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Casual, easy, and TASTY describes A Sloppy Rita with Butter-Griddled Pineapple, the classic Margarita’s lesser-known and very tropical cousin!
Other cocktails you might enjoy:
- PIRATES PUNCH
- THE SPICED BLOOD ORANGE SOUR
- THE SOUL TRAIN
- THE MANHATTAN COCKTAIL
- A PERFECT MARGARITA COCKTAIL
- AN ICED APRICOT BOURBON FIZZ
- A BLACKBERRY-ROSEMARY VODKA & SODA
A Sloppy Rita is kind of the cheater’s version of a traditional old-school Margarita. It ticks all of the cocktail boxes – cold, full of good Tequila, a messy rim – just no juicing required! Add a brown sugar butter-griddled pineapple slice – so, so tropical!
I was not going to post this. I really wasn’t. It’s cheap, it’s not fancy looking, and it’s kind of messy due to the rimmed glass…okay, plastic cup. This is my drink, the one I’ve been hooked on for about two months now. A Sloppy Rita.
The idea for the butter-griddled pineapple was my idea. I remembered having had something similar, but it was a caramelized banana I think, back in college (yes, Dad, this is ultimately what you paid for…). I remember loving it. Read on if you want to taste a Sloppy Rita with Butter-Griddled Pineapple!
No juicing required! I have it on good authority that juicing a whole lot of limes for one single cocktail is a downer. Okay, okay. I heard you. I also know many of you who tried my recipe for A Perfect Margarita Cocktail were blown away at how little it actually takes to get a great mixed cocktail going in the shaker.
Yet, it is a drag when you consider all of those limes that need to be juiced for the cause. Now, I am not abandoning my old-school Margarita. No way. It is not happening. I am willing to share this recipe with all of you non-juicer types. So, see? I heard you…
So, Tequila isn’t necessarily all the same. For aficionados, the most important identifier on the label of a tequila bottle is “100% agave” or “100% agave azul” – cien por ciento de agave azul. This means it is made only from the blue agave plant, with only agave sugars used for fermentation. Smooth, mildly sweet.
Because we are skipping on the fresh limes, a really good sour mix that begins with juice rather than sugar is essential. I recommend either Stirrings or Royal Rose. Both are fantastically flavorful mixers, the Royal Rose slightly more viscous.
Rather than a whole fresh pineapple, my local grocer had a nicely trimmed, cored fresh pineapple prepared in their cold case. If you cannot find fresh currently offered at your grocer, canned will absolutely work.
A Sloppy Rita with Butter-Griddled Pineapple is that at home, porch party, poolside extravagance, but in a plastic cup. No limes needed. I use sour mix, a good sour mix, 100% agave Tequila, orange liquor, and a splash of orange juice.
That’s it. Shake it up and rim your vessel. You can serve iced or naked, your choice. I go iced because it is 100+ degrees in Charleston at the moment.
The big dividend with this concoction is the butter-griddled pineapple. Ho ho ho! Yes, it’s fifteen extra minutes of fussing in the kitchen, but hey, so many of us are still quarantining. You may griddle round slices or long spears. You’ll be happy to have taken the step, promise.
A Sloppy Rita with Butter-Griddled Pineapple
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
Ingredients
Ingredients for Butter-Griddled Pineapple
- 1 fresh slice or long spear of pineapple, preferably 1/2" thick or more, trimmed and cored
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare the Butter-Griddled Pineapple
- Prepare a cooling rack overtop a baking sheet lined with parchment. Set aside.
- Over medium heat, melt the butter in a non-stick griddle. Allow the butter to foam, then brown slightly. Be careful not to allow it to burn.
- Add the pineapple slice or spear and brown slightly on each side, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the cinnamon and follow with the brown sugar.
- Continuously baste the pineapple with the butter mix by tilting the griddle and spooning the liquid until the pineapple is cooked through and a nice golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the pineapple carefully to the cooling rack. Allow to cool for 10 minutes (or longer), brushing the remaining butter mix on all sides. As the pineapple and the butter mix cool, the syrup will become more viscous and cling to the pineapple almost like candy.
Prepare the Sloppy Rita Cocktail
- Rim a 20 ounce cocktail glass or plastic party cup with citrus sugar, Margarita salt, or a mixture of both. Set aside.
- Fill a large cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
- To the shaker, add the tequila, the orange liquor, sour mix, and orange juice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds to one minute.
- Pour all (or strain if you prefer no ice) into the prepared rimmed glass. Garnish with one butter-griddled pineapple slice or spear and several Maraschino cherries.
- This drink goes hand in hand with some moderately heavy nosh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
