Dirty Martini Recipe

Before you start

A dirty martini is a martini seasoned with olive brine, which gives it a savory, salty edge and a slightly cloudy look. Most people make it with vodka, but gin works well if you like more aroma. The brine should accent the drink, not take it over. About 15 ml is a good starting point; extra-dirty versions push to 22 ml or more.

The quality of the brine matters more than the olives on the pick. Brine from a jar of good green olives tastes clean and briny; brine from cheap olives can be harsh or chemical. Dedicated bottled olive brine for cocktails is a reliable option. Shaking is common for this drink because the brine already clouds it, but stirring keeps it denser.

Ingredients

• 60 ml (2 oz) vodka or gin
• 10 ml (⅓ oz) dry vermouth
• 15 ml (½ oz) olive brine — from good green olives
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for mixing
• 2 or 3 green olives — on a pick

Method

1. Freeze your martini glass for 15 minutes.
2. Measure the vodka or gin, dry vermouth and olive brine into a mixing glass.
3. Fill with ice to about three-quarters full.
4. Stir for 25 to 30 seconds until very cold. If you prefer a lighter, more frothy texture, shake hard for 10 seconds instead.
5. Strain into the frozen glass. If you shook it, double-strain through a fine strainer to remove ice shards.
6. Garnish with two or three olives on a pick. Serve right away while it is still frosty.

Tips for success

• Taste your brine first. If it is very salty, start with 10 ml and increase it.
• Castelvetrano olives give a buttery, mild brine; Spanish manzanillas give a sharper one.
• Keep a jar of good olives only for cocktails so the brine stays clean and is not contaminated by forks.

Substitutions

Vodka

Gin adds juniper and herbal notes that work well with salt. A clean, citrusy gin is the best match.

Olive brine

Caper brine gives a sharper, more pungent drink; use half the amount. A few drops of saline solution plus a little vermouth gives salt without the olive flavor.

Dry vermouth

Fino sherry gives a nutty, savory note that complements the brine.

Variations

Extra dirty

Increase the brine to 22 ml and reduce the vermouth to 7 ml.

Blue cheese olives

Garnish with olives stuffed with blue cheese for an even richer, more savory drink.

Troubleshooting

It tastes like seawater

Too much brine or a very salty jar. Reduce to 10 ml and taste before adding more.

It has a bitter, chemical taste

The brine came from low-quality olives. Use brine from a better jar or a bottled cocktail brine.

It looks very cloudy and thin

It was shaken hard with wet ice. Stir with dry ice instead for a denser texture.

Storage

Serve immediately. Keep opened olives and their brine refrigerated, covered by the liquid, and follow the jar's use-by guidance.

Safety notes

Contains 60 ml of 40% ABV spirit plus vermouth, about 1.5 U.S. standard drinks (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and never drink and drive.