Tajín-Rimmed Picklerita
A spicy-savory riff on the margarita starring blanco tequila, muddled jalapeño, and a kick of dill pickle brine, finished with a Tajín-and-salt rim.
- 2 ozblanco tequila
- 1 ozlime juice
- ½ ozorange liqueur
- ¾ ozpickle brine
- ½ ozagave nectar
- 2 slicejalapeño
- 1 pinchtajín(for rim, mixed with sea salt)
- 1 pinchflaky sea salt(for rim, mixed with tajin)
- Lime wheel and pickle speargarnish
- 1Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a rocks glass, then dip the wet rim in a mix of Tajín and flaky sea salt so it coats only the outside edge. Fill the glass with ice.
- 2In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle the jalapeño slices with the agave nectar, 3 to 4 presses.
- 3Add the tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and pickle brine, then fill the shaker with ice.
- 4Shake hard for about 15 seconds, until the shaker frosts over.
- 5Double-strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice.
- 6Garnish with a lime wheel and a pickle spear.
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Pickle brine began appearing in margaritas as home cooks and food publications looked for uses for leftover jar juice, and found that a small pour adds a salty backbone much like a salted rim without diluting the citrus. Published versions split into two camps: those built on orange liqueur and those built on agave or simple syrup, with sources that use one generally leaving out the other. This version keeps a half ounce of orange liqueur alongside agave, muddles fresh jalapeno for heat, and finishes with a Tajin-and-salt rim, building on the same briny appeal that made the Pickleback a bar staple.
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