Spicy Grapefruit Mezcal Margarita Recipe

The list of ingredients for this mezcal margarita is not long, but you may have to visit some specialty stores to locate a few of them. You'll need grapefruit wedges, Mezcal Amarás Espadín, fresh ruby red grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice, Cointreau liqueur, crushed dried Mexican chipotle peppers, jalapeño peppers, and ice cubes. The only real specialty ingredient you'll need is sal de gusano, a unique Mexican seasoning made from dried agave worms, salt, and chiles. Once you have all these ingredients on hand, you're ready to create this flavorful and spicy mezcalita.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the Mezcal, grapefruit juice, lime juice, Cointreau, crushed dried Mexican peppers, and half of the jalapeño slices.

Sal de gusano, also known as worm salt, is a unique seasoning used in Mexican cuisine. It is made by grinding together dried agave worms (gusanos de maguey), sea salt, and chile peppers. The agave worms are actually the larvae of a moth that lives inside the agave plant. When they are mature, the worms are removed from the plant and dried. This seasoning provides an earthy, slightly nutty flavor with a hint of heat from the chile peppers. 

As in this drink, this salt is commonly used to rim the glasses of tequila, mezcal, and other Mexican cocktails, as it enhances and complements the agave-based spirits. Sal de gusano is considered a specialty Mexican seasoning that adds a unique, umami depth of flavor. If you can't find this special ingredient for our spicy grapefruit mezcal margarita recipe, feel free to mix smoked paprika, ground cayenne pepper, and coarse salt in a ratio of 1:1:2 to make the rim. It will not taste the same as the worm salt, but it will still give a smoky and salty flavor that goes well with the drink.

This margarita recipe can be easily batched to serve a crowd at your next party. To make a batch of this cocktail, simply multiply the ingredient quantities by the desired number of servings and mix them in a pitcher or a large jar. Combine all of the liquid ingredients in a pitcher or punch bowl, and adjust the seasoning to taste. You can use a muddler to crush the grapefruit and peppers rather than shaking them with ice. To ensure the freshest flavors, prepare the batch just before your guests arrive and keep the prepared margarita mixture chilled but not iced until ready to serve. When company starts trickling in, you can quickly rim glasses with the grapefruit wedges and sal de gusano, fill them with ice, and pour the premixed margarita over the top. Garnish each glass with a grapefruit wedge and jalapeño slices for a personalized presentation that will make your guests feel like they just got a bespoke drink mixed especially for them.