If you want something different than just an ordinary Bloody Mary, this ZINGY ZANGY BLOODY MARY RECIPE will surely satisfy all of your cravings.
It’s spicy, it’s sweet, and it has everything you love about a bloody mary—but with a twist.
With its bright red color, fruity taste, and kick from the spice, this drink is sure to turn heads at any party or event.
Plus, if you’re looking for a new take on a classic cocktail, this one is definitely worth trying out.
Here’s how we made our own zingy bloody marys…and what we learned along the way.
How Much Tomato Juice Do You Need For A Bloody Mary?
There are two types of Bloody Mary recipes: those that use fresh tomatoes for their juice (like ours) and those that use canned tomato juice, which adds convenience but dilutes the flavor significantly.
So, when making a bloodier version of this drink, there are three factors to consider: How much tomato juice should you add? What type of tomato juice should you use?
And how much alcohol should you add?
For our recipe, we chose to use fresh tomatoes because they have more flavor than the canned variety.
To determine how many ounces of freshly squeezed tomato juice we needed per drink, we measured the volume of each of our four cups of tomato juice using a measuring cup.
We then multiplied that by 4, since we were using four servings total, giving us 16 oz.
of tomato juice.
Next, we had to figure out how to get that amount of tomato juice into glasses.
For this step, we used regular ol’ ice cube trays instead of standard-sized ice cubes.
The reason why was pretty simple: the larger ice cubes would melt too quickly before we could finish mixing them up, so we needed something to slow down the process.
A tray full of smaller ice cubes did the trick nicely.
Now that we knew exactly how much tomato juice we’d need, let’s move on to figuring out how much vodka we needed.
How Much Vodka Do You Need For A Bloody Mary?
For the second part of our drink, we added vodka as well.
First, we poured the entire bottle over the top of two trays of crushed ice, filling both trays almost completely.
Then, we carefully mixed the mixture until all of the ice had been broken up, and the liquid became homogeneous.
Once we had finished mixing, we filled eight glasses halfway with the mixture, topped off with water, and stirred again to ensure that the mixture wasn’t sitting on the bottom of the glass anymore.
The result: a delicious, refreshing, and slightly fizzy Bloody Mary.
You may not think twice about adding extra vodka to your drinks, but keep reading to find out why this isn’t the case.
What Is The Best Way To Make A Bloody Mary?
Now that we’ve got our base recipe figured out, let’s talk about how to actually serve the drink itself.
If you like the idea of serving your guests individual drinks, try pouring the Bloody Mary mix into a pitcher first.
Then, fill your ice cube trays with crushed ice and pour the remaining liquids straight onto the ice.
Stir once more, and voila! Your guests will enjoy a Bloody Mary right in front of you while you sip yours in peace.
But if you prefer drinking directly from the shaker, feel free to skip the steps above.
Just remember to shake vigorously every time you pour yourself a drink to avoid having lumps of uncrushed ice floating around inside.
How Do You Make A Bloody Mary?
Once you’ve mastered the art of creating a Bloody Mary, you’ll probably be itching to create some variations on the theme.
One of these variations involves swapping out the tomato juice for other juices like orange juice, cranberry juice, or even pineapple juice.
Another variation is to swap out the vodka for gin or tequila.
But perhaps the most popular variation among drinkers is to replace the tomato juice with plain old soda water.
We tried out all of these ideas on our friends, and here’s what we found.
Adding either orange juice or pineapple juice to the Bloody Mary mix gave it a nice citrus taste that complemented the rich tomato taste perfectly.
Also, replacing the tomato juice with plain soda water resulted in a really light Bloody Mary that tasted great after a big meal.
That being said, though, we wouldn’t recommend doing this unless you know that your guests won’t mind drinking watered-down cocktails.
What Is The Perfect Bloody Mary Recipe?
While Bloody Mary enthusiasts aren’t always concerned about finding the “perfect” recipe, we still wanted to share our favorite tips for perfect Bloody Marys.
Since we already mentioned that the secret ingredient to getting that satisfying Bloody Mary bite lies within the addition of ice, we thought it might be helpful to give you some pointers on how to break apart those small chunks of ice faster than ever before.
Here are our tricks for breaking up large pieces of ice more efficiently:
1. Keep your eyes peeled! When stirring your Bloody Mary, look for tiny shards of ice floating through the liquid.
These little bits of ice represent tiny explosions caused by the friction between the metal stirrer and the surface of the liquid.
As soon as you spot one, grab your spoon and gently nudge it against the side of the container until you hear the sound of cracking ice.
Repeat this action throughout the whole batch of Bloody Mary mix until the ice is completely shattered.
2. Use your fingers! Instead of a wooden spoon, grab your hands and start shaking the Bloody Mary mixture vigorously.
After a few seconds of vigorous shaking, you’ll notice that the ice starts to crackle loudly.
If you continue to shake, the cracks will eventually become bigger and bigger until the ice is completely smashed into tiny pieces.
3. Pour slowly! While this tip seems obvious, we often forget to follow it ourselves when preparing Bloody Marys.
The truth is, you don’t want to rush the process.
By rushing, you increase the likelihood of losing precious ice crystals and end up with less flavorful Bloody Mary mixes.
Instead, pour the Bloody Mary mixture into your desired vessel very slowly and steadily, letting gravity work its magic on the mixture.
What Are The Ingredients For A Bloody Mary?
Finally, we decided to go ahead and answer the question that has plagued us since day one: what are the exact ingredients for a bloody mary? Well, aside from the usual suspects such as vodka (or another spirit), Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper, hot sauce, Tabasco, celery salt, horseradish, pickles, and mustard, here are the main items you’ll see listed in a typical bloody mary recipe: tomato juice, vodka, and ice.
How Do You Make A Bloody Mary Without Tomato Juice?
As you may have guessed, if you decide to ditch the tomato juice in favor of plain old soda water, you’ll lose half of the key components that give Bloody Marys their signature kick.
Luckily, however, you can still make a tasty Bloody Mary using only the following ingredients: vodka, lime juice, ginger ale, and ice.
In fact, this is what we suggest if you want to cut back on calories, sugar, and sodium yet still maintain the same level of flavor.
How Do You Make A Bloody Mary Without Vodka?
In order to make a Bloody Mary without vodka, you’ll also need to eliminate the tomato juice.
Fortunately, this is easier than you may think.
Simply substitute 1/4 cup of lemon juice for the tomato juice, and 2 tablespoons of honey for the vodka.
Mix it together thoroughly, and you’ll be able to enjoy a delicious Bloody Mary without sacrificing anything.
How Do You Make A Bloody Mary Without Vodka?
Lastly, if you absolutely must remove the vodka from your Bloody Mary, there is one last option available to you.
Try substituting the vodka with apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar gives your drink a tangy, sour taste, similar to the effect that lemon juice provides.
Although it doesn’t quite match the punch provided by the actual vodka, it does provide a bit of a kick.
What Are The Ingredients For A Bloody Mary?
All things considered, we hope that you now have a better understanding of how Bloody Marys work.
Whether you’re planning to throw a party, host a dinner gathering, or simply want to impress your coworkers with your culinary skills, you’ll be ready to whip up a batch of this summertime staple.
To learn more about food and cooking, check out these awesome websites and apps.
You can read about how a Bloody Mary is made in detail here.
Equipment
- 1 Glass
Ingredients
- 2 parts Grey Goose vodka
- 4 parts tomato juice
- ½ parts lemon juice
- 4 Worcestershire sauce
- 4 Tabasco
- 1 pinch fleur de sel
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 celery
- 1 bunch of aromatic herbs
- ice
Instructions
- In a shaker or stirring glass, combine all of the ingredients with lots of ice.
- To mix the ingredients without creating froth in the drink, tilt the shaker back and forth a few times. You can stir briskly if you’re doing so.
- Fill the glass with the mixture. If it’s not quite full, top it off with fresh ice.
- your garnishes, please. Any fresh herbs will do, along with a celery stalk.
- For a gathering of individuals, prepare a jug of Bloody Marys without the Tabasco and let each person add their own. Some people enjoy heat, while others don’t.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.