Bloody Mary Recipe
Vodka, tomato juice, lemon and spice. The savoury brunch cocktail.
The Bloody Mary is a savoury cocktail of vodka and tomato juice seasoned with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. It is the standard brunch cocktail in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, and every bar makes it differently.
Ingredients
- 50 ml Vodka
- 100 ml Tomato juice Chilled
- 15 ml Fresh lemon juice
- 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 3 dashes Hot sauce Tabasco or similar
- 1 pinch Celery salt
- 1 pinch Black pepper Freshly ground
- 1 Celery stick For the garnish
Garnish: Celery stick and lemon wedge
How to Make a Bloody Mary
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Add the vodka, tomato juice and lemon juice.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt and pepper.
- Stir well, or roll the drink back and forth between two glasses to mix it without thinning it.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Garnish with a celery stick and a lemon wedge.
Best Bottles for a Bloody Mary in India
Clean, with a little pepper
Neutral and good value. The spice does the work
Smooth, for a more refined Bloody Mary
Prices are the lowest listed India price and vary by state. Check each spirit page for the full state-wise table.
Tips for a Better Bloody Mary
- Roll, do not shake. Shaking tomato juice makes it thin and frothy.
- Season in stages and taste as you go. Tomato juices vary a lot in salt and sweetness.
- Make the mix a day ahead without the vodka. The flavours improve overnight in the fridge.
About the Bloody Mary
The best-supported story credits Fernand "Pete" Petiot, who said he first mixed vodka and tomato juice in the early 1920s at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, a favourite of American expatriates. Canned tomato juice and Russian vodka were both new arrivals in the city.
After Prohibition ended, Petiot moved to the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel in New York in 1934, where he added lemon, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, salt and black pepper. The hotel renamed it the Red Snapper, a name it still uses. The comedian George Jessel also claimed to have invented the basic mix of vodka and tomato juice in 1927.
The source of the name is uncertain. Suggestions include Queen Mary I of England and a waitress at a Chicago bar called the Bucket of Blood. Canada's Caesar, made with clam and tomato juice, followed in Calgary in 1969.
Bloody Mary Variations
- Virgin Mary: leave out the vodka.
- Bloody Maria: tequila in place of vodka.
- Red Snapper: gin in place of vodka.
- Caesar: clam and tomato juice in place of tomato juice. It is Canada's national cocktail.
- Michelada: beer, lime, hot sauce and tomato juice with a salt rim.
- Desi Bloody Mary: add a pinch of chaat masala and a slit green chilli.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a Bloody Mary?
How strong is a Bloody Mary?
What is the best vodka for a Bloody Mary?
Is a Bloody Mary vegetarian?
Does a Bloody Mary cure a hangover?
What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a Caesar?
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