Add Some Extra Heat To Your Spicy Margarita With This Pepper Swap

You don't need to be a cocktail connoisseur to know spicy margaritas are not for the faint of heart. Unlike regular margaritas, it's not merely zingy and crisp. Tongue-tingling heat has become this drink's defining feature and undeniably, main allure. From the moment it meets your palate all the way until the aftertaste, the burn is simply divine. More often than not, it's jalapeños that lay the groundwork for this spiciness, but what if you want something more intense? Adding more jalapeños won't do the trick. No, what you need is a swap to something even higher on the Scoville scale, something like serrano pepper.

Clocking in at between 10,000 and 25,000 SHU, serranos are about twice as spicy as your average jalapeños, which usually sit in the mild category of between 2,500 and 8,000 SHU. That said, they don't simply offer aggressive heat like many other types of chile peppers. Serranos share some of jalapeños' brightness, although they lean strongly on the grassy side. They also don't hijack your taste buds immediately, but rather slow-burn through a momentary wait before the heat fully kicks in. Muddled into margaritas, this chile pepper leaves room for the citrusy lime and sweet tequila to shine while its vibrant heat remains front and center.

Just one serrano chile should be enough to achieve the desired fiery intensity for your spicy margarita. Too little and you'll barely detect the spice, while too much might overpower other ingredients. Don't jump straight into muddling the chile peppers, however. Start with a quick char over the gas flame to bring out their hidden complexity and create a smoky undertone. After you have deseeded the peppers, muddle them with the remaining ingredients. Fill this mixture with ice and shake or stir (depending on your usual preference) to make a serrano spicy margarita. You can even top it off with ginger beer. Maybe add a Tajín, sumac, or spicy salt rim to jazz up this drink's spiciness even further.

You'll be glad to know that this twist works with more than just a classic spicy margarita. Why not add some more citrus to the mix, perhaps with a spicy grapefruit mezcal margarita? Tropical fruits such as pineapples, passionfruit, and mangoes also have a spot in this flavor-bursting festivity. They balance out the peppers' sharpness with their sweet-tart notes, giving the cocktail an enticing vibrancy. For those who like something on a more floral, aromatic side, a splash of peach purée and fresh peach slices are sure to satisfy. Considering our choices so far, cucumber may not sound like a great fit, but it's just the ingredient to use when you want something refreshing to tame a bit of the serrano's intensity.