To Salt or Not To Salt? How To Ace The Classic Margarita Rim
Margaritas, or ‘margs’ as they are lovingly called, are timeless, top-tier cocktails of the alco-beverage world. Spicy, classic, salted or fruity, there’s a perfect kind of marg for every person and every occasion. To enhance its taste and boost the flavour, most margarita enthusiasts tend to go for salted rims on their cocktail glass.
A perfectly-salted margarita rim will compliment your drink in many ways, and it is the go-to for most marg drinkers. The salt is considered to add a huge flavour contrast to the drinking experience, as the flavour of the rim counterbalances the tartness of the tequila and the lemon juice. Salt also subdues the sweetness of the drink for those who prefer less sweetened cocktails. Not to mention, a perfectly salted rim is always visually appealing to the drinker!
However, if you choose to avoid the frills and fancies of a salted rim, we reckon you’ll still have a ball sipping on your margarita.
Not only can one typically recognise a margarita from the classic coupe glass that it’s served in, but the salt rim is also a huge giveaway, when one is trying to discern what the delicious drink that your neighbour is sipping on at the restaurant is.
Achieving the perfect salted rim for your Margarita is all about attention to detail and basic technique. Even a novice cocktail-maker can create an epic salted rim on their beloved Marg.
Now, if you’ve made up your mind, use the following recipe to achieve the lip-smacking salted rim:
To Begin With
This iconic and flavour-packed cocktail largely consists of three main ingredients: tequila (the classic Don Julio Blanco, Don Julio Reposado and Don Julio 1942 are great choices), lime juice and orange liqueur (Triple Sec or Cointreau). Together, these ingredients create a harmonious flavour profile which usually results in people ordering a pitcher (or three).
Choose the right glass
Most people tend to go with the classic coupe cocktail glass or a glass with a wider rim so that the area to salt is larger
Dry the glass
It’s extremely important to clean and dry the rim of your Margarita glass so that you can create the perfect salted rim. This cleaning can be done with cloth or a paper towel.
Salt the glass
In a small plate, evenly pour out some salt (normal or coarse Kosher salt, depending on personal preference). Some people also mix a little chilli powder and lime zest in the salt, according to taste
Moisten the rim
Take a lemon wedge or some lemon juice and run it around the rim of the glass to lightly moisten it. Pro-Tip: Moisten only 3 quarters of the rim so that the drinker has the option to sip from the unsalted side
Dip, Rotate and Tap Off Excess
Gently take your cocktail glass, dip it onto the plate of salt, slightly rotate the glass and then shrug off any of the excess salt. If possible, put the salted rim glass in the freezer for a short while so that the salt can slightly solidify and set in place
So there you have it! The easiest method to achieve a perfectly salted Margarita rim with minimal effort! Try it out now and tell us how it goes!
