3 Secret Ingredients To Take Your Bloody Mary To The Next Level
May 06, 2020
Bloody Mary is the ultimate day-drink cocktail. Whether you are looking to start the day off with the tomato-flavored concoction or you are looking to rid yourself of a dreadful hangover with some hair of the dog, Bloody Mary’s will do the trick.
When it comes to the actual process of making the Mary, most people think they’ve got it down. There are three bloody mary secret ingredients that are absolutely crucial to making a kick-butt Bloody. Without them, you will still get the tomato flavor, but the bite simply will not be there.
After all, what’s a Bloody without the bite? Make sure you add these three ingredients into your recipe to keep your lips tingling to the next level and taste buds happy.
The Basics
When making a Bloody Mary, most people know that you can’t start without the tomato juice. About 4 oz tomato juice, is a standard portion for one drink.
Vodka is also a requisite, and while the taste will be somewhat masked, the higher the quality of vodka, the cleaner your bloody mary will taste. Really, most decent vodkas will do the trick.
Another classic ingredient needed is about an ounce of lemon or lime juice.
Some people prefer to add some pepper to the equation, as well as celery salt. We don’t object to these additions.
Prepare the highball glass and cocktail shaker, and all that is left is the secret, yet essential, ingredients.
We must state the obvious: for some people, these secret ingredients aren’t a secret at all. But they are easily overlooked by many and can be the difference between a bland, too-tomatoey Bloody and one with the texture of flavor that makes it so delicious.
The secret ingredients are also the spicy ingredients, and even if you are averse to hot food and drink they are the perfect complement to the tomato base.
Secret Ingredient #1: Worcestershire Sauce
Three to five dashes of the Worcestershire sauce should be enough to add the kick that you want. You can do slightly more or less depending on your flavor profile and heat preference, but this range should be subtle enough not to overpower the taste or hot-ness of the Bloody Mary.
Secret Ingredient #2: Horseradish
We told you that the secret ingredientsl of the recipe fall on the spicy side!
When one thinks ‘cocktail’, horseradish is not normally one of the word associations. However, we know that a Bloody Mary is far from the average cocktail, which is what makes it synonymous with daytime boozing.
And, in a Bloody Mary Recipe, horseradish is an essential element.
Most people prefer about 2 teaspoons of the horseradish, though some may avoid the ingredient altogether.
In our humble opinion, skipping or scrimping on the radish is never optimal.
Secret Ingredient #3: Tabasco Hot Sauce
Sure, other hot sauces might serve as a substitute.
But there is nothing like the unique taste of Louisiana’s most famous hot sauce to give a Bloody Mary a Southern-style kick.
About a half teaspoon hot sauce should do the trick, but you can add dashes and sample to get the mix just how you like it.
With these ‘secret’ ingredients you will be the Master of the Bloody Mary’s Recipe in no time.
Bonus Ingredient: Guinness Beer
An old trick of seasoned bartenders, a splash of Guinness helps to mellow out the sometimes-acidic taste of the tomato juice, and adds an additional layer of complexity to the flavor-bursting goodness of a classic Bloody Mary.