A pitcher-full of outstanding Bloody Marys is easy to make and infinitely tastier than store-bought mixes. Bloody Maria, Dirty Mary, and Virgin Mary variations are included and are customizable by the glass. For added fun, offer a make-your-own garnish station!
An olive loaded Bloody Mary with a crisp stalk of celery and a generous amount of horseradish has been my husband Jack’s favorite cocktail since our dating days.
To this day, he always offers me one of the olives. Knowing how much he loves those salty, briny orbs, I consider this a true sign of love.
Given Jack’s long history of loving this drink, it’s nothing short of inexcusable that I am just now sharing his favorite recipe.
Perfect for holiday brunches, cocktail hours, and whenever a craving calls, a good Bloody Mary is a balance of spicy, salty, and savory flavors. For a truly fabulous drink, of course, the forward notes of tomato should be balanced. The idea here is not cold tomato soup!
With this in mind…
Beyond the customary ingredients like horseradish, lemon juice, celery salt, Tabasco, and Worcestershire, I like to add a small amount of dill pickle juice. It thins the tomato juice and provides a more nuanced tomato flavor, which I think elevates the drink. The pickle spears also make a fun garnish for those who enjoy.
While we’re talking garnishes, this is the place you can really personalize and have fun with your cocktail. As you can see by the photos, we make the garnishes pull double duty as an appetizer. Separate plate not required!
In addition to dill pickle spears, other festive garnishes include celery stalks, pickled green beans, green olives, lemon/lime wedges, pepperoncini, shrimp, salami, and bacon. For variety, I do sometimes use half a mini cucumber instead of the pickle spear.
You can stick long ingredients like celery and pickles right in the glass, as you would a stirrer. Smaller items like olives and shrimp can be threaded on a toothpick or small skewer.
Variations on the classic Bloody Mary:
With a small adjustment, you can mix things up and make a Bloody Maria (Perhaps for a Cinco de Mayo party?) or a Dirty Mary (perfect for olive lovers!).
How to make a Bloody Maria:
Simply replace the vodka with tequila and use one tablespoon each lemon and lime juice. You can also use a lime wedge to wet the rims of the glasses and then dip the rims in chili lime seasoning or Tajín.
How to make a Dirty Mary:
Add ½ ounce (1 tablespoon, or to taste) of olive brine per serving and stir. Alternatively (or in addition to for more olive flavor), place 4 pitted green olives (like Castelvetranos, but traditional Spanish olives also work well) in the bottom of a cocktail shaker and, using a muddler or the bottom of a wooden spoon, smash the olives so they break into big pieces. Add one serving (6 ounces) of the Bloody Mary mix, the vodka, and ice, and then roll the cocktail by pouring it back and forth between the cocktail shaker and a large glass or a second cocktail shaker. Pour the drink and ice into a serving glass, garnish as desired, and serve.
A few more things…
- Many Bloody Mary recipes call for a good bit more Worcestershire than mine does. Jack thinks (and I concur) that too much can be overpowering.
- Jack also prefers his Bloody Marys on the not-too-spicy side, which the lower range of the Tabasco sauce accomplishes. My personal preference is the full teaspoon, but to keep everyone happy in our house, I split the difference! The beauty of these drinks is that they can also be customized upon serving.
- The rest time will allow the flavor to improve. If possible, I like to prepare the mix the day before. If you don’t have time, even a couple of hours will be of benefit.
- Feel free to use your imagination to come up with more variations: add a sprig of rosemary, a sprinkle of Old Bay, or use sriracha instead of Tabasco. There’s much room for customization in this classic brunch cocktail.
- For added appeal, make a Bloody Mary bar with all the toppings!
Favorite appetizer and small bites to serve with Bloody Mary cocktails:
- Baked Havarti
- Baked Artichoke Dip
- Spanish Tapas Board
- Classic Chex Party Mix
- Tamari Almonds
- Spanish-Style Marinated Olives
- Easiest Steamed Edamame
- Union Square Café Bar Nuts (recipe coming soon)
We’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.
Jack’s Favorite Bloody Mary
Ingredients
- 3 cups (24oz) tomato juice*
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) dill pickle juice
- 2 tablespoons (30g) prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½-1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (start with ½ teaspoon for flavor but very little heat and increase to taste – Our sweet spot is right in the middle)
- 1 ounce vodka, per drink (or up to 2 ounces, to taste; omit for Virgin Mary)
- Optional for garnish: celery stalks, dill pickle or mini cucumber spears, pickled green beans, shrimp, bacon, salami (or another cured meat of choice), green olives, lemon/lime wedges, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of Old Bay
Instructions
- Before you start: The flavor of the Bloody Mary mix will meld and improve over time. So, if possible, prepare it several hours before serving, or ideally, the day before.
- In a pitcher, combine the tomato juice, lemon juice, pickle juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Tabasco sauce and stir well.
- Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Taste and add more hot sauce, horseradish, celery salt, and/or black pepper, to taste.
- When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice. Add 1 ounce of vodka to each glass (or skip for a non-alcoholic Mary), and then fill the glass with the Bloody Mary mix. Stir well, and garnish each glass with your favorite veggie, pickle, olives, etc.
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