Mexico is well-known for its hot peppers. While a majority of Mexican cuisine tends to incorporate milder peppers, there’s no reason that one shouldn’t make use of hot peppers when spiciness is desired. And what better way to make use of all of those jalapenos, habaneros, and chili peppers than to put them in your cocktails? Make your palate scream with excitement by mixing up some of these spicy cocktails.
Spicy Grapefruit Margarita
This spicy grapefruit marg from Bon Appetit combines the hotness of habanero with the tang of grapefruit for one piquant cocktail!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons tequila
- 1-2 habanero chiles, halved
- Kosher salt
- 6 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice
PREPARATION
- Mix tequila and chiles in a large pitcher. Let steep 3 hours, or longer if a spicier tequila is desired. Discard chiles. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 month ahead. Cover; chill.
- Pour enough water onto a small plate to cover. Pour enough salt onto another small plate to cover by 1/4″. Dip rims of eight 12-ounce glasses into water, then into salt to lightly coat; fill with ice. Add grapefruit juice to pitcher with tequila. Fill with ice; stir until cold. Divide drink among glasses.
Jalapeno Cilantro Mojito
Cilantro is a key ingredient in many Mexican dishes, and most people either love it or hate it. If you’re in the category of cilantro-lovers, then you will surely enjoy this new take on the mojito from HGTV. Make it even more interesting by adding slices of jalapeno.
Cilantro Mojito
- 6–8 cilantro leaves
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rich cilantro simple syrup (recipe below)
- 1 1/2 ounces white rum
- 1/2 cup club soda or clear, citrus soda
- 1 lime
- Ice
Muddle cilantro simple syrup and cilantro leaves in the bottom of a glass. Add rum, juice from one lime, and ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
For a jalapeno cilantro mojito, use 2 tablespoons cilantro simple syrup and add jalapeno slices to the mix. Note: careful, this one’s hot!
Smoky Michelada Beer Cocktail
A michelada is a common Mexican drink made mainly with beer and hot sauce. Take it up a notch with this smoky version from Aida Mollenkamp.
Ingredients
- Salt for rimming glasses
- Ground chipotle chile powder for rimming glasses
- 1/2 teaspoon honey plus more for rimming glasses
- 1/4 cup chilled tomato juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
- 12 ounces amber Mexican beer such as Negra Modelo
- 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Chipotle hot sauce such as Chipotle Tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
- Dash low-sodium soy sauce
- Ice
Instructions
- Mix together salt and chile powder in a wide, shallow dish to cover the bottom. Dip the rims of two rocks glasses in the honey then dip in the salt mixture to coat. Fill the glasses with ice and set aside.
- Combine the tomato juice, lime juice, beer, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and Maggi or soy sauce in a pitcher and mix to combine. Taste and add more hot sauce or sweetener as desired. Pour into the prepared glasses and serve.
Blood and Tears
This drink from Complete Cocktails insinuates the bitterness of war and the sweetness of its end. It utilizes muddled chili pepper for a really hot remembrance.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Dark Rum (Don Q Gran Anejo)
- 2 oz Horchata
- 1/2 oz Honey
- 1-2 slices Bell Pepper – red bell pepper
- 1/2 Chili Pepper
- splash Bitters (Peychaud)
- stick Cinnamon – for garnish
- Garnish: Cinnamon
- Glass: Cocktail Glass
Directions
- Muddle honey, bell pepper and chili pepper in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add rum, horchata, bitters and ice, and shake vigorously.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
If you like the idea of these Mexican-inspired cocktails, then you will love the authentic Mexican food and drinks served at Acapulcos Mexican Family Restaurant and Cantina. Visit one of our locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut today!