Ruby Red Grapefruit Martini

You don't need a special occasion to serve a fun cocktail. This Ruby Red Grapefruit Martini is great any night of the week!

It used to be that martinis were only for special occasions. But not anymore. It's always a great time to shake up a fun cocktail, especially when it's this Ruby Red Grapefruit Martini.

We have a lot of different vodka martinis on Garnish with Lemon but realized we were lacking in our variety of gin martinis. We have the Elderflower Martini that has both gin and vodka, but none with only gin. It's time for that to change! And the good news? This fabulous sipper can be made with gin or vodka. How's that for versatile?

We love martinis that lend themselves to be made as a single serving or easily multiplied to serve as a batch cocktail when you are hosting friends. And this martini fits the bill perfectly. Plus it uses easy-to-find ingredients, many that you may already have on hand.

Is there anything worse than finding a cocktail that you want to make and realize that it has a bunch of funky ingredients in it? Not this one.

Ruby Red Grapefruit Martini Ingredients

• fresh grapefruit juice
• cranberry juice
• simple syrup
• triple sec
• gin or vodka

Add an orange peel for a garnish, and you are in business. And if you are feeling really fancy, you can flame the orange peel and get some extra orange flavor from the peel. Trust us, it's worth it.

What is the difference between Triple Sec, Cointreau and Grand Marnier?

 They are all orange liqueurs but all have a different flavor profile, alcohol content, and price.

• Triple Sec is a drier style of orange liqueur with a lower alcohol content than Cointreau or Grand Marnier. It's versatile and adds orange flavor and sweetness without the hefty price tag. You can pick up a bottle of triple sec for anywhere from $5.99- $15.99
• Cointreau has a crisp smooth orange flavor and can be served on the rocks or mixed in cocktails. Its alcohol content is 80 proof and is about $25 a bottle.
• Grand Marnier is a mix of brandy, orange essence, and sugar. It's very smooth and drinkable but will change the flavor of a drink especially since it has the brandy in it. We love to add it to our margaritas for special occasions. But be careful, it packs some punch at 80 proof and around $30 a bottle.

How to make simple syrup at home

Simple syrup is basically sugar water. You can certainly buy a bottle of it at the liquor store, but making it at home is super easy (and waaaaaay less expensive).

After making it once and seeing how straightforward it is, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner!

1. 1. Place equal amounts of sugar and water in a saucepan.
   2. Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat and cook until sugar is completely dissolved.
   3. Remove the pan from heat and allow syrup to cool before placing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

What equipment do I need to make a vodka martini?

Every good home bar has a well-stocked bar with the following items in it

• Martini shaker and strainer
• Jiggers
• Bar spoon
• Muddler
• Variety of cocktail glasses.

Looking for more suggestions? Check out our  5 part series of How to Stock your Home bar. It answers all of your questions.

When do I shake or stir a martini?

Here's a quick cheat sheet: Shake Citrus, Stir Alcohol.

Drinks that have citrus juice in them need to be shaken, not stirred. Shaking a cocktail with citrus breaks down the citrus juice and makes the cocktail light and refreshing instead of acrid and acidic. 

Citrus juice and alcohol have different densities and won't mix easily unless they are shaken together.

However, if a drink is all liquor, like an old fashioned, manhattan or negroni, stirring is the way to go.

DIY Martini Bar for Easy Entertaining 

To make entertaining easier, we set up a self-service martini bar for our guests which has become a signature feature at our holiday party and it's such a fun addition to any gathering.

People always ask to help the hosts, and making their own cocktails is the perfect job to give them.

We set up several different martini stations around a table and include recipe cards with a few signature martinis, all of the alcohol needed for those drinks and a couple of trusty martini shakers. This way we get to enjoy the party and not play bartender all night. Genius, right? 

Lucky for us, our friends haven’t figured out that we are actually putting them to work. Let’s hope it stays that way.

After all, who wants to host a party and not enjoy it?

Simple, delicious and full of fresh citrus flavor, this martini is the perfect way to take the doldrums out of any winter day. And that my friends is definitely something to drink to. Cheers!

 

 

Recommended Equipment

 

 

 

This post was originally published on February 6, 2017.

Light and refreshing, this Ruby red Grapefruit martini can be made with gin or vodka.