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Black Margarita Recipe – Texas Oilman Margaritas

Black Margaritas in a glass

Why yes, I have found the Ultimate Texas Margarita Recipe. 😀

So, people are always asking me how we develop recipes for Urban Cowgirl.

I always say I’m just lookin for that extra special summpin summpin, that I know Texans and Southerners are into— the recipes have to be tried and true and the dishes tend to be familiar, but done up in lipstick and high heels.

That my friends is exactly where this BLACK MARGARITA RECIPE, comes in!

AKA, the Texas Oilman Margarita!

Oilman Margaritas Recipe - Black Margaritas displayed with rock candy and stars

I was minding my own business, scrolling through Instagram recently and came across a photo that D Magazine had posted…

My heart almost shot out of my chest like that scene in Alien, and I immediately contacted them to ask for permission to make a similar design for you guys! How freakin cute is that?! It’s called the Texas Oilman Margarita, and it hails from El Bolero, an upscale, authentic, mexican eatery in Dallas.

This Black Margarita Recipe features Cointreau Negro and charred agave, in addition to fresh lime juice and blackberry syrup, and was designed to honor the oil legacy in Dallas. It’s also a super delicious, on the rocks margarita recipe, and in my opinion a true Texas Margarita (even featuring our favorite wild growing berry bush, good ole Texas blackberries).

A black margarita - Texas style, closeup

For our at home version of the Texas Oilman Margarita, we designed an easy to make blackberry syrup (using high quality blackberry jam) and stuck to classic fresh margarita ingredients with fresh lime juice, top shelf tequila blanco, and Grand Marnier.

When making a classic Texas margarita on the rocks, you’ve got to use fresh lime juice, there’s just no other way to do it. Getting that extra flavor and freshness that comes from freshly juiced limes, makes all the difference.

What tequila is best for Texas margaritas?

For this particular recipe we chose a tequila blanco, simply to preserve the color as much as possible. If you want to use a gold tequila, you certainly can but we can’t promise the colors in the margarita won’t change.

In Texas style margarita recipes, it’s common to use high quality tequila like Don Julio, Herradura, or Casamigos, these premium tequilas work in clean and pure classic margaritas, specialty margaritas, and even other tequila cocktails, making them very versatile. Also, higher quality usually means less of a hangover if you (LIKE US), agree that this is in fact the best margarita recipe in Texas.

A Texas style black margarita with gold stars

Cointreau vs. Grand Marnier in Margaritas?

The Grand Marnier in my recipe is fully personal. I researched it in culinary school, have a history with it, and I think Grand Marnier makes a recipe a truly presidential, or top shelf margarita. If you feel completely the opposite and you want to use Cointreau, it will work fine. (And if we ever meet at a bar, we will do a side by side taste test. 😛 )

The gold sugar  is available here and the edible gold stars are available here.

Rock candy is available here on Amazon.

Obviously, you’ve GOT to try making this Black Margarita for your favorite holidays!

I’m talking Super Bowl margaritas, New Years Eve cocktail ideas, even Mardi Gras cocktails!! Hello, this baby is just begging to be served on Bourbon Street…

MAKE SURE YOU PIN IT FOR LATER!!!

Black Margaritas Recipe - Oilman Margaritas

Here is the recipe for the Black Margarita Recipe,

AKA the Texas Oilman Margarita!

If you make the recipe and post it to social media, tag Urban Cowgirl! I’d love to see how it turns out!


If you’re throwing a party, I’ve got some of my favorite party recipes right here…

Texas Brisket Chili

Brisket Queso

Torchy’s Queso

Houston Rodeo Blue Ribbon Potato Salad

Texas Twinkies

Black Margaritas Recipe - close up with rock candy and gold stars
Yield: 1 cocktail with additional blackberry simple syrup

Oilman Margaritas Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

This black oilman margarita is a copykat version of the Dallas margarita of the year!

Ingredients

  • Serves 1 shaken in a cocktail shaker:
  • 1 ¼ oz. tequila blanco
  • 3/4 oz. grand marnier
  • 1 oz. blackberry simple syrup (see below)
  • 1 oz. fresh lime juice (1-2 limes)
  • Splash blue curacao
  • Pinch salt
  • Splash of water if desired (about ¾ oz.)
  • Gold Edible Sugar and Edible Stars
  • A saucer of corn syrup or rose’s lime syrup to rim the glasses with gold sugar
  • Lime slices for garnish
  • 1 rock candy per margarita
  • For the blackberry simple syrup:
  • 1 small jar seedless blackberry jelly or jam
  • 1 ½ c. water

Instructions

  1. For the blackberry simple syrup:
  2. In a small saucepan, empty the contents of the jar of blackberry jam and 1 ½ c. water. Bring to a boil and whisk until the jam melts down into the water. Simmer 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Transfer to a permanent storage container. (I use a squirt bottle.) The syrup should be kept in the refrigerator. Can be kept 1 month.
  3. In a cocktail shaker add the tequila, blackberry simple syrup, blue curacao, fresh lime juice, Grand Marnier, pinch of salt, and a splash of water. Add a cup or so of ice and place the lid on the shaker. Shake 40 times.
  4. To prepare the glass:
  5. Take a glass and dip the rim in corn syrup (or any bar syrup) and then dip the rim into the gold sugar. Very carefully pour the shaken margarita into the glass so as not to disturb the sugar. Garnish the glass with edible stars and a rock candy stirrer. Garnish with lime.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 5Sodium: 41mgCarbohydrates: 1gSugar: 1g

Did you make this recipe? Please leave us a comment below and let us know how it went!

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Will B

Sunday 13th of August 2023

So I tried your recipe and while it tastes good, I got something the color of a swamparita! How much blackberry jelly do you simmer down and how much is a “splash” of blue curaçao? Also do you use alcoholic or non-alcoholic curaçao? Thanks!!!

Sarah Penrod

Monday 16th of October 2023

If you want it pure black they make a black curacao now!

SUSAN

Friday 11th of November 2022

Hi, Sarah. Thanks for your wonderful recipes! I wondered what your thought would be on skipping Grand Marnier and the simple syrup and adding Chambord instead. How would you expect the results to vary? Many thanks.

Sarah Penrod

Thursday 17th of November 2022

Well, there is only one way to find out! Experiment! It probably will be a little more red because of the color of Chambord.

Mackensie Polys

Tuesday 9th of March 2021

So I’m going to research making grand manier keto. I just found your simple syrup recipe but NEED to have the grand manier in there. Thinking cognac, some kind of orange extract (although says distilled extract of bitter orange so idk about that) or maybe just cognac and extra simple syrup. Any ideas??

Sarah Penrod

Thursday 24th of June 2021

That's hard. I might try a citrus/vanilla flavoring or see if there even is a grand marnier extract. I use to sip grand marnier and I can't think of any substitute for that taste!

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