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Aaah, the famous Bloody Mary! This co*cktail is one of the ultimate hangover cures and is also a refreshing treat when you need a little boost.
The unique blend of vodka, tomato juice, and other spicy ingredients makes this co*cktail quite unlike any other.
But how do you make Bloody Mary with V8? Original V8 can be used in place of tomato juice and celery salt to make a delicious Bloody Mary. For a classic recipe, add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. For a spicier take, heat and spice can be created by using Tabasco sauce, Piri Piri sauce, or horseradish sauce.
Feeling in the mood to add a new co*cktail recipe to your repertoire? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about making Bloody Mary with V8, including recipes for classic and spicy versions of this zingy co*cktail!
What Is A Bloody Mary?
A Bloody Mary, as the name suggests, is a co*cktail that does not pull any punches. It is zingy, spicy, and packed full of flavor.
Made from a blend of vodka, tomato juice, and other spices and flavorings, the Bloody Mary first became popular as a hangover cure around 100 years ago.
For this reason, you will often see people treating themselves to a bloody Mary in the morning or early afternoon.
A Classic Bloody Mary contains a huge range of different spices and flavorings as well as vodka and tomato juice. Each co*cktail mixologist will have their own special blend, but the following ingredients are popular:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Piri Piri
- Garlic
- Herbs
- Horseradish
- Celery
- Olives
- Pickled vegetables
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Citrus juices, such as lemon or lime
As you can see, this sounds more like a recipe for a cooked meal than a co*cktail! Whether you’re after a quick pick me up or trying to put that pesky hangover to bed, drinking a Bloody Mary does tend to feel like a meal in itself.
Some co*cktail bars have taken this idea even further, garnishing Bloody Marys with ingredients such as bacon and shrimp. This is known as the “Surf ‘n Turf” Bloody Mary!
If you are avoiding alcohol, you can make a virgin Bloody Mary without the vodka. This is just as flavorful, but will not give you a sore head the following day.
Fancy making a Bloody Mary but think the process looks too laborious? Luckily there is a quicker way to make Bloody Mary without needing to gather and process all these ingredients from scratch!
What Is V8?
V8, also known as V8 Vegetable Juice, is a popular drink sold worldwide by the Campbell Soup Company.
The name V8 originated because the original formula was made from a blend of eight different vegetables. There are now several different varieties available, including versions that contain fruits as well as vegetables.
Original V8 is tomato based and has a distinctive deep red color. The other vegetables in this blend are listed as carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, and spinach.
The flavor of V8 is best described as an intensely herby, tomatoey taste, with a hint of saltiness. Many people insist that it tastes like chilled tomato soup with basil and oregano!
One reason why V8 is so popular is that it is packed full of vegetable goodness, but tastes far better than most vegetable juices.
No one vegetable stands out more than another (apart from the tomato base) and they all blend together to create a deliciously refreshing drink.
Although it is marketed as a juice drink, V8 is slightly thicker than most fruit juices. It has a smooth texture that feels velvety and rich, without being so thick that it no longer tastes refreshing.
V8 is sold in cans and bottles and is normally served chilled or over ice. At only 30–60 calories per serving, each can contains one portion of your recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables.
And to top it off, V8 can also be used to create a fabulous Bloody Mary! The complex blend of vegetable juices works incredibly well with vodka, whether you’re a fan of the classic Bloody Mary or are in the mood for something spicier.
How To Make A Bloody Mary With V8
Whether you’ve been making Bloody Mary co*cktails from scratch for years, or are a fan of the timesaving Bloody Mary co*cktail mix, we’re about to throw a real game-changer into the mix — the V8 Bloody Mary!
Here are some of our favorite recipes when making a Bloody Mary with V8.
Classic Bloody Mary With V8
This classic version of a Bloody Mary can be as simple or as complicated as you wish to make it. The basis of the drink is vodka and original V8 vegetable juice — with just a few pantry ingredients, these can be transformed into a fabulous artisan co*cktail!
Ingredients
- 1 can of V8 Original vegetable juice (chilled)
- 2 oz vodka (optional — omit this ingredient for a virgin Bloody Mary)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 dash of hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Piri Piri)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Ice cubes
- Celery stalk (to serve)
Instructions
- Put the V8, vodka (optional), lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a jug or co*cktail shaker.
- Stir well or shake to combine ingredients, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place ice cubes in a tall glass and pour the V8 mix over the ice.
- Garnish with the stick of celery, and serve.
Notes
If you want to have a little fun, add a lime slice or a piece of bacon as a garnish!
Classic Bloody Mary With V8
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
This classic version of a Bloody Mary can be as simple or as complicated as you wish to make it. The basis of the drink is vodka and original V8 vegetable juice — with just a few pantry ingredients, these can be transformed into a fabulous artisan co*cktail!
Ingredients
- 1 can of V8 Original vegetable juice (chilled)
- 2 oz vodka (optional — omit this ingredient for a virgin Bloody Mary)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 dash of hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Piri Piri)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Ice cubes
- Celery stalk (to serve)
Instructions
- Put the V8, vodka (optional), lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a jug or co*cktail shaker.
- Stir well or shake to combine ingredients, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place ice cubes in a tall glass and pour the V8 mix over the ice.
- Garnish with the stick of celery, and serve.
Notes
If you want to have a little fun, add a lime slice or a piece of bacon as a garnish!
Spicy Bloody Mary With V8
If you like your Bloody Mary to pack a bit more punch, with just a few tweaks you can use V8 to create a deliciously fiery co*cktail that will blow your socks off! This recipe can be adjusted to make it as hot (or not) as you like to suit individual tastes.
Ingredients
- 1 can of V8 Original vegetable juice (chilled)
- 2 oz vodka (optional — omit this ingredient for a virgin spicy Bloody Mary)
- 1 tbsp liquid from a jar of olives or dill pickles
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1–2 tsp horseradish sauce (depending on how spicy you want it!)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- A pinch of garlic powder
- A pinch of onion powder
- A pinch of celery salt
- ¼ tsp seafood seasoning
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Ice cubes
- Celery stalk (to serve)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients (excluding ice cubes and celery) in a co*cktail shaker or jug, mix well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve in a tall glass over ice cubes, garnished with a celery stick.
Notes
If you’re feeling really ambitious, pop a couple of olives, sliced dill pickles, and small pickled onions on top!
Spicy Bloody Mary With V8
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
If you like your Bloody Mary to pack a bit more punch, with just a few tweaks you can use V8 to create a deliciously fiery co*cktail that will blow your socks off! This recipe can be adjusted to make it as hot (or not) as you like to suit individual tastes.
Ingredients
- 1 can of V8 Original vegetable juice (chilled)
- 2 oz vodka (optional — omit this ingredient for a virgin spicy Bloody Mary)
- 1 tbsp liquid from a jar of olives or dill pickles
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1–2 tsp horseradish sauce (depending on how spicy you want it!)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- A pinch of garlic powder
- A pinch of onion powder
- A pinch of celery salt
- ¼ tsp seafood seasoning
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Ice cubes
- Celery stalk (to serve)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients (excluding ice cubes and celery) in a co*cktail shaker or jug, mix well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve in a tall glass over ice cubes, garnished with a celery stick.
Notes
If you’re feeling really ambitious, pop a couple of olives, sliced dill pickles, and small pickled onions on top!
Tips And Tricks For Making Bloody Mary With V8
The secret to a good Bloody Mary co*cktail is to make sure that the tomato juice or V8 is well chilled beforehand. If you don’t chill it enough, you will need to add more ice, which will dilute the flavor of your drink.
Remember that V8 already contains some salt, so you may need to cut down the amount you normally add to your Bloody Mary to compensate for this.
If you’re feeling brave enough to try a super-spicy Bloody Mary, switch the original V8 vegetable juice to the spicy hot version.
This has a pleasantly zesty flavor that will blend perfectly with the other ingredients in this popular co*cktail.
When it comes to making a batch of Bloody Mary co*cktails, don’t be afraid to play about with the heat levels.
Some people can take a lot more spice than others, and for those who like their food relatively mild then a twist of black pepper may be sufficient.
The ingredients used to create heat in a Bloody Mary (Tabasco, Piri Piri, and horseradish sauce) all bring a different type of heat which will affect the overall flavor of your drink.
If you find horseradish too fiery and hot, switch to a milder, sweeter Piri Piri or chili sauce instead.
Is Bloody Mary Mix The Same As V8?
We’re going to let you in on a revelation here — no two Bloody Mary mixes are the same! This recipe has been adapted so many times that it is hard to pinpoint exactly what a true Bloody Mary should contain.
Original V8 is not the same as the Bloody Mary mixes you see at the store, as you still need to add other ingredients and flavorings to it.
V8 is simply a flavorsome blend of tomato and vegetable juices that just happens to work incredibly well in this classic co*cktail.
Bloody Mary mixes, on the other hand, are normally based predominantly on tomato juice, with added flavorings that you would normally expect to find in a Bloody Mary.
These often include citrus juices, black pepper, salt, horseradish, and cayenne pepper.
If you wish, you could simply add vodka to a Bloody Mary mix for an instant co*cktail! Of course, most of us can’t help adding in a few other special ingredients along the way.
However, if you’re looking for a quick fix, there is now a V8 Bloody Mary blend available on the market — this means you’ll get the best of both worlds!
This contains tomato juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, vinegar, flavoring, molasses, onion extract, red and black pepper, dehydrated garlic, and celery extract — pretty much everything included in a standard Bloody Mary recipe!
The only things missing are the Worcestershire sauce and a source of heat, such as Tabasco sauce or horseradish sauce, but you can easily add these if so desired.
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