Hibiscus Margarita Recipe

Make syrup

Combine 1 cup water, 0.5 cups dried hibiscus flowers, 2 tbs thinly sliced fresh ginger, and 0.75 cups granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes to extract color and flavor from hibiscus and ginger; avoid a rolling boil to preserve bright acidity.

Remove from heat and let steep off the heat for 10–15 minutes for a stronger ginger- hibiscus flavor. Taste after 10 minutes and steep longer if desired.

Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a heatproof container, pressing gently on solids to extract syrup. Discard solids.

Stir in 2 tbs fresh orange juice while syrup is still warm. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Yield: about 1 cup. Syrup will keep refrigerated up to 10 days.

Prepare glass

Rub a lime wedge around the rim of two rocks or coupe glasses. Dip the rims into coarse salt to coat evenly. Set glasses aside.

Fill a cocktail shaker with 1 cup ice.

Add 4 oz Centenario Reposado tequila (2 oz per cocktail), 1.5 oz hibiscus-ginger syrup (0.75 oz per cocktail), 1 oz fresh lime juice (0.5 oz per cocktail), and 0.5 oz fresh orange juice (0.25 oz per cocktail) to the shaker.

Add 0.25 tsp Green Yucatán hot sauce (use sparingly and adjust to taste) and 0.25 oz ginger liqueur if using. The Green Yucatán provides a bright Yucatecan chile- garlic-herb heat; start small and taste.

Dry shake (without ice) briefly for 5–8 seconds to integrate flavors, then add ice and shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds until well chilled.

Strain evenly into the prepared rimmed glasses over fresh ice (or serve neat in coupe glasses).

Garnish each cocktail with an orange twist or wheel and a candied or dried hibiscus flower. Express an orange peel over the drink before dropping it in to release oils.

Taste and adjust: if more acidity is desired, add an additional 0.25 oz lime juice per cocktail; for more floral-ginger sweetness, add 0.25 oz syrup. If heat is too pronounced from Green Yucatán, stir in a small splash of water or extra orange juice.