Guests love their Margaritas—it remains the leading cocktail in most surveys. To spice up your Margarita offering and create some signature sips, infuse tequila with a unique flavor.
Cibolo Moon, a Tex-Mex restaurant and tequila bar at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in Texas, makes a fan-favorite Jalapeño Strawberry Margarita with a house-made jalapeño and strawberry-infused tequila. The bar’s mixologists share their secrets for the perfect infusion.
First, you’ll want to choose your tequila and flavors. Cibolo Moon recommends a 100% blue agave silver or blanco tequila. Blanco tequilas work best since they’re fresh and unaged, so they can take on the most flavor.
What to infuse it with? Almost any herbs, spices and fruits will work well, just be sure to use fresh ingredients.
For strawberries and citrus fruit, wash and slice thinly. For peppers, score and leave whole or cut in half. Leave the seeds in for a spicy kick, or remove them for less heat.
Choose a clean, airtight jar; quart-sized mason jars work well. Wash the ingredients place them inside the jar and fill it with tequila. Shake a few times and cover tightly with a lid.
You’ll want to store your infusion in a cool, dark place and shake it a few times a day for the duration of the infusion. On average, the ingredients should stay in the tequila for three to five days.
Some of your more intense flavors will need just three days; less intense flavors should stay in the jar for a full week or more. You should do a taste test every few days to see if the flavors are sufficient.
When the infused tequila is ready, mix it up in a Margarita or create a specialty cocktail for it. Here’s Cibolo Moon’s infused Margarita recipe.
