How to make the best Bloody Mary! The store-bought version doesn’t come close to this brilliantly flavored homemade blend.
Want to make a Bloody Mary at home? Here’s how! We’re Alex and Sonja, and we’ve made more homemade cocktail recipes than we can count. Let us tell you: we spent a lot of time perfecting this bloody mary mix recipe to perfection. It turns out that preparing the absolutely perfect version of this classic cocktail requires some secrets. Here’s how to do it better Bloody Mary: delicious, spicy, tangy and salty at the same time. It’s ideal for brunch, but we’ll admit it: we love it at any time.
When was the Bloody Mary invented?
The Bloody Mary cocktail was invented in the 1920s, most likely at the New York Bar in Paris (where other famous cocktails like the French 75 and Between the Sheets were born). There are many origin stories for the cocktail and the name Bloody Mary. Some people say it is named after Queen Mary I of England or Mary Pickford, a movie star of the time. Anyway, this combination of tomato juice and vodka has become one of the most famous brunch cocktails in the world.
Ingredients of a Bloody Mary
The Bloody Mary is a drink with thousands of variations, so the ingredients vary depending on who is making it. The drink is on the International Bartender Association’s official IBA cocktail list, which lists the official ingredients of a Bloody Mary as follows:
- vodka
- tomato juice
- lemon juice
- Worcester sauce
- Tabasco sauce
- celery salt
- Black pepper
The recipe you see below stays true to the classic definition, with the addition of horseradish for a savory and flavorful dimension. We’ve also perfected the method for achieving the perfect texture thickness… read on to find out why.
How to Make a Bloody Mary: Mixed or Single Drink (Basic Method)
Most of our cocktail recipes are single serve, but this recipe is for Bloody Mary mix that’s 4 drinks. You can use it for entertainment or if you want a single serving: refrigerate the rest and the flavor will improve over time. Here’s the best way to make a Bloody Mary:
- If possible, chill the tomato juice and vodka first. This allows the drink to be chilled without having to use too much ice to dilute it. So as soon as you buy the ingredients for the drink: refrigerate them!
- Shake the Bloody Mary mixture in a shaker without ice. The best way to prepare a Bloody Mary is not to shake it or stir it with ice like you would a regular drink. Why? It dilutes the mixture too much and gives a watery consistency. Simply stir the mixture without ice, then serve over ice. This results in a perfect thick consistency and taste.
- Filter and if time allows, cool. Straining removes the horseradish bits from the drink: a cocktail strainer is best (although you can use any strainer you have). If you have time, refrigerate the mixture for about 1 hour or overnight to blend the flavors. But if you want it on request, serve it right away.
- Glaze and decorate! Serve over ice with your choice of toppings.
Refrigeration blends flavors (optional)
The special thing about this Bloody Mary recipe is that it tastes great right away. It also tastes even better after refrigerating for 1 hour or even better overnight. (You can relax up to 1 week.) Why? Chilling will help all the ingredients blend into a cohesive flavorinstead of trying them all individually.
Since Bloody Marys are usually made for entertainment and often for brunch, it’s usually pretty easy to make the mix ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to serve. Of course, if you want to drink it right away: Go for it! The taste is always fantastic.
The best Bloody Mary toppings
The fun part is the toppings for a Bloody Mary! This drink has inspired creativity around the world, with all sorts of interesting pickles to add. Here are some popular toppings for a Bloody Mary:
- celery sticks (mandatory!)
- lemon slices
- Olives stuffed with chili
- Cocktail Onions
- Dill pickle tips
- pepperoni
- Pickled jalapeno peppers
- Pickled okra
- Marinated cauliflower
- Marinated asparagus
Cocktail picks make garnishing easier
When serving Bloody Marys to your guests, it’s a good idea to use cocktail picks for your garnish. (If you’re by yourself, you can just throw them all away!) Thread all your accompaniments onto the skewers or skewers, which look lovely and help make the cocktail easy to drink. Here are the bamboo cocktail picks we use.
How to rim a Bloody Mary
What’s the best for a Bloody Mary glass rim? Just like with the toppings, there are all sorts of ways to coat the rim of this drink. Here’s our favorite: a 50/50 mix of Old Bay spices and kosher salt. If you can’t find Old Bay, you can use celery salt instead. How to get the perfect rim:
- Spread the salt and Oldy Bay in an even layer on a plate.
- Take a slice of lemon and cut a notch down the middle: then slide it around the rim of the glass. This will perfectly wet the edge of the glass without having to use your fingers!
- For the rim of the glass, you only need the salt and spices on the outside of the glass. To do this, tilt the glass so that only the outer edge goes into the salt. Shake out loose salt in the sink.
Varieties of Bloody Mary
The Bloody Mary is such a classic that there are many famous variations of the drink! Here are some of our favorites, most of which use this Bloody Mary mix as a base:
- Bloody Maria Here’s the Mexican version of this drink: use tequila!
- Red Snapper The version with gin!
- Spicy Mary Do you like it spicy? Prepare this version with jalapeno pepper.
- Damn Caesar The yummy Canadian variant with Clamato juice.
- Virgin Mary Who needs vodka? This zero-proof version is just as good.
- Michelada Although not a direct descendant, it is a Mexican-style beer-based variant.
This Bloody Mary mix recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan (with vegan Worcestershire sauce), plant-based and dairy-free.
The description
How to make the best Bloody Mary! The store-bought version doesn’t come close to this brilliantly flavored homemade blend.
- 2 cups Tomato juice, fresh
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (vegan of choice)
- 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Hot Tabasco sauce
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup (8 ounces) vodka, chilled
- Ice to serve (try clear ice!)
- For the rim: Old Bay seasoning (store-bought or homemade) and kosher salt
- For the garnish: celery stick, lemon wedge, olive, cocktail onion (use cocktail skewers if necessary)
- If time permits, refrigerate the tomato juice and vodka. Shake the tomato juice before pouring.
- In a large shaker, combine tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, Tabasco, celery salt, and black pepper. Shake well to combine (no ice). Strain into a mason jar or small pitcher.
- Optional: If time permits, refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best flavor. (Or make ahead and store for up to 1 week.) Serve right away, though!
- To serve, place a mixture of about half kosher salt and half Old Bay seasoning (or celery salt) on a plate. Cut a notch in a lemon wedge, then run it around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the brim in a plate of salt.
- In each glass, add 2 ounces (¼ cup) vodka and ½ cup Bloody Mary Mix, stirring gently to combine. Fill the glass with ice and add the garnishes.
- Category: drink
- Method: shakes
- Kitchen: cocktails
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: Bloody Mary, Mixture of Bloody Marys
Rather classic cocktails
Do you like the classics? Here are some more classic cocktails to try:
