Have to admit, when I want one decent at home, I do my own mix. Equal parts lemon juice, water, and sugar for the base mix. Then 2 oz tequila, 3/4 oz orange liquer of some type, my mix from above, some orange juice, and the juice of half a lime. Done with a decent tequila I find this comes out pretty good.

Um, when I look at that recipe he lists either Gran Torres or Grand Marnier, both orange liquers. It's just below the ads where the tequila is also listed.

I personally like the smokey flavor a reposado adds to a margarita. Herradura had long been my favorite, El Jimador is a bit more budget friendly.

Mixes are for people like me who don't find it easy to keep fresh limes on hand. Nope not nearly as good, but I've found the Margaritaville mix isn't too horribly disgusting.

Phew! Glad to know that rimming is optional. ;)

===

BTW, yea, m/s, what are you doing even contemplating premixed margaritas? Do you hate yourself, or something?

LOL.. no they weren't mine they were at a buddy's. I at least convinced him to change it up for the 2nd batch and put in some real limes and orange juice and use just a little of the sugary stuff. His argument was that the tequila he was using was so nasty he needed lots of sugar; probably a fair point.

I won't disagree that mixes are generally bad, but I tried the Costco mix last summer and was pleasantly surprised. If you're going with a mix, that, and only that, gets my vote. I took that, some limes and a bottle of tequila to Fire Island for a week last summer and enjoyed.

But the homemade, no-mix recipes are best.

Time and popularity among USAians has altered the original perspective of Margaritas from a relatively "dry" cocktail hour or per-dinner drink into what are today's grossly (if not grotesquely) over-sweetened versions popular in bars and "Mexican" restaurants. While personally I serve a 3:1:1 ratio of tequila:lime: orange liqueur (and no salt), but as I recall the "classic" of yesteryear, remembered from places like the bar at the Ancira in Monterey or the Cadillac Bar in Nuevo Laredo, the recipe was about 2:1:1, always with "White" (in the 50s, Cuervo or Sauza), "up", salt rimmed. Herradura was an old brand, favored by hardened drinkers, and Sauza Hornitos (green label) was the smoother alternative. I don't recall much availability of "call" brands or "premiums", and Patron, etc., were simply alternatives in joints which did not have "deals" with Sauza or Cuervo.

I have stolen my friend's spicy margarita recipe. It's delicious, and leaves a burn on the lips.

Steep a few habaneros in a bottle of not-expensive tequila. That bottle can be stored in the freezer until it's all used up. Then just add to fresh-squeezed citrus juice. I prefer mostly lime, but for my guests who don't like the sourness, I'll include orange, lemon, and grapefruit juices...to taste. Fresh juice is important.

For the tequila, start with just a couple of habaneros (halfed or quartered), and adjust to taste - the heat gets stronger as it steeps. I'll usually use 3-4 for a big bottle of tequila. I like it spicy!

Get some Santa Cruz or Key West lime juice at your supermarket. I like some lemon juice (maybe 25% too), but it's not necessary. Make simple sugar by putting a little hot water (or tequila) into a bunch of sugar and whisking it up. Get a mid level tequila. Spend the $$ on the good lime juice. The $50/bottle stuff is a waste in a Margarita. Drink that straight only. Crush some ice and shake 'er up. Cointreau is a waste of $$ at home. Gran Marnier is a total waste of $$ in a Margarita. It doesn't belong in the drink and totally changes the fresh flavor profile. Cognac in a Margarita ? - Them's fighting words ! wj

Why in San Francisco would one buy "bottled" lime juice? Limes and lemons come in their own little pebbly skinned, aromatic "bottles", easy to store and of reasonable shelf life, stacked in every produce section in or near the bounds of civilization. I paid $1.97 yesterday for my biweekly 2lb bag of key limes, useful for a multitude of of culinary and condiment purposes.

Simple syrup? What for? There's plenty of sugar and that necessary hint of orange peel in even the cheapest Triple Sec (or Mexican "Controy").

I like any margarita either its frozen or fresh pasteurized and straight. I've tried them from Cuervo, Sauza, Bacardi and Margaritaville.

The best margarita mix is no mix at all.

Use fresh-squeezed lime juice (limes are cheap and readily available, you know?) plus a good tequila plus a good orange liqueur. For the former, I highly recommend Jose Cuervo Platino (which is a standout tequila, even though the rest of the Jose Cuervo line is not). For the latter, Cointreau, or the less expensive, but still good alternatives of O3 Premium Orange Liqueur or Patrón Citrónge will work well.

I totally disagree with those who suggest that good tequila is wasted in a margarita. It may be poorly utilized in a frozen margarita, it may be wasted if spoiled by a cheap triple sec, and it isn't flattered by a margarita mix rather than fresh-squeezed lime juice, but for a tasty margarita on the rocks, there's no substitute for good ingredients, including the signature one: tequila.

I now have many recipes to try, beginning this weekend. ^ Thanks.

Amen!

For the life of me I cannot fathom a) making such a simple drink from a mix, b) why one would EVER buy lime or lemon juice in a bottle when they are so easily bought fresh [especially here in SoCal], and c) why someone would recommend using cheaper/lower quality alcohol.

Just as in cooking, the better one's ingredients, the better the finished product. Of course there are exceptions where using higher quality liquors is overkill/wasteful - if one is making a fruit/sugar blended bomb, for example - but in drinks with just 2 or 3 ingredients, don't you want high quality so it shines through?

(caveat: I would use high/very high quality, but not premium, as the latter are solely for sipping neat IMHO)