San Antonio Margarita

Name: San Antonio Margarita
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup plus a splash tequila; 1 cup plus a splash orange liqueur; 1 cup plus a splash freshly squeezed lime juice

Recipe from Josie Davidson

Adapted by Sam Sifton

San Antonio Margarita — Peden & Munk for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Lauren Smith Ford.

Total Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 5(1,482)
Comments: Read comments

Josie Davidson is one of the great hostesses of South Texas and learned to make margaritas from her father, Chris Gill, who received the recipe in the 1970s from Mario Cantu, owner of Mario's, an old-line Mexican restaurant in San Antonio. She passed her knowledge along to The Times in 2015: Combine equal parts tequila, orange liqueur and fresh lime juice in a pitcher, using a measuring glass if you have one to get it to 26 ounces exactly (deploy a splash or so more than a cup per liquid if you don’t), then add 6 ounces of water to the mix and set it in the refrigerator to chill. Serve over ice in glasses with salted rims. She doesn’t use triple sec — she says it’s too cloying. Her father advocates Cointreau. For Davidson, only Paula’s Texas Orange liqueur will do. —Sam Sifton

Featured in: Feast in the Heart of Texas

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

1cup plus a splash tequila
1cup plus a splash orange liqueur
1cup plus a splash freshly squeezed lime juice

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Combine liquids in a pitcher with 6 ounces water and stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
Step 2
Serve over ice in glasses with salted rims.

Ratings

5 out of 5

1,482 user ratings

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Comments

Josie7 years ago

A note to those who may be confused about the addition of water. The water is to replicate what you would get from shaking over ice. All cocktails shaken over ice impart approximately
.75 ounces of water per serving. That water is key to smoothing out the drink. This way, you have the convenience of making a big pitcher of 8 drinks with the right proportions of all, without having to individually shake them. The key is to give it enough time to chill since you are skipping the ice step...

David7 years ago

Great recipe, been using the same ratio for years, always get compliments. As for brands, well, a third of the drink is fresh lime juice and the glass is rimmed with kosher salt, so you really don't have to use high end hooch unless you want to. You can even use more affordable triple sec instead of good orange liqueur. I know, but it's true. For quick single pours, scale it down to two good-size limes, two shots of tequila and two shots of liqueur. 2-2-2. Shake well.

Elaine DiRico6 years ago

I use a vegetable peeler to take the zest off the limes and soak overnight in tequila to get the citrus oils into the mix.

Me1 week ago

Thanks Sam. great recipe, as usual!!

8/26/221 year ago

Love reducing orange liquor by one oz (2 oz) if using 3 oz tequila. splash of orange liquor on top

LaLinda1 year ago

It was too tart for our group so instead of adding water, I added simple syrup. They were a big hit with my crowd of seniors!

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