Salty Dog cocktail: a Favorite Winter Cocktail!

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.

A Salty Dog cocktail is a perfect example of how delicious fresh grapefruit juice can be!

It’s a refreshing, easy cocktail you’ll want to drink all winter long.

What is a Salty Dog Cocktail?

This cocktail is easy and simple to make; just two ingredients.

Grapefruit juice and vodka.

The Salty Dog cocktail is identical to a Greyhound cocktail, with the exception of a salted rim on the Salty Dog cocktail glass.

Use Fresh Grapefruit Juice

Fresh grapefruit juice does taste different than bottled juice. It’s easy to juice and worth the few minutes to do so.

Any type of grapefruit can be used.

I used a grapefruit that is a deep honey-hued that almost looks orange.

If fresh grapefruit is not available, choose a fresh grapefruit juice vs canned juice for best flavor.

PRO TIP: Best Methods to Juice Grapefruit (and other citrus fruits)!

Freshly squeezed juice makes all the difference with this cocktail! There are multiple ways to freshly juice.

Use a Juicer

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.

Use a Glass Citrus Juicer

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.

PRO TIP to get More Juice from Citrus Fruits

Microwave the grapefruit for about 10 seconds before juicing.

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 drink – Step by Step:

This cocktail could not be easier to make! If you haven’t rimmed a cocktail glass, there are instructions below.

STEP 1: Rim two Old Fashioned glasses with coarse salt. Fill with ice.

STEP 2: Combine the fresh grapefruit juice and vodka in a cocktail shaker with ice.

STEP 3: Shake vigorously and strain into the salt-rimmed glasses.

How to Make a Salt Rim on a cocktail glass

This method can be used for rimming a cocktail glass salt OR sugar.

I’ve even used Pop Rocks to rim a glass and use the same technique.

STEP 1: Place rimming salt on a small flat plate deep enough to form a rim of salt on the glass when dipped.

STEP 2: 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.

STEP 3: 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.

STEP 4: Gently lift out of the salt and allow to sit for a few minutes for the salt to dry on the glass.

More Grapefruit Recipes You’ll Love

• Fresh Paloma Cocktail
• Grapefruit Margarita
• Grapefruit Curd
• Grapefruit-Lemongrass-Lime Infused Gin

Try These Cocktail Recipes too!

• Colorado Bulldog cocktail
• How to Make Orgeat Syrup + How to Use It
• Elderflower Gin Fizz
• Cranberry Moscow Mule

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Originally published: January 18, 2018

A Salty Dog cocktail is a fresh, delicious cocktail perfect for winter sipping.