and lime wedge onto a skewer. Serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- The mezcal can be swapped for a tequila blanco or vodka based on preference.
- Swap classic tomato juice for V8 for a more nuanced flavor.
Other garnishes
While I garnish the cocktail with a combination of Tajin, a celery stalk, jalapeño, cherry tomato and a lime wedge, there are plenty of creative additions to make to a bloody Maria:
- Pickle spears
- Olives
- Cheese cubes
- Bacon
- Pickled jalapeño
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this bloody mary recipe, give these recipes a try:
Mezcal Bloody Maria
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Ingredients:
- Lime wedges, as needed
- ¼ cup Tajin
- 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
- ⅔ cup tomato juice
- 1½ ounces mezcal
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Dash Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce of choice (I use Cholula)
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Celery stalk, for garnish
- Cherry tomato, for garnish
- Pickled jalapeño, for garnish
Instructions:
- Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a pint glass. In a shallow bowl stir together the Tajin and the kosher salt. Dip the glass in the salt mixture so it evenly coats the rim.
- Add ice to a cocktail shaker and add tomato juice, mezcal, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and pepper.
- Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a collins glass filled with fresh ice.
- Add the celery stalk to the glass. Thread the tomato, jalapeño and lime wedge onto a skewer. Serve immediately.
Nutrition:
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