How to Salt a Margarita Glass Rim Properly
Once you know how to salt a margarita glass rim, you can elevate your margarita game. Rimming your glass with salt is a classic technique that adds an extra layer of flavor and visual appeal to your margarita. Let us show you the step by step process for a salted rim so you can serve the perfect margarita to friends and family.
Why You Would Want to Salt Rim a Glass
A margarita salt rim not only enhances the look of your margarita recipe but also provides a delicious contrast in flavors.
Tangy lime, the citrus notes from the Triple Sec and tequila, are perfectly complemented by the savory touch of salt. It adds that satisfying balance between sweet and salty, taking your margarita experience to new heights.
It’s a classic presentation that can be modified based on your own preferences. Suzy loves a salt rim, where as I prefer only one small section of a margarita glass rim to have salt. Once you know the method for how to salt rim a glass, you can tailor it however you like.
Related: Margarita Sugar with Basil for Rimming Your Glass
A salted rim works with other cocktail recipes too. And once you understand the basic steps you can even change up the ingredients (with spices and sugars) to make customized flavored salts to serve on the rim of the glass.
It is a simple skill that requires simple ingredients that you can keep on hand for whenever you’re serving margaritas.
Ingredients
To rim your margarita glass with salt, you will need:
- Margarita glass
- Lime wedge
- Margarita salt, (or coarse sea salt or kosher salt)
Of course, a margarita glass is the best for serving a margarita, but you can use any type of glass.
A lime wedge or small piece of lime is the easiest way to get lime juice on the rim of the glass.
The best salt to use is any coarse salt. Kosher salt is a good option. They sell “margarita salt” in a small round tub that makes rimming margarita glasses super simple. But you can also use another salt as long as it has a coarse texture.
How to Rim a Glass with Salt
It’s best to rim a glass before making the drink. You don’t want the drink to sit around and get diluted from melting ice while you work on the rim. Plus, once you put the drink in the glass you won’t be able to turn it over to dip!
Step 1
Take your margarita glass and run the lime wedge along the rim of your glass.
I like to make a small knife cut in the wedge of lime to fit on the rim of the glass and get lime juice on the inside of the glass, outside of the glass and top of the rim at the same time.
Step 2
Turn the glass upside down and dip the wet rim into a small plate or saucer of coarse sea salt (or kosher salt) at a slight angle, gently rotating it to ensure an even coating.
They make salting plates that will fit margarita glasses perfectly. I’ve done it a few times where my plate was too small and I really had to work the glass rim around down into the salt.
Step 3
Lift up the glass and tap it lightly against the plate to remove any excess salt.
Your margarita glass is now ready with a perfect salt rim. Set the glass aside while making the drink.
Try it out with a regular or skinny margarita!
When your margarita is ready to serve simply pour it into the salt-rimmed glass.
Tips
- If you are worried about a salt rim looking messy, make sure you don’t get too much lime juice on the rim. If it starts to drip down the glass, wipe it up before dipping in the salt. Otherwise, the salt will stick anywhere there is lime juice.
- If you are super type A like me, you can also dip a paint brush into some fresh lime juice and paint it on the glass exactly where you want the salt to go. This gives you a little bit more control. Again, just make sure the juice doesn’t drip.
- You can buy margarita salt that comes in a container sized to fit most margarita glasses. I prefer to put the salt in a shallow plate since you most likely aren’t going to use all that salt in one sitting and I don’t like to get any excess lime juice in the salt container.
Troubleshooting
If you’re having trouble getting the salt to stick to your margarita rim, lightly moisten the glass with water or rub the lime wedge along the rim again. You can also try using simple syrup which is stickier but it will also sweeten each sip a little bit.
To make sure the salt adheres well to the margarita glass, refrigerate it for about 10 minutes before rimming. The moisture along with lime juice is a great way to ensure the salt sticks.
Also, make sure that the salt pieces aren’t too large. When I used some volcanic black salt, the pieces were too large and they didn’t stick well. You may need to crush it up a little bit.
Variations
While salt is the classic choice for rimming margarita glasses, there are plenty of other options to explore. But the method for rimming a margarita glass is still the same as above. Next time try one of these popular margarita glass rims:
Flavored salts: You can create specialty flavored margarita salts by adding a variety of other flavors to your favorite type of salt. Try lime zest, fresh herbs, things from your spice cabinet like chili powder or cayenne.
Sugar: A sugar rim is a great idea for those who prefer a sweeter twist on their margaritas. For a richer flavor try brown sugar. And cinnamon sugar is delish on a fall margarita.
Tajin: Tajin is a tangy and spicy Mexican seasoning blend with chili peppers, lime and salt that adds a unique kick to your drink. It’s flavorful and looks beautiful on the rim of your cocktail glass.
Crushed graham cracker: Ideal for dessert-inspired margaritas like key lime pie or strawberry shortcake. You can also try a cocoa powder rim for anything that has chocolate or coffee flavors.
Other citrus juices: Skip the lime wedge in favor of other citrus flavors. Use lemon or orange to get the salt to stick to the outer rim.
Another “moistener”: While you typically stick to lime and salt to rim a margarita glass, you can also use other liquids to get salt, sugar and other rimmers to stick. Try chocolate syrup, frosting, or simple syrup, anything sticky should work to hold a rim as long as it isn’t too heavy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can rim your glass ahead of time. I wouldn’t do it more than an hour before you are serving them but you may want to rim several glasses if you are serving a margarita cocktail to a crowd.
If you accidentally over-rimmed your glass or simply want to remove the salt, just rinse it under warm water and gently scrub with a sponge or cloth.
While table salt can work in a pinch, coarse sea salt or kosher salt is recommended for better texture and flavor. Table salt has a way saltier flavor than other kinds of salt so it may throw off the balance of the recipe.
Now that you know how to rim a margarita glass with salt, go ahead and get creative with different flavors and decorations. Cheers to enjoying delicious margaritas with an extra touch of flair! It’s an easy technique to add a salty taste to your favorite margarita recipe.
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How to Rim a Margarita Glass
Equipment
- margarita glasses
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup margarita salt (coarse sea salt or Kosher salt)
- 1 wedge lime
Instructions
- Add the coarse salt to a small shallow plate that is wide enough to fit the size of the margarita glass.
- Make a small cut in the middle of a fresh lime wedge. your margarita glass and run the lime wedge along the rim of your glass.
- Place the cut directly on the rim of the margarita glass and wet the rim with lime juice.
- Clean up any excess lime juice that may be dripping.
- Turn the margarita glass upside down and dip it in the plate of salt.
- Gently shake to remove any excess salt.
- Set aside until the drinks are ready.
