The fresh, peppery, slightly spicy, flavor of jalapeno pairs perfectly with tequila. And tequila makes margaritas. The best way to up your margarita game is to learn how to make jalapeno tequila! And bonus! it’s ridiculously easy.
How to Make Jalapeno Tequila:
Learning how to make jalapeno tequila was part of my quest to make the ultimate jalapeño margarita at home. Turns out it’s so easy, you don’t even need a recipe! But I have one here anyway, just for backup.
Two Ingredients:
Literally, the name says it all – jalapeno tequila! The name is the ingredient list. Fresh jalapenos and tequila. I like to use a blanco tequila to let the flavor of the jalapenos shine. Other styles of tequila like resposado or anejo have deeper, stronger flavors, but those flavors will just be masked by the jalapenos. So save yourself some money and buy the blanco!
Preparation:
It will take you all of five minutes to learn how to make jalapeno tequila. First you’ll want to cut the tops off the jalapenos and slice them in half. Now comes the big decision, are you going to take the seeds and ribs out, or leave them in for more heat? Once you make your decision, take the jalapenos, place them in a quart size mason jar and pour in the tequila to cover. You’ll use about three cups of tequila.
Now comes the hard part, the waiting. Place the jar in a cupboard, in your bar, or on the counter and let the jalapeno flavor infuse into the tequila. You’ll start getting some jalapeno flavor within a few hours, but I am greedy and want as much jalapeno as I can get. Sooooo, I usually let it sit for a few days to even weeks to eek out every single drop of jalapeno deliciousness. *FAIR WARNING* if you let it infuse for a week or more, it’s going to be Spicy with a capital “S”. You can taste it every few days and see what you think. You’ll notice the bright green color of the jalapenos will slowly fade to a khaki color. This is exactly what should be happening.
Once it tastes perfect to your taste buds, strain the jalapenos and seeds from the tequila with a fine mesh strainer. I like to store this spicy elixir in, of course, a mason jar (my favorite!). Finally, you’ll label and tightly cover the jar. I think you should proudly display it on your counter, but you can also store it with the rest of your bar supplies.
The Payoff:
Now that you’ve learned how to make jalapeno tequila, you are so close to enjoying the ultimate jalapeno margarita! You might notice that jalapeno simple syrup in the photo above. This is the other not-so-secret ingredient in the ultimate jalapeno margarita. And it’s also really easy to make. My advice is to make them both now, so you have them on hand when the margarita craving strikes!
Get the Goods:
- A fine mesh strainer. Because you don’t want jalapeno seeds in your tequila! Plus, everyone needs one, it’s a kitchen basic.
- Mason jars!!! Sorry, I get pretty excited about these multipurpose vessels. You can order them online, or find them at Target, JoAnn Fabrics, your grocery store, pretty much everywhere! That’s how cool they are.
Disclaimer: any links to products in this post may be affiliate links. This means I would get a small commission if the product was purchased. I only link to products I like and use myself, or are similar to what I use. Thanks!
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How to Make Jalapeno Tequila
Description
The fresh, peppery, slightly spicy, flavor of jalapenos pairs perfectly with tequila. And tequila makes margaritas. The best way to up your margarita game is to learn how to make jalapeno tequila! The best part is, it’s ridiculously easy.
Ingredients
- 3 – 3 1/2 cups of tequila
- 3–4 fresh jalapenos, stems cut off, then cut in half. You can leave the ribs and seeds in for more heat, or remove them. It’s up to you!
Instructions
- Place the halved jalapenos in a quart sized mason jar.
- Pour the tequila over to cover and almost fill the jar.
- Cover the jar tightly and store in a cool place for a few days, or up to a few weeks. This will let the jalapeno flavor infuse the tequila. Taste every few days until it’s exactly the way you like it!
