Lu’s Bloody Mary

Name: Bloody Mary
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 drink
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: Lemon wedge; Lime wedge; 4 oz. tomato juice; 2 dashes Tabasco; 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce; Pinch of sea salt; Pinch of celery salt; Pinch of coarsely ground pepper (pepper too finely ground will bring more heat and less flavor); 1/4 teaspoon peeled and freshly shredded horseradish (avoid using prepared horseradish from a jar); 2 oz. vodka (not flavored); Slice of seedless cucumber; Pitted green olive; Lemon wedge; Black pepper

By Rosie Schaap

Lu’s Bloody Mary — Michael Kraus for The New York Times

Total Time: 10 minutes, plus chilling
Rating: 5(322)
Comments: Read comments

My friend Lu Ratunil was the man behind the bar on Sundays at Good World, my favorite brunch spot when I was still the sort of person who went out to brunch. He considers himself a bit of a purist when it comes to bloody marys, explaining that ‘‘since the drink has so many ingredients, the key is to balance them.’’

Featured in: Don’t Get Too Cute With Your Bloody Mary

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Ingredients

Yield:1 drink

Lemon wedge
Lime wedge
4oz. tomato juice
2dashes Tabasco
2dashes Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of celery salt
Pinch of coarsely ground pepper (pepper too finely ground will bring more heat and less flavor)
¼teaspoon peeled and freshly shredded horseradish (avoid using prepared horseradish from a jar)
2oz. vodka (not flavored)

Garnish

Slice of seedless cucumber
Pitted green olive
Lemon wedge
Black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Squeeze lemon and lime wedges into a shaker. Add all other ingredients except vodka, and stir. Taste the mix, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Put the mix in the fridge, and let it sit overnight.
Step 2
Pour vodka into the shaker. Add ice cubes, and shake.
Step 3
Fill an 8-ounce glass about halfway with ice, and strain the shaker contents over it.
Step 4
For garnish, I prefer a slice of seedless cucumber, also known as a hothouse or English cucumber, rather than celery. (This isn’t a deal breaker, though.) Cut a ½-inch-thick slice of cucumber on the bias. Cut a slit in the slice, and place on the rim of the glass. Spear the pitted green olive with a toothpick, and stick it through the rind of the lemon wedge. Place the wedge on the rim of the glass. Crack a little freshly ground pepper on top.

Ratings

5 out of 5

322 user ratings

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Comments

Kay Johnson7 years ago

I like to start with V8 juice -- more veggie flavor. Use original or lows idiom as you choose. I don't always have Tabasco sauce so use Old Bay seasoning, a trick learned at Maryland crab houses.

Lorraine6 years ago

The more Bloody Mary's you have the less you will worry about quantifying a pinch! Cheers!

Jennifer Woodward7 years ago

Use Clamato juice instead of tomato and make a Caesar. I like spicy pickled beans as a garnish and then I use a little of the pickle juice too

Peter1 month ago

Still looking for the ideal Bloody Bull recipe. Anyone? Anyone?

Aaron6 months ago

More lime, more lemon, add capers, olive and pickle juice. Used Sweet Baby Ray's Hot Sauce. Phenomenal, really zingy.

Note - Metro Philly11 months ago

Your drink will look better if you top it with cracked pepper -before- adding the other garnishes.

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