Bloody Mary Recipe
The Bloody Mary is the savory brunch cocktail that does double duty as a drink and a snack, built on vodka, tomato juice, and a bright, peppery spice blend. Get the ratio and the roll technique right and it beats any restaurant version.
Ingredients
- 2 ozvodka
- 4 oztomato juice
- 0.5 ozfresh lemon juice
- 0.25 ozWorcestershire sauce
- 2 dasheshot sauce
- 1 pinchcelery salt
- 1 pinchblack pepper
- 1 tspprepared horseradish (optional)
Garnish
- Celery stalk
- Lemon wedge
- Pickled green bean or olive
- Black pepper
Equipment: Highball glass, jigger, bar spoon, cocktail shaker or mixing tin, ice
Method
- Chill the highball glass by filling it with ice while you build the drink.
- Add vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, pepper, and horseradish if using to a shaker filled with ice.
- Roll the mixture gently back and forth between the shaker and the tin, about 4 to 5 passes, to combine without aerating the tomato juice.
- Dump the ice from the glass and refill with fresh cubes, then strain the Bloody Mary over the ice.
- Garnish with a celery stalk, lemon wedge, and pickled green bean, and finish with a crack of black pepper.
About the Bloody Mary
The Bloody Mary has murky origins, with claims tracing to 1920s Paris and New York bars, but the modern version took shape in the 1930s when vodka and a spiced tomato base became the standard. The name likely nods to Queen Mary I of England, though the drink itself is pure American brunch culture. It became a staple of hotel bars and Sunday menus because it is savory, low in sweetness, and forgiving to make in volume.
To nail it, use fresh tomato juice and taste before you pour: brands vary in salt and acidity, so adjust hot sauce and lemon at the end. Roll the drink instead of shaking it hard, since aggressive shaking waters down the tomato and dulls the spice. Serve it very cold in a chilled glass, and keep the garnish simple so the drink stays balanced rather than turning into a salad.
- Roll, do not shake hard, so the tomato juice stays thick and the spice stays bright.
- Taste after mixing and adjust lemon and hot sauce to your tomato juice brand.
- Chill the glass first and use fresh ice to keep the drink from thinning.
- Make a batch base ahead and add vodka per glass for easy brunch service.
Get the bottles delivered
Order online for same-day or next-day Long Island delivery, free curbside pickup in Commack, or nationwide shipping where it is legal. You must be 21 or older.
