Mark Bittman’s Mint Julep

By Mark Bittman

Mark Bittman’s Mint Julep
Yunhee Kim for The New York Times. Drink stylist: Brian Preston-Campbell. Prop stylist: Theo Vamvounakis.
Total Time
2 minutes
Rating
4(152)
Comments
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A classic Southern drink for sipping on a hot afternoon. Be sure to have lots and lots of mint. If it seems to be too much, it’s probably just right.

Featured in: It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere

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Ingredients

Yield:1 drink
  • Mint leaves
  • 1tablespoon simple syrup
  • Ice
  • ¼cup whiskey
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Muddle mint leaves and the simple syrup in a glass, then add the ice and whiskey. Garnish: lots of fresh mint.

Ratings

4 out of 5
152 user ratings
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Comments

Doug

We like to add chopped mint while making the simple syrup for extra mintyness, and then strain it out. Also, the whiskey HAS to be bourbon. I would go with Old Forester, since it's a Louisville product.

Modern Idler

Burbon a must. Never whiskey.
Ice: always crushed. Never cubed. Great excuse to break out the Lewis ice bag and mallet.
Try topping off the drink with a float of silver rum.
Confectioners sugar with a dash of water to muddle the mint in works just as well as simple syrup.
Enjoy!

Lucinda Ross

A splash of club soda gives this drink a bit of sparkle.

Tracy

The above barely qualifies as a recipe! This other NY Times recipe is much better, and clearer for the new bartender: https://approvedpromo.info/recipes/7743-kentucky-derby-mint-juleps?algo=identity&fellback=true&imp_id=5425495493940670&req_id=2275418326718220&surface=cooking-search-web&variant=0_relevance_reranking</a></p><div class="noteactions_noteActions__VlyP0">

lotsadogs

At a Kentucky Derby party I attended many years ago (1973?), an elderly Virginia gentleman with a healthy bourbon habit listened to a half dozen guests articulate the many details of their assorted mint julep recipes. Then he pronounced,"Here's how you make the best mint julep. Put mint and sugar in a highball glass, muddle or not, your choice; add crushed or cubed ice, it doesn't matter; go to the sink and dump the whole mess. Add your bourbon of preference and drink it!"

J. Fischer

I added a 1/2 Tbs of peach Syrup and club soda if you want a lighter refreshing summer drink.

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