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This classic Bloody Mary recipe probably dates back to the 1920s. Ever since then, bartenders have been working to improve it, and there are some fantastic variations out there.
This is the simple, no-frills classic version of the recipe. But feel free to dress it up as much or as little as you want.
Some people would tell you the Bloody Mary is all about the garnish. And you can and should have a ton of fun with the garnish. You can add meat and veggies of all sorts.
But the original just called for a stalk of celery, and there’s something classic about the look of it.
Fancy garnish really is so much fun for this drink. But before you play with the garnish, you want to master the flavor of the actual tomato juice mix.
Here it is, pictured with celery, bacon, a gherkin pickle, an olive, a cherry tomato and a celery salt rim. Which almost makes it lunch.
The taste of this drink is really all about how you season the tomato juice. That’s what you want to get just right.
This classic Bloody Mary is pretty straightforward. It’s the best recipe to start with, and from there, you can tweak it to make your own signature version of it.
Signature tweaks
So how do you go about creating your own special version of the tomato juice mixture for a Bloody Mary? Start with little changes and work your way up to bigger ones.
For example, experiment with the measurements for the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. You may like it more spicy (more Tobasco) or more savory (more Worcestershire), so try a few combinations to get the levels of spicy and savory just the way you like them.
You can also try different brands of hot sauce. For example, Tapatio is a little more spicy and tangy than Tobasco, with a wonderful robust flavor that you may actually prefer.
One of our top suggestions is to add beef stock or beef bullion to the tomato juice. It makes the drink more hearty, almost like a beefy tomato stew. This is especially great in wintertime – sometimes in hot weather, you just want the light, bright flavor of tomato juice.
We recommend Knorr beef bullion in powder form because this stuff has so much yummy au jus flavor. A little goes a long way, and a whole cube in a single Bloody Mary would knock you over.
The trick is to add a small amount of the powder – maybe just an eighth of a teaspoon at first – and taste it. Add a little more and a little more until you find just the balance you like.
You can also add a dash or two of soy sauce. And by soy sauce, we mean the real stuff – brewed and aged, and tasting nothing like the stuff in bottles at the sushi bar. We recommend Eden Organics Shoyu sauce, and not too much of it.
Again, you want to add a dash at a time and taste. This soy sauce has a lot more flavor than you’re used to compared to normal soy sauce.
Another delicious option is horseradish. Again, a little goes a long way, so start small. This horseradish sauce is extra spicy and doesn’t have as many additives and filler ingredients as most.
You can also try lime juice in place of lemon juice. Try anything that comes to mind and sounds good. It’s a drink that’s hard to perfect, but even harder to ruin. Even garlic works in this drink, if you’re a garlic lover.
Extra celery salt can be a nice touch, too. You can also make a celery salt rim (here’s how to rim a glass), or mix celery salt and chili powder together for a salty-spicy rim.
This is also one of the all-time great co*cktails to serve Virgin style. The Virgin Mary tastes almost exactly the same, just without the vodka. That makes it a great option when you’re entertaining drinking as well as non-drinking guests.
Both the Bloody Mary and the Virgin Mary are perfect for brunch and even breakfast, or breakfast-for-dinner, which is just breakfast food like pancakes, eggs and bacon eaten later in the day.
It also tastes great with egg dishes, such as omelets and scrambles, or even quiche. Try it with this Spinach and Bacon Omelet from Valentina’s Corner for a hearty breakfast. The smoky and savory flavors of the bacon and spinach will bring out all the wonderful seasonings in your Bloody Mary.
Yield: 1 drink
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
The classic Bloody Mary recipe blends vodka with tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tobasco, lemon juice and celery salt. This simple recipe tastes wonderful, but you can add more Tobasco if you want it hotter.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 cup tomato juice
- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
- 1-3 dashes Tobasco sauce
- 4-6 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tsp celery salt
- Celery stick
- Lemon wedge
Instructions
- Shake all ingredients together with a scoop of ice.
- Strain the mixture into a tall glass.
- Garnish with the celery stick and lemon wedge.
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Read Next:
- Dirty Bloody Martini
- Virgin Mary Non-Alcoholic co*cktail
- Sloe Driver
FAQs
The creation of the Bloody Mary is often credited to Fernand Petiot in the 1920s while a young bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. However, it appears he simply spiced up an existing and well-established combo of vodka and tomato juice while working at the St. Regis Hotel, New York City during the 1940s.
What is a southern mary? ›
2 oz Southern Comfort Whiskey. 4 oz Zing Zang Bloody Mary. 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce. 2 dashes Tabasco sauce. Lime wheel, for garnish.
What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a dirty Bloody Mary? ›
A Dirty Bloody Mary is a variation of the classic Bloody Mary co*cktail. It typically includes the addition of olive brine, giving it a 'dirty' twist. This addition adds a savory, salty depth to the traditional mix of tomato juice, vodka, and various seasonings.
Are Bloody Marys better with tomato juice or V8? ›
V8 Bloody Mary Mix - NEW
It offers a perfect equilibrium in its consistency, distinguishing itself from ordinary tomato juices. It boasts a semi-sweet flavor profile and an ideal thickness - not overly watery, yet not too heavy, so it is great to build upon and still incorporate some of your own recipe additions!
Why do they put celery in Bloody Marys? ›
Celery is a Must
Sure, you have seen celery as a garnish to a Bloody Mary, but did you know that it adds more than just a pretty presentation? The flavor of the celery compliments the tomato juice and can be enhanced with celery seed or celery salt as well.
What is an Irish Mary? ›
Combine green tomatoes, cucumber, lime juice, jalapeño, cilantro, Worcestershire sauce and horseradish in a blender and process until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing out all of the juice. Stir in vodka and green tea and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
What is the etiquette for Bloody Mary drinks? ›
The Rule of Thumb: No matter where you are, you may drink as many Bloody Marys as you like between dawn and noon. After noon, you may have Bloody Mary as your first drink of the day, but afterwards you must move on to other adult beverages. After sunset, you may not drink any Blood Marys.
What's the difference between a Mary and Caesar? ›
They each have a vodka base, but Bloody Marys feature tomato juice, while Caesars make use of clamato, a combination of clam and tomato juice. Also, even though both are popular brunch drinks, the Caesar is really only well-known in Canada.
Is it weird to order a Bloody Mary at night? ›
There's plenty of spilled digital ink, especially on bartenders' Reddit boards, to attest that it's poor form to order a Bloody Mary in the evening — and, especially, at night. “After 9 pm, Bloody Marys should be referred to as 'Bartenders' Nightmare' to discourage the ignorant.
Are Bloody Marys bad for you? ›
Bloody Marys are actually healthy co*cktails.
In addition to electrolytes, sodium, potassium, and Vitamin C, tomatoes also contain lycopene, which is high in antioxidants. Lycopene helps to combat the toxins in the liver (like the toxins that you consumed while drinking the night before.)
Over the years the Bloody Mary has become known as a hangover cure through it's classic combination of poison (alcohol) and remedy (tomato juice) and has developed a unique status as a 'lunchtime co*cktail'.
What is the best vodka to use to make a Bloody Mary? ›
Remember to remove the seeds so you don't light your mouth (or ass) on fire! What we got was a zesty, peppery, fresh, citrusy vodka that was absolutely delicious in our Bloody Gerry. Whether your go-to is Tito's, Ketel One, Stolichnaya, Sobieski, Grey Goose, Reyka, Diamond Glacier, Belvedere, Chopin, or even…
What is in Mr. and Mrs. T Bloody Mary mix? ›
Ingredients: WATER, CANE SUGAR, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE, ACACIA GUM, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE), POLYSORBATE 60, NATURAL FLAVORS, ESTER GUM, SODIUM METABISULFITE (PRESERVATIVE), YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6.
Are Bloody Marys good for your stomach? ›
It is the combination of a heavy vegetable base (tomato juice) and salt that can settle the stomach and replace electrolytes, as well as delivering Vitamins C and B6 that are both beneficial in reducing the effects of a hangover.
Who originally wrote Bloody Mary? ›
What's the difference between a Bloody Mary and a caesar? ›
While both the Bloody Mary and the Caesar are very similar, there's one big difference in ingredients between the two. They each have a vodka base, but Bloody Marys feature tomato juice, while Caesars make use of clamato, a combination of clam and tomato juice.
Why do Bloody Marys cure hangovers? ›
In summary: the non-booze ingredients of a Bloody Mary deliver up electrolytes, water, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6, all of which might help with a hangover. Vodka, not so much.
What does a Virgin Bloody Mary contain? ›
You're going to need tomato juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, freshly squeezed lime juice, and dill pickle juice. You heard me. Dill pickle juice. Just come along for the ride.
