How to Build A Bloody Mary Bar

It's everything you want at a party.

I’m a fan of Bloody Marys. More specifically, I’m a fan of the Bloody Mary Bar. Building my own Bloody is like being at a salad bar, but better. The almost magical transformation of tomato juice into Bloody Mary mix always feels like a special occasion. One that is sort of “healthy”, like a small salad or a light lunch. 

Although Bloody Mary the cocktail is inextricably tied to brunch, Bloody Mary the Mix is a marvel of versatility. It’s not about the alcohol - Bloody Mary mix is tomato juice - elevated.  And that’s where the inspiration lies. It can become anything you want it to be.

So, let me make a case for building a Bloody Mary bar at your next BBQ or get-together. As a simple drink of tomato juice and a stalk of celery grows into a Bloody Mary, it becomes a statement of creativity and a fantastic conversation starter:  Your Caprese skewer is brilliant! What kind of salt is on the rim? You made a shrimp skewer out of chopsticks?  Where were the blue cheese olives?  Is that a chicken wing?  

It’s everything you want at a party. 

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How to Build a Bloody Mary Bar for Your Next Party

Gather everything and set it all up on a table with a bunch of glasses and let everybody go to town. You’ll be amazed at what they come up with.  You’ll need:  

1. The Bloody Mary Mix - This comes together easily with just seven ingredients: 

Tomato Juice: plain tomato juice is preferred here for it’s clean taste - a great blank palette for your mix. V8 will work but is thicker and adds other flavors (7 other vegetables!) 

Lemon Juice: adds brightness and zing

Wasabi or horseradish or pickle juice: to give your mix some bite

Worcestershire sauce: to add depth and savoriness.

Hot-pepper sauce: choose a vinegar-forward one for a bit of heat

Salt: to season the tomato juice and bring out the flavors

Black pepper: to add warmth 

The recipe is below and makes enough for a small crowd. 

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2. Garnishes -  This is what makes the party and the sky is the limit here. Choose a bunch of them and set them up on small plates or bowls. Here are a few(!) ideas to get you started: 

Veggies & Fruit

• celery ribs

• cherry or grape tomatoes

• cherry peppers

• hot peppers - jalapeños, serranos, or green chiles

• shishito peppers

• cucumber slices

• green beans

• mushrooms

• artichoke hearts

• carrot sticks

• bell peppers, fresh or roasted

• pepperoncini peppers

• baby corn

• strawberries

• watermelon or cantaloupe balls

• blueberries

• apple or pear slices

Pickled Things

• dill pickle spears

• cornichons

• quick pickles

• pickled okra

• cocktail onions

• pickled jalapeños

• pickled carrots

• giardiniera

• pickled asparagus

• pickled beets

• green olives stuffed with blue cheese, pimento, garlic or jalapeño

• black olives

• marinated olives

Meat and Cheese

• bacon, regular or candied

• shrimp or oysters

• hot dogs or little smokies

• pepperoni

• rolls of deli meat - prosciutto or salami

• meatballs

• cheeseburger or chicken sliders

• chicken nuggets

• dates wrapped in bacon

• beef sticks or jerky

• cubes of cheddar cheese

• pepper jack cheese slices

• gouda cheese cubes

• Mozzarella balls

• blue cheese balls

Really, anything you can poke a stick though could be a great garnish!

3. Skewers - You’ll need something to hold all of those goodies. Regular skewers work fine but how about using a sprig of rosemary, chopsticks, or toothpicks? Stand them up in a glass. 

4. Ways to rim the glass - We are going all out here, so we will need to rim our glasses with something interesting. You can use plain salt but how about:  

• Bloody Mary rim salt (mix up with salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder)

• Everything bagel seasoning 

• Tajin

• Ranch dressing seasoning

• Old Bay seasoning

• Citrus salt 

• Celery salt & black pepper

• Crushed potato chips  

• Tortilla chips

Choose a couple and sprinkle them on small plates, so they are easy to dip glasses in. 

5. Hot sauce -  Raid the fridge and bring out every hot saucy thing in there. People like varying levels of heat so let them spice up their own drink. 

6. A lot of ice  - Preferably in something that can keep it frozen. 

7. Booze - Optional but interesting. Bloody Marys are NOT just for vodka. There is a Bloody Mary for everyone. In fact, there are lots of options, all with their own names:  

• Bloody Caeser - with Clamato juice

• Bloody Maria - with Tequila

• Bloody Derby - with Bourbon

• Cubanita - with Rum

• Red Snapper - with Gin

• Michelada - with Beer

• Virgin Mary - without alcohol (Pro tip: soda water is a great addition!)

And finally, if you have any Mix left and are wondering what to do with it, here are a few inspired suggestions. 

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Things to do with Bloody Mary mix:

• Pour into little cups and serve it as an amuse-bouche at dinner parties.

• Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays. Let thaw or toss into recipes still frozen.

• Use as the tomato in your chili.

• Add to your BBQ sauce.

• Shrimp cocktail - Saute some garlic in olive oil. Add some Bloody Mary mix and crushed tomatoes to the pan. Simmer for a minute or two, and cool to room temperature before serving with your shrimp.

• Pour over goat cheese, bake at 400F/190C degrees for 20 minutes, and serve with grilled toast or pita wedges.

• Use it as a salad dressing. Cut up a pound of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. Toss them with a teaspoon of salt and let them sit in a colander for 20 minutes to pull out the liquid. Pour into a bowl and dress with Bloody Mary mix.

• Make a creamy, spicy tomato soup. Warm it on the stove with some vegetable stock and stir in a little heavy cream just before serving.

• Dress your pasta: While your pasta is cooking, bring 1 cup of Bloody Mary Mix to a simmer. Remove from heat, add a few dashes of heavy cream, a knob of butter, and a little grated Parmesan. Stir until the sauce thickens, then toss with cooked pasta.

• Make gazpacho: Blend Bloody Mary mix with a piece of stale bread torn into chucks, a little bit of olive oil,  and any vegetables you have on hand: celery, cucumber, shredded carrots, red pepper, onion, and maybe a clove of garlic. Serve slightly chilled.

• Marinate things for the grill: Skewers of mushrooms, vegetables, chicken, steak, or shrimp.  

• Make deviled eggs - stir into the smashed yolks with mayonnaise and mustard.

Build a Bloody Mary Bar for your next party. Your guests will love it!

Cheers - 

Chelly

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