I whipped up a quick margarita riff in honor of National Margarita Day, featuring roasted pineapple and a splash of smokey mezcal.
.
Make the roasted pineapple juice. Buy a whole pineapple. Remove the outer rind and then slice 1/4-inch cross sections. Trim out the tough inner core, leaving o-shapped pineapple rings. Place the pineapple rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the oven for ~25 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven and let them cool. Blend pineapple in a food processor with water and cane sugar at a 3:2:1 ratio of pineapple-to-water-to-sugar. Note that “cane sugar” is more molasses-y than the refined white sugar you typically use for baking. After blending, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a mason jar, using a muddler to extract all the juice out of the pineapple solids.
.
Add 1 1/2 oz reposado tequila to a shaker filled with ice. I used Tromba reposado tequila for this particular drink.
.
Add 1 oz roasted pineapple juice. Pineapple juice adds both sweetness and acidity to this cocktail. Roasting the pineapples before juicing adds a nice depth of flavor.
.
Add 1/2 oz Cointreau. Everybody’s favorite orange liqueur for the classic margarita recipe.
.
Add 1/2 oz lime juice. Of course.
.
Add 1/4 oz mezcal. Mezcal adds a touch of smokiness which plays really well with the pineapple.
.
Add 2-3 dashes salt. Not so much that the drink tastes salty, but enough to sharpen the flavors in the drink.
.
Shake for 15 seconds and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with pineapple fronds.
.
Happy National Margarita Day!
.
.
ROASTED PINEAPPLE MARGARITA
PAIRS WELL WITH “TOES” BY ZAC BROWN BAND
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Tromba reposado tequila
- 1 oz roasted pineapple juice
- 1/2 oz Cointreau
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 1/4 oz Union mezcal
- 2-3 dashes salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake for 15 seconds.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, and garnish with pineapple fronds.