The best fresh mint mojitos are made by soaking crushed mint in sugar and rum. So refreshing and minty! This rum cocktail is just what you need on a hot summer day.
We can continue talking about the glory of the mojito – that perfect mix of Rum, mint, sugar, lime juice and sparkling water – but I suspect you won’t need much persuasion on that score.
Let’s discuss those instead building of the mojito, which I think separates a “good” mojito from a “really amazing” mojito.
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mojitos
Secret to a better mojito
Up until now, this is how you might have made mojitos: you threw some mint, lime juice, and sugar in a glass and then mashed them up with a wooden spoon, or if you’re feeling like a bartender, a fancy pestle. Then they added a little booze and lots of soda water, resulting in a sparkling mint salad in the glass with a hint of rum.
No longer. You’re better than that and your mojitos should be too! The better way to make mojitos takes a little more time, patience, and effort, but it’s worth it.
Take a mortar and pestle and slowly pound the mint and sugar with a dash of rum until you have a very fine paste. After that, add the remaining rum and let steep for a few minutes, then strain the mixture and top up with a mere splash of soda.
The result is a mojito that’s not only cleaner looking (big mint flavor, no floating mint leaves), but also endlessly spicier than any mojito you’ve experienced before.
CONTINUE READING:
The ingredients for a mojito
A mojito isn’t one of those fancy drinks that require a laundry list of ingredients or special prep work. All you need is the following:
- Fresh mint
- sugar
- white rum
- Fresh Lime Juice
- Mineral water
The best rum for mojitos
Opt for white rum in a mojito. This one has a cleaner, fresher flavor than golden rums that have aged. Together with the mint it makes a light and refreshing cocktail.
Mount Gay or Bacardi Silver are both sleek and affordable options.
Mojitos for a crowd
Mortar and pestle is the way to go for a simply perfect cocktail, but that’s not going to work at a party.
To make mojitos for a crowd Scale up ingredients to taste and puree in a blender or food processor. Let steep for about 5 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve (line with a coffee filter if you want to catch any mint particles).
This infused rum mix can be made up a few hours before your party and kept in the fridge.
More Favorite Rum Drinks!
- Strawberry Mojitos
- Mai Tai cocktail
- Hemmingway Daiquiri
- Pina coladas
- Dark and stormy cocktail
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Mojito Cocktail
A mortar and pestle really are the best tools for this recipe, but if you don’t have one, chop the mint as finely as you can, then mash with a fork in a small bowl to mix with the sugar and rum. You can also puree the mint, sugar, and all of the rum in a clean spice grinder.
Traditionally, you would use a highball glass for mojitos, but it’s okay to use any glass for your cocktail.
ingredients
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10 big mint leavesplus extra for garnish
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1 tablespoon sugar
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2 1/2 ounces White rum
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1 tablespoon lime juice (from half a lime)
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Mineral water
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Fresh mint, for garnish
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limethinly sliced for garnish
method
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Make the mint paste:
Place the mint, sugar, and 1/2 ounce of the rum in the bottom of a mortar and pestle and grind slowly until it forms a paste.
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Add the remaining rum and leave to stand for about 5 minutes:
If your mortar is too small for the extra rum, pour the paste into a small bowl, then add the rum.
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Strain rum:
Fill a glass with ice. Place a small strainer over the glass and strain the mint mixture. Squeeze the last drop of rum out of the paste with a spoon. (Use a large bowl and strainer if that’s all you have, then strain into the jar. Whatever works for you.)
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Finish the cocktail:
Add the lime juice and top up with soda water. Stir everything together and garnish with a lime wheel or a sprig of mint if you like it extra fancy.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 254 | calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 28g | carbohydrates |
| 1g | protein |
