Name: Salty Dog cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed Grapefruit Juice (if using a manual juicer, strain the juice thorugh a seive (bottled grapefruit juice may be substituted)); 3 ounces Vodka; Course Salt for rimming the glass

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Shake off winter blues with the refreshing, thrist-quenching Salty Dog cocktail. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and vodka pair perfectly to brighten the gloomiest of winter days!

One thing I love about winter produce is grapefruit. Oranges seem to be available year-round now, flown in from all parts of the globe, but grapefruit isn’t. I am a true believer that produce is best when it’s in season anyway but especially when only having access to it for part of the year, it becomes like anticipating a good friend coming to visit!

I think the sweet acidity of grapefruit’s flavor is a welcome change to the rich foods and drink from the holidays. I have distinct memories of my grandmother and mother methodically cutting half grapefruits for breakfast, outlining each segment with a serrated grapefruit knife. All that work for it to be gobbled up in minutes. I’m too lazy to do that myself!

Instead I’m drinking my grapefruit! Trying to improve my water intake, I found a new separkling water I’m in love with. I don’t love sparkling water usually because the level of carbonation feels like my throat is being accosted by an overactive aerator. I don’t love the slightly bitter flavor either which tastes inorganic to me.

The seltzer I found is by Spindrift and I am in love with the Spindrift Grapefruit Seltzer. It’s only lightly carbonated and has the juice of a full grapefruit too making the taste natural and thirst-quenching. I love a fresh Paloma cocktail and have thought adding a shot of tequila to the grapefruit sparkling water would be tasty and kind to my post-holiday waistline too.

We just got a shipment of Florida citrus fruit from my Sister in Law. Four layers of Florida sunshine. A few years ago, I made my grandmothers Vintage 3 Citrus Marmalade recipe with a similar shipment (it’s a full weekend affair but so delicious). This time I wanted to make a Salty Dog cocktail using the grapefruit for freshly squeezed juice.

This cocktail is easy and simple to make; just two ingredients. The Salty Dog cocktail is identical to a Greyhound cocktail, with the exception of a salted rim on the Salty Dog cocktail glass. Any type of grapefruit can be used. I used the variety in my citrus package which was a deep honey-hue that almost looks orange.

Best Methods to Juice Grapefruit (and other citrus fruits) with a Tip!

I like to use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. For this cocktail I used a juicer I bought a few years ago when I thought I was going to get into juicing (it was a short-lived passion). It’s a wonderful way to extract all the juice and separate it from the outer skin of the grapefruit segments and the membranes. I use a Breville juicer for this.

The other way to extract the juice is with a simple classic glass juicer (also sometimes called a ‘reamer’) your Grandmother probably had. They are very affordable (less than $10) and require a bit of ‘elbow grease’ but again is worth it.

A Tip to get More Juice from Citrus Fruits: Microwave the grapefruit for about 10 seconds before juicing and more of the juice will be extracted from the grapefruit (this is true of juicing any citrus fruits by the way).

How to make a Salty Dog cocktail – Step by Step:

The fresh grapefruit juice and vodka are added to a cocktail shaker with ice. The cocktail shaker is shaken vigorously and the cocktail strained into salt-rimmed Old Fashioned glasses with fresh ice. Easy peasy.

How to Make a Salt Rim on a cocktail glass:

Place rimming salt on a small flat plate deep enough to form a rim of salt on the glass when dipped. Dip a clean thumb and forefinger (same hand) into juice, gently pinch together and run around the rim of the glass. Alternatively, a small wedge of the grapefruit can be cut about 1/4-inch on the point; insert the lip of the glass into the cut and run the grapefruit around the rim of the glass.

Turn the glass upside down in the salt and twist the glass back and forth to allow the salt to adhere to the moisture on the glass. Gently lift out of the salt and allow to sit for a few minutes for the salt to dry on the glass.

If you enjoyed this Salty Dog cocktail, you might enjoy this dog of another kind: Colorado Bulldog cocktail!

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5 from 14 votes