Ina Garten Pomegranate Gimlets

Ina Garten pomegranate gimlets are the easy party drink her friends Rob Marshall and John DeLuca made for her. They swapped in pomegranate juice, then poured it into frozen martini glasses. You mix one pitcher, so a dinner party of six gets served at once.

The glasses go in the freezer an hour ahead, and that step matters more than it sounds. Shake each batch a full 15 seconds, longer than feels right, so the drink comes out properly cold.

Source: Modern Comfort Food (2020)

Ina Garten Pomegranate Gimlets

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: BeverageCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

205

kcal

Gin, pomegranate juice and freshly squeezed lime get shaken hard over ice, then poured from the shaker into glasses straight from the freezer. Pomegranate seeds and a lime wheel finish each one. Tart, bracing and very cold.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups gin, such as Tanqueray
  

• 1 cup pomegranate juice, such as Pom Wonderful
  

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (6 to 8 limes)
  

• 1/2 cup simple syrup
  

• Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
  

• 6 lime slices, for garnish

Directions

• Freeze the glasses: At least one hour before serving, place six martini glasses in the freezer.
• Mix, shake and pour: Combine the gin, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and simple syrup in a large pitcher. Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice and add the drink mixture until the shaker is three quarters full. Shake for a full 15 seconds (it's longer than you think!). Pour the mixture into the frozen martini glasses and garnish with a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds and a slice of lime. Repeat with the remaining drink mixture and serve ice cold.

Tools for this recipe

• OXO Steel cocktail shaker, Zulay metal lemon squeezer. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What can I substitute in these gimlets?

Any dry London gin stands in for the Tanqueray without changing the drink much. Bottled lime juice is the one swap to avoid, since fresh is what makes it taste alive. For the simple syrup, stir equal parts sugar and hot water until clear, then let it cool.

How long does the mixed gimlet base keep?

Covered in the fridge, the pitcher holds for about three days. After that the lime juice goes flat and the whole thing tastes tired. Do not shake it until you are ready to pour, because a shaken drink turns watery within minutes.

Can I mix this before guests arrive?

Yes, and that is the smart way to run it. Stir the gin, juices and syrup together in the pitcher earlier in the day and keep it cold. When people show up you only shake and pour, which takes about a minute per round.

Do I need a cocktail shaker?

A shaker gives the best result because it chills and waters the drink down at the same time. If you do not own one, a large jar with a tight lid works. Fill it half full with ice, add the mixture to three quarters full, then shake hard.

What is the mistake most people make?

Under-shaking. Fifteen seconds feels long when you are standing there counting, so most people quit at five and the drink lands lukewarm. The other one is skipping the freezer, which means the glass warms the gimlet the second it hits.