How to Make a Mojito
Find a tall, sturdy glass., Add mint, 2 teaspoons sugar, and lime juice to the glass., Press the round end of a muddler into the glass and gently twist several times., Add 2 jiggers (3 oz or 88 ml) of rum., Add four ice cubes and top with club soda.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a tall
A short glass will make your drink look sloppy and crowded, and a glass with fragile sides may break when you begin muddling.If you are worried about a watered-down drink, you can add more rum later.
Just keep in mind this cocktail is a cooler, so it's meant to be sipped over time and not chugged.A pint glass or collins glass work well for Mojitos.
Pint glasses are usually a little thicker, but you may prefer the straight cylinder of the collins glass. -
Step 2: sturdy glass.
You should have enough lime juice to completely cover and wet the sugar.
Because limes don't all hold the same amount of liquid, 1/2 lime may not be enough.
Squeeze in more juice from the remaining half.
Hierba buena (or yerba buena) is the variety of mint used in a traditional Cuban Mojito, but spearmint may be easier to find.
You can also try peppermint or pineapple mint.Super fine granulated sugar is the classic sweetener in a Mojito.
The granules help open up the mint when you muddle, and a fine sugar dissolves better in liquid than a coarse sugar, like Turbinado.You can also use simple syrup instead of granulated sugar.
This will ensure your drink is sweet throughout and there won't be any grit from undissolved sugar., You should stop when the room smells of mint, before the mint begins to tear apart.You're not trying to pulverize the mint--the purpose of muddling is to release the oils in the mint leaves, which only requires a little crumpling or bruising.
If you shred your leaves, the veins will release chlorophyll and your Mojito will taste bitter and grassy.You may want to slice the juiced half of the lime into wedges and add it to your drink to be muddled.
The peel can add a little extra lime flavor and complexity to the drink.
Make sure you don't smash the pith (the white layer between the flesh and the peel)--it's very bitter.If you don't have a muddler, you can use the back of a spoon (wooden, preferably) or the handle of a rolling pin.
Muddlers should be made of unvarnished wood (so no resin makes its way into your drinks) and should have a round side and a side with teeth.Unless you are using the hierba buena variety of mint, make sure you do not have any stems in your drink.
In spearmint, the flavor is concentrated in the leaves--the stems only contain bitter chlorophyll and can ruin your drink.If you are using hierba buena mint, you'll want to put in two full springs, stem and all.
The flavor from the hierba buena comes from the stems, and is more citrusy and herbal than other types of mint., A white Cuban rum will provide the most authentic flavor, but may be difficult to find in some countries.
Otherwise, a light (white or silver) rum is a good substitute.If you like your drink a little stronger, add more rum now.
This is preferable to using a short glass to make a more concentrated drink, since you can still leisurely sip on your tall Mojito. , Ice cubes are preferable to crushed ice--crushed ice melts faster (which will make your drink colder) but will water down your beverage.Club soda has a clean and unobtrusive flavor that will not affect the taste of your Mojito.You can mix things up with a lemon-lime flavored soda or a local mineral water.
Garnish with a lime wedge, sprig of mint, or a sugar swizzle stick. -
Step 3: Add mint
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Step 4: 2 teaspoons sugar
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Step 5: and lime juice to the glass.
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Step 6: Press the round end of a muddler into the glass and gently twist several times.
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Step 7: Add 2 jiggers (3 oz or 88 ml) of rum.
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Step 8: Add four ice cubes and top with club soda.
Detailed Guide
A short glass will make your drink look sloppy and crowded, and a glass with fragile sides may break when you begin muddling.If you are worried about a watered-down drink, you can add more rum later.
Just keep in mind this cocktail is a cooler, so it's meant to be sipped over time and not chugged.A pint glass or collins glass work well for Mojitos.
Pint glasses are usually a little thicker, but you may prefer the straight cylinder of the collins glass.
You should have enough lime juice to completely cover and wet the sugar.
Because limes don't all hold the same amount of liquid, 1/2 lime may not be enough.
Squeeze in more juice from the remaining half.
Hierba buena (or yerba buena) is the variety of mint used in a traditional Cuban Mojito, but spearmint may be easier to find.
You can also try peppermint or pineapple mint.Super fine granulated sugar is the classic sweetener in a Mojito.
The granules help open up the mint when you muddle, and a fine sugar dissolves better in liquid than a coarse sugar, like Turbinado.You can also use simple syrup instead of granulated sugar.
This will ensure your drink is sweet throughout and there won't be any grit from undissolved sugar., You should stop when the room smells of mint, before the mint begins to tear apart.You're not trying to pulverize the mint--the purpose of muddling is to release the oils in the mint leaves, which only requires a little crumpling or bruising.
If you shred your leaves, the veins will release chlorophyll and your Mojito will taste bitter and grassy.You may want to slice the juiced half of the lime into wedges and add it to your drink to be muddled.
The peel can add a little extra lime flavor and complexity to the drink.
Make sure you don't smash the pith (the white layer between the flesh and the peel)--it's very bitter.If you don't have a muddler, you can use the back of a spoon (wooden, preferably) or the handle of a rolling pin.
Muddlers should be made of unvarnished wood (so no resin makes its way into your drinks) and should have a round side and a side with teeth.Unless you are using the hierba buena variety of mint, make sure you do not have any stems in your drink.
In spearmint, the flavor is concentrated in the leaves--the stems only contain bitter chlorophyll and can ruin your drink.If you are using hierba buena mint, you'll want to put in two full springs, stem and all.
The flavor from the hierba buena comes from the stems, and is more citrusy and herbal than other types of mint., A white Cuban rum will provide the most authentic flavor, but may be difficult to find in some countries.
Otherwise, a light (white or silver) rum is a good substitute.If you like your drink a little stronger, add more rum now.
This is preferable to using a short glass to make a more concentrated drink, since you can still leisurely sip on your tall Mojito. , Ice cubes are preferable to crushed ice--crushed ice melts faster (which will make your drink colder) but will water down your beverage.Club soda has a clean and unobtrusive flavor that will not affect the taste of your Mojito.You can mix things up with a lemon-lime flavored soda or a local mineral water.
Garnish with a lime wedge, sprig of mint, or a sugar swizzle stick.
About the Author
Larry Ortiz
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow organization tutorials.
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