This is Truly the Best Margarita Recipe, Ever!

This title claiming to be the BEST Margarita recipe should be hard to live up to, but it’s not. This recipe is not “just” another Margarita recipe, but one served in a national restaurant chain. Which one? I’ll get to that, but first a little history.

I really enjoy a good Margarita, but ordering them in a bar, or restaurant is like rolling the dice and taking a chance. Shaken or stirred, on the rock, or crushed? Most of the time the drinks come from a premixed package and range from horridly sour, super strong and even bitter. So, I don’t order them unless I have a good recommendation. Round the Bend Steakhouse in Ashland is one that will put you on your back after just one.

So where does this Top Shelf Recipe hail? Of all places, Red Lobster! I can’t believe it either. My husband ordered the Margarita and I ordered a peach sweet something drink. Like all good husbands he asked if I would like a sip. Sure why not. I was more than surprised. It was a mix of sour, sweet, and salty all wrapped into one lip smacking drink.

Top Shelf Margarita Recipe from Red Lobster

So impressed, I asked our waiter if the bartender would share the recipe. When he returned we were told it was a proprietary sour mix. Compliments can do wonders and I was full of them.  I pretty much begged that I would be willing to buy the sour mix, it was so good, the best margarita I had ever had. Do believe this helped, that and it was our waiters second day on the job and I think he was trying to score points with the staff.

The bartender came to the table, thanked us for the compliments and proceeded to tell us the mix was a concentrate and made quite a bit. I didn’t care I said. “I’d love to be able to buy some if I could.” So, for $10.00 I walked out with a quart of Red Lobster Sour Mix, the recipe, and a smile on my face.

Next stop, Hy-Vee to pick up the ingredients. ($100 later!!!, mix was the cheap part) There is a reason it’s called “Top Shelf”

I have mixed margaritas for various friends during the past six months. They all start off skeptical about the accolades I pile on, but as I watch them take the first sip their faces light up and they all agree, it’s the best margarita they have ever had.

So, here you go, the recipe, compliments of Red Lobster.

Recipe

• 11 oz Red Lobster Sour Mix (pre-mixed 1 part mix, 3 parts water)
• 1 1/2 shots Sausza Gold Tequila
• 1 shot Triple Sec
• 1/2 shot Grand Marnier
• Margarita salt on rim to taste.
• Ice, crushed or cubes
• Lime if you have ‘em

Dip glasses upside down in about quarter to half inch of water, then in margarita salt.

Hint: Don’t use the “fancy” plastic Margarita glasses from Walmart and the like. The salt will NOT stick to them. Talk about disappointing.

I rarely drink this by myself, it’s always better to share. So I mix a pitcher at a time. For instance if I have one of my best friends over for a summer night drinks I’ll multiple this by four (two drinks a piece) and mix in a pitcher.

• 44 oz of total mix (11 oz of sour mix, 33 oz water)
• 6 shots Tequila
• 4 shots Triple Sec
• 2 shots Grand Marnier

Since Valentines Day (the occasion for our date) I have gone through a gallon of mix, that’s four gallons of margaritas for anyone who would like to know. But they have been shared with friends, as they should. So Enjoy!!!

Related articles

• Red Lobster’s Menu Makeover: Less Seafood (limelife.com)
• Margarita Cupcakes (emjoyable.wordpress.com)
• A Glass of Friday – Tequila Sour by Bottled Roger (bottledrogersbeers.wordpress.com)

Tags: dining, drink, Home, Margarita, recipe, Red Lobster, restaurants, Sour mix, Triple sec