Smoked Bloody Mary

Quick Answer

To make a smoked Bloody Mary, shake 2 oz vodka, 4 oz tomato juice, ½ oz fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 2 dashes Worcestershire and 2 dashes hot sauce with ice. Then cap the shaker with a smoke lid, smoke it with a pinch of hickory or mesquite wood chips and let it sit for about a minute before straining into a highball glass rimmed with smoked salt. The smoke comes in three layers (paprika, smoked salt and wood smoke), so it tastes like it came off a grill without needing liquid smoke.

The Smoked Bloody Mary is a savory twist on the classic brunch cocktail. Vodka is a neutral spirit, so it takes on smoke more clearly than almost anything else, and tomato, spice and smoke are a natural match. It's ideal for brunch, game days and barbecues.

Smoked Bloody Mary Ingredients

• 2 oz vodka
• 4 oz tomato juice
• ½ oz fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes hot sauce (adjust to taste)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Smoked salt, for the rim
• Ice cubes
• Celery stalk and lemon wedge, for garnish
• A small pinch of wood chips (hickory or mesquite for a bold smoke, apple for a lighter one)

How to Make a Smoked Bloody Mary (Step by Step)

1. Rub a lemon wedge around the rim of a highball glass and dip it in smoked salt.
2. Fill the glass with ice.
3. Add the vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, smoked paprika, Worcestershire and hot sauce to a shaker with ice and shake until well chilled.
4. Wipe the rim of the shaker tin dry so the smoke lid sits flat.
5. Place the smoke lid on the shaker, add a small pinch of wood chips and light them with a torch until they smoke.
6. Leave the lid on for about a minute so the smoke settles into the drink.
7. Strain into the prepared glass and season with salt and pepper.
8. Garnish with a celery stalk and a lemon wedge and serve right away.

New to smoking drinks? Our guide on how to smoke a cocktail covers the basics, and you can browse our cocktail smoker kits (they're our products, so we're biased).

Best Wood Chips for a Smoked Bloody Mary

For a Bloody Mary, stronger woods work better than in a whiskey cocktail, because tomato and spice can carry more smoke. Our guide on choosing wood chips for smoked cocktails covers every flavor.

Three Layers of Smoke (and Why We Skip Liquid Smoke)

This recipe builds smoke in three places: smoked paprika in the mix, smoked salt on the rim and real wood smoke from the lid. Each one hits at a different moment: the salt on the first sip, the paprika in the body of the drink, the wood smoke on the nose.

Many recipes use liquid smoke instead. It's easy, but a few drops too many and the drink tastes artificial. Real wood smoke from a lid gives a fresher aroma and is much easier to control.

How to Make a Smoked Bloody Mary Mix for a Crowd

For brunch or a game day, batch the mix (without vodka) ahead of time. For 6 drinks:

• 24 oz tomato juice
• 3 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 12 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 12 dashes hot sauce
• Black pepper to taste

Stir it together and keep it covered in the fridge for up to two days. To serve, shake 4½ oz of mix with 2 oz vodka and ice, then smoke each shaker for about a minute before straining. Smoke fades, so always smoke to order rather than smoking the whole batch.

Garnish Ideas

The celery stalk and lemon wedge are the classic, but a Bloody Mary is the one cocktail where more is more: crispy bacon, pickled green beans, olives, a pepperoncini or a cooked shrimp all work. A strip of bacon goes especially well with hickory smoke. For more ideas, see our list of smoked cocktail garnishes.

Variations

• Bloody Maria: swap vodka for tequila and smoke with mesquite. It pairs well with our smoked spicy margarita for a brunch menu.
• Red Snapper: the gin version. Its botanicals are great with apple wood smoke.
• Bourbon Bloody Mary: swap vodka for bourbon and smoke with oak for a richer, slightly sweet version.
• Caesar: the Canadian version, made with Clamato instead of tomato juice.
• Michelada: a lighter Mexican cousin made with beer, lime, sauces and tomato juice.

A Short History of the Bloody Mary

The Bloody Mary's origin is disputed. It's most often credited to bartender Fernand Petiot, who served it at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s and later at the King Cole Bar in New York's St. Regis Hotel, where it was briefly called the Red Snapper. Others credit entertainer George Jessel with the original vodka and tomato juice pairing. Difford's Guide has the full story.

Looking for more smoky brunch and party drinks? Try our 7 smoked cocktail recipes or see what else you can smoke in our guide to things you can smoke besides cocktails.

Smoked Bloody Mary FAQs

How do you smoke a Bloody Mary?

Shake the cocktail with ice, cap the shaker with a smoke lid, light a small pinch of wood chips and leave it covered for about a minute. Then strain into a glass rimmed with smoked salt. You can also smoke the glass itself before pouring.

What is the best wood for a smoked Bloody Mary?

Hickory is the classic choice for a savory, bacon-like smoke. Mesquite is bolder and suits spicy versions, while apple gives a lighter smoke for first-timers.

Can you smoke vodka?

Yes. Vodka is neutral, so it picks up smoke more clearly than aged spirits. That's why smoke works so well in a Bloody Mary, where it adds depth without fighting other flavors.

Do you need liquid smoke for a smoked Bloody Mary?

No. Smoked paprika, smoked salt on the rim and real wood smoke from a smoke lid give plenty of smoky flavor, and they're easier to control than liquid smoke.

Should you shake or stir a Bloody Mary?

Either works. Shaking chills it fastest and mixes the spices well; some bartenders prefer gently "rolling" it between two tins to keep the tomato juice from getting foamy.

Can you make smoked Bloody Mary mix ahead of time?

Yes. Batch the tomato juice, lemon, smoked paprika, Worcestershire and hot sauce and keep it in the fridge for up to two days. Add the vodka and the wood smoke when you serve each drink.