Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar

Kick off the holiday weekend and tailgate season with this Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar.   Weekend brunches are made for Bloody Mary’s!

Bloody Mary is the ultimate brunch cocktail – with a full serving of veggies, plus the garnishes – it’s basically a meal in a glass. 

Take advantage of sales on V-8 juice, Vlasic Pickles and Mezzetta peppers at Safeway this week to make Bloody Mary’s this weekend!

I like to load my Bloody Mary up with jalapeno-infused vodka, spicy peppers, olives, pickle juice, and a dash of hot sauce.  I also add pepper jack cheese and celery so that I have something to snack on while enjoying my cocktail. 

When I was in college, we would start each game day with a Bloody Mary at our favorite bar.  They had a jalapeno-infused vodka that was to die for in Bloody Mary’s. 

I have since recreated my own jalapeno vodka infusion and use it for spicy cocktails.  I also love a good jalapeno-infused tequila to make spicy margaritas – but that is a post for another time.  

I use hot pickled jalapeno peppers or sometimes fresh jalapenos for making the vodka.  In a glass bottle or jar with a lid, I add 1/4 cup of jalapeno peppers, then top with Titos or Stoli vodka and let it infuse for a minimum of 30 minutes, sometimes overnight. 

Use jalapeno vodka for the cocktails. 

What’s In a Bloody Mary

While there are some good bloody mary mixes on the market, creating your own homemade Bloody Mary mix guarantees a fresh and flavorful mix. Check out my recipe at the end of the post for a fabulous Bloody Mary. 

I use V-8 tomato juice as the base for my mix but if you prefer a bit more bite, Spicy V-8 or Clamato can also be used.  I like to serve one mild and one spicy Bloody Mary option. Then you can spice it up even more with amazing garnishes.  

Prepared horseradish, celery salt, black pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, pickle juice, Worcestershire and a couple of dashes of Tabasco are the musts in my mix. 

When it comes to vodka, my Jalapeno-Infused Vodka adds a spicy punch.

Bloody Mary Garnishes

A bloody mary is made from tomato juice or V-8, so you want to add garnishes that pair well with tomatoes.    

• Dill Pickles of all sizes

• Cucumbers

• Celery

• Olives – black, green, Spanish manzanilla

• Pickled peppers – pepperoncini, jalapenos and hot chili peppers

• Cheese cubes

• Tabasco

• Cajun Seasoning & Salt Rim 

• Cooked Shrimp

• Cooked Bacon

• Lemon or Lime Wedges

• Marinated Pearl Onions

How to Make a Bloody Mary from Scratch

Prep the homemade Bloody Mary mix.  Stir together the tomato juice, horseradish, pickle juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, celery salt, black pepper, and Tabasco in a large pitcher.  Use a long spoon to stir the mixture well. 

Rim the glasses your choice of seasonings – celery salt and paprika are great. Before adding ice or anything to the glass, run a lemon wedge along the rim of the glass then roll the rim in a shallow plate with a mix of celery salt and paprika, or Old Bay and Sugar or Cajun Seasonings and Sugar.

Fill the glass with ice and add 2 ounces of vodka, then top it off with the Bloody Mary mix you prepared.

Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Bloody Mary Seasonings

For the seasonings, you can either make your own or choose a store-bought blend. A few of my favorite Bloody Mary seasonings are:

• Old Bay seasoning
• O Organics Cajun Seasoning
• Garlic salt
• Garlic powder
• Celery salt
• Smoked paprika
• Lemon pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Smoked Sea Salt
• Seasoned Salts

Bloody Mary Recipe

This recipe makes 6 servings of Bloody Mary’s

• 3 cups tomato juice or V-8
• 1/3 cup pickle juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 dashes of Tabasco
• 3/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces of vodka or jalapeno-infused vodka per serving

Bloody Mary Recipe

Bloody Mary's are the ultimate brunch cocktail, make your own homemade Bloody Mary mix and garnishes like pickles, peppers, olives.

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Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bloody Mary

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories:

Author: Eva Fry

Ingredients

• 3 cups tomato juice or V-8
• 1/3 cup pickle juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 dashes of Tabasco
• 3/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces of vodka or jalapeno-infused vodka per serving

Instructions

• Prep the homemade Bloody Mary mix.  Stir together the tomato juice, horseradish, pickle juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, celery salt, black pepper, and Tabasco in a large pitcher.  Use a long spoon to stir the mixture well.
• Rim the glasses your choice of seasonings - celery salt and paprika are great. Before adding ice or anything to the glass, run a lemon wedge along the rim of the glass then roll the rim in a shallow plate with a mix of celery salt and paprika, or Old Bay and Sugar or Cajun Seasonings and Sugar.
• Fill the glass with ice and add 2 ounces of vodka, then top it off with the Bloody Mary mix you prepared.
• Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

To make jalapeno-infused vodka, mix together 1/4 cup fresh or hot pickled jalapenos and 20 oz of vodka in a large glass jar with a lid.   Allow the jalapeno's to infuse the vodka for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to overnight depending on the spiciness you want. 

Tips for Making the Best Bloody Mary

Have skewers on hand that are long enough to fit the size of your glass and a variety of toppings for maximum garnishing. 

Have plenty of ice on hand. Bloody Mary’s are best served cold. Top the glasses to the rim with ice, and refrigerate the mix before serving.

Create different flavored salts to rim your glass by combining kosher salt with different chile powders or seasoning blends. Pour salts on small plates that just fit the rim of your glass. To coat, use a lemon or lime to wet the glass rim, then press the glass rim into the seasoning mix to adhere.  

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