How To Make Jalapeño Tequila

Come one, come all! I have some very serious boozy business to discuss today so, listen up! Here’s a little known fact about me: I am obsessed with tequila. Resposado, Añejo, Silver, Gold…I’m not too picky, but I do love it served chilled over ice with a lime wedge. In fact, here’s a couple snaps from our wedding day to prove my point:

There’s really nothing better, so when I began seeing spicy tequila drinks on the menu at some of our favorite bars, you bet your butt I was ordering them! So far jalapeño tequila has been my favorite, but I did try a chocolate chili pepper tequila that is a close second. In an effort not to spend my entire bank account sampling tequila out at bars, I decided to make my own….and I was successful! Today I’m sharing how to make jalapeño tequila 🙂

How To Make Jalapeño Tequila

I promise, this recipe is very simple, but I do have some important steps before you get started that will yield the best results.

First things first – you need a bottle of silver, or blanco, tequila. You’ll know you’re buying the right one, because it’s clear liquid…not yellow or gold. You don’t have to be picky about this part, but pick one that you like. I like Patron, but it can be quite pricey, so if you’re on a budget, you don’t have to get the most expensive bottle! I also like Don Julio and Avión. You will also need 4 fresh jalapeño peppers, so pick those up while you are out.

When you get home, it’s time to get to work.

How To Make Jalapeño Tequila

Very carefully using a funnel, transfer your bottle of tequila to a glass container that has a lid. I happened to have a couple glass carafes so I used those. It’s important you use glass for two reasons:

1. Plastic will absorb the spice and make your tequila less potent.

2. Because of the absorption, anything you make thereafter in that container will probably light your mouth on fire.

So, please use glass! If you don’t want to invest in any new glass containers, you can certainly make it in the glass bottle it comes in, but must first pour it out, then refill it, because the peppers going on the bottom is part of the process.

Okay, so now on to the part that involves the jalapeños! It’s important to forget everything you know about cleaning jalapeños up to this point, because what I’m about to tell you will go against what you are naturally inclined to do.

First – wash the pepper really well, cut off and discard the stem.

Next, on a wooden cutting board (again, avoid plastic!) take each pepper and cut tiny slices, making sure that you capture all the seeds on your board. DO NOT TOSS THEM!

When you have all your jalapeños sliced, it’s time to make the magic happen. Gather all your jalapeño slices and seeds and place them in the bottom of your glass container. Pour your bottle of tequila on top of the peppers and put the lid on your container tightly.

Now, you will read a lot of reviews that say to shake it up, but repeat after me…DO. NOT. SHAKE.

You’ll also read a lot of reviews that say to let it sit overnight, but repeat after me…THAT. IS. NOT. LONG. ENOUGH.

Alright, now that we have covered that. Take your bottle of tequila and put it in a cool, dark place. I chose underneath my kitchen sink, but if you have a basement, that would be ideal. Tuck it into a back corner and let it marinate really well for two weeks.

You’ll know it’s ready after two weeks when the liquid has a yellow tint and many of the jalapeños are floating toward the top.

When the tequila is finished, use a fine mesh strainer to separate the liquid from the seeds and store it in its original bottle. You don’t need to refrigerate your jalapeño tequila, but it is best enjoyed within a couple months of making it to capture the full flavor. Like I said, I like sipping it on the rocks with a block of ice, but it’s also really good in jalapeño margaritas or mixed with a splash of sparkling lime water and lime wedges!