Food - Drink
The Type Of Orange You Should Use For Homemade Triple Sec
By JEN PENG
Triple sec, an orange-flavored liqueur, is indispensable in drinks like margaritas, Cosmopolitans, Mai Tais, Kamikazes, and more. It's even possible to make this staple yourself.
High-end triple sec can get pricey, and making it at home with fresh oranges is a real money-saver. You need the right kind of orange for a job, and common navels do splendidly.
Triple sec is made from a combo of dried bitter orange peels and fresh orange peels. For the fresh ones, navel orange peels are balanced, flavorful, and readily available.
It's actually better to zest the oranges instead of using the whole peel. Use a veggie peeler, zester, or grater to minimize the amount of bitter white pith in the final product.
As for the spirit base, you can use just vodka, brandy, or a mix of both. You can also experiment with other spirits like rum, as well as flavors like cinnamon, cloves, or vanilla.
Let the peels infuse in the liquor for a few weeks — shake it up every other day. Once infused, add some simple syrup into the mix, strain, and use it in your favorite cocktail.
Your homemade triple sec does not need to be refrigerated and should be good for up to a year, though use it within a few months for the best results.