[Bob in St. Louis]

Hello there,
I am looking for the recipe to make a Margarita like Applebee's has, called "The Perfect Margarita".
A quick Google search yields many results in forums and blogs claiming "this" is Applebee's recipe, but often times people will chime in with comments making corrections to the recipe saying that they are bartenders at an Applebee's.
Yesterday I spent $120 buying the various ingredients needed. Every search I've read at least agrees on the liquors involved, but quantities and 'additives' seem to be where the disagreement comes into play.
Here's what I bought:
- Cuervo 1800 Reposado
- Cointreau
- Grand Marnier
- Sweetened lime juice
- Sweet and sour mix

Due to the cost of these items, I really don't want to play around experimenting. Last night I cracked the bottles open and made my wife and I our first "Perfects". It wasn't bad, but if I didn't know better I'd swear I was drinking an Amaretto sour. A little too much 'bite' from the sweet and sour mix was tasted so I added some sugar. Really didn't help much.

Any help would be appreciated.

Bob

[bpape]

Very little sour mix and just drizzle the Grand Marnier over the top after shaking and pouring into the glass.  If you want it sweeter yet, skip the sour mix and use Limeade instead of lime juice.

Bryan

[BobM]

Don't kinow about the Applebees recipe, but I like the Jose Cuervo Margarita mix far better than straight sweet and sour mix. Add your Tequila of choice and a little Triple Sec and that taste's perfect to me. Adding the Grand Marnier or Contreau makes it a "Cadillac" Margarita, at least that's what we used to call it.

Enjoy (hic),
Bob

[sts9fan]

If you put ANY sweet and sour mix in your margarita it is already ruined.  Here is the recipe that I use.
2 parts tequila
1 part orange liqueur or triple sec(will make it weaker)
1 part fresh lime juice(no bottle)
1/2 part simple syrup(optional)

Kris

[Dan Driscoll]

If you put ANY sweet and sour mix in your margarita it is already ruined.  Here is the recipe that I use.
2 parts tequila
1 part orange liqueur or triple sec(will make it weaker)
1 part fresh lime juice(no bottle)
1/2 part simple syrup(optional)

Kris

A quality orange liqueur or triple sec, like Grand Mariner, Cointreau or Don Patron, is 80 proof, about the same as most tequilas.

[sts9fan]

I am not sure what quality triple sec is.  Whenever I buy it orange liqour is 80 proof and Triple sec is less ~ 40
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_sec

If you want to get fancy boil fruit such as peaches while making your simple syrup.
I really want a margarita now!

Kris

[Dan_ed]

I use something similar to sts9fan. And forget that Cuervo stuff. Get a decent Patron. You'll feel better the next morning!

[sts9fan]

The Reposado is ok.  I like to mix it up with silvers and Anejos.  Honestly if you are making a large batch Cuervo gold is not that bad.  I have made batches with a whole 1.75L and it came out wonderful.

[loki1957]

The perfect Margarita can be had at Poco Loco in the old Brown Deer village in Brown Deer WI.
http://www.pocolococantina.com/index.html

[Grover]

Well, looks like everyone has a different opinion, so here's mine.

Take your recipe as the beginning step.  I'm not sure what you mean by sweetened lime juice, but I'd substitute that for juice from REAL limes.  The sweet and sour mix you're using is plenty sweet already.

Here's my secret ingredient:  juice from a REAL orange.  Just cut a wedge out of the orange and squeeze it in.  The orange must have some flavor - I like Valencias better than naval oranges. 

[EDS_]

Hello there,
I am looking for the recipe to make a Margarita like Applebee's has, called "The Perfect Margarita".
A quick Google search yields many results in forums and blogs claiming "this" is Applebee's recipe, but often times people will chime in with comments making corrections to the recipe saying that they are bartenders at an Applebee's.
Yesterday I spent $120 buying the various ingredients needed. Every search I've read at least agrees on the liquors involved, but quantities and 'additives' seem to be where the disagreement comes into play.
Here's what I bought:
- Cuervo 1800 Reposado
- Cointreau
- Grand Marnier
- Sweetened lime juice
- Sweet and sour mix

Due to the cost of these items, I really don't want to play around experimenting. Last night I cracked the bottles open and made my wife and I our first "Perfects". It wasn't bad, but if I didn't know better I'd swear I was drinking an Amaretto sour. A little too much 'bite' from the sweet and sour mix was tasted so I added some sugar. Really didn't help much.

Any help would be appreciated.

Bob

I don't know what Applebees is doing but here is an old but great and simple margarita recipe that uses much of what you bought.



1.5 oz. 1800 (I strongly prefer Patron Silver but 1800 is fine)
1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice (don't use sweetened anything and do not use sweet and sour mix)
1/2 oz. Cointreau (Cointreau is just better than Triple Sec.  I have both and can taste a significant difference.  Patron Citronge is another fine orange flavored liquor.)
*Tiny amounts of Grand Marnier are fine.  But add only when the drink is otherwise complete.
Before all that freeze some heavy margarita suitable glasses for a few hours. Smear some lime juice on the top and salt to taste.
Store the 1800 and the Cointreau in the freezer.
Use little ice cubes.
Garnish with a lime wedge.


Cowboy margarita.....

Salted rim frozen heavy glass
Fill mostly with Negra Modelo or Dos Equis Amber (not lager)
Squeeze one lime wedge worth of lime juice
Garnish with a lime wedge
add one teaspoon of tequila if desired

[Dan_ed]

Cowboy margarita.....

Salted rim frozen heavy glass
Fill mostly with Negra Modelo or Dos Equis Amber (not lager)
Squeeze one lime wedge worth of lime juice
Garnish with a lime wedge
add one teaspoon of tequila if desired

Now that's my kind of margarita. Just give me two fingers of Patron on the side. I'll mix them in my mouth! 

[EDS_]

Cowboy margarita.....

Salted rim frozen heavy glass
Fill mostly with Negra Modelo or Dos Equis Amber (not lager)
Squeeze one lime wedge worth of lime juice
Garnish with a lime wedge
add one teaspoon of tequila if desired

Now that's my kind of margarita. Just give me two fingers of Patron on the side. I'll mix them in my mouth! 

No doubt a Cowboy Marg. and some Patron or any great tequila on the side is close to paradise.

[Dan_ed]

And I swear Modelo Negro was just made for tequila! I can't understand why but my wife gets all pissed off if I even mention going out for Mexican food. 

[Bob in St. Louis]

Some of these are sounding pretty darn good. Thanks guys! 

BUT......If I don't get the actual recipe from Applebee's my wife will have my ass.

- What is simple syrup? 'Simply' a 50:50 mixture of water and sugar?

- Grover - "Sweetened Lime juice" can be bought in bottles. Kind of reminds me of Olive Oil seeing it in the bottle.

- Kris - When you say to boil fruit, are you talking about just having the aroma filling the room while your making drinks? Or are you using the fruit as an ingredient?

- BobM - "Cadillac" is just another name for the "high dollar" Margarita served by restaurants. Applebee's has "The Perfect", Red Lobster has "The Top Shelf", and I've seen "The Cadillac" at a few places. Basically it means they're using the good stuff.  aa

- Bryan - "BUSTED". I guess you now know why you got my answering machine yesterday. That 'quick errand' I had was to the liquor store.  But what is 'Limeade'? Are you talking about Lemon flavored Kool-ade?

- Here's the link to the recipe I'm using. Note there's a few visitors that have chimed in saying they're bartenders at Applebee's but each have their own version of "The Perfect". 
http://recipes.robbiehaf.com/A/345.htm

Thanks guys. It's 4:00pm here and my head is just now beginning to feel better from last nights experiments. 
Ahhh yes.....The things we do for our wives. ha ha

Bob

[rodge827]

Bob,

Try this link :

http://www.margaritaville.com/index.php?page=drinkrec

Many a good time has been started here   

Rodge

[bpape]

Minutemaid used to have a Limeade concentrate that was decent for making larger batches.  Went to their web site but didn't see it.  Maybe it's in with the unfrosted blueberry Pop Tarts on Amazon and eBay 

For smaller batches, I just use Roses Lime Juice.

Bryan

[Scott F.]

Minutemaid used to have a Limeaid concentrate that was decent for making larger batches. 

That stuff was great. We used to mix vodka with it. mmmmmmm Yummy 

Went to their web site but didn't see it.  Maybe it's in with the unfrosted blueberry Pop Tarts on Amazon and eBay 

 

[Dan_ed]

Yeah, Bacardi (I think) made a pretty good concentrate. Maybe they re-badged Minutemaid. Anyway, I found that cutting it down worked better for me. I don't like a tart mix. Well, unless the tarts are good looking and  skimpily dressed. 

[sts9fan]

I just cook it in the ss 50%water 50% sugar and discard the solids after.  All the water soluble sugars will be in the ss.