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The ingredients of a basic dirty martini are gin, vermouth, olive juice and olives. This basic recipe is a twist on a classic martini, traditionally made with gin and vermouth in a ratio of 2:1 and served with a single olive garnish.
Ideally, you want to begin with high-quality gin. Tanqueray, Bombay and Gordon's are fine, but if you have the resources to splurge on one of the boutique brands that have come on the market in the last few years, you may find the extra cost is worth it for subtlety and smoothness in the gin's flavor.
Vermouth is a spirit made with wine and herbs. For this recipe, be sure to use dry vermouth, not sweet.
Use cocktail olives, which are floating in brine, not oil. You needn't use olives stuffed with the little bit of red pimento, but those do add a a retro touch. Big, meaty green olives in flavorful brine might be preferable. -
Some people argue that a martini isn't a martini unless it's served in a V-shaped stemmed glass. Chill the glass in the freezer while you are mixing the drink.
To make one martini, you'll need a cocktail shaker, strainer and ice. Mix 1 1/2 jiggers of gin with 3/4 jigger dry vermouth. Add 1/2 jigger of olive brine from the jar. Fill the shaker about halfway with ice, cap it, and shake (gently but with conviction.) Then strain the drink into the chilled martini glass, spear one to three olives with a toothpick for a garnish, and serve.
This recipe could be doubled, but trying to make any more than two drinks at once threatens the delicate balance of the ingredients. -
Substituting vodka for gin is common at martini bars, but vodka-based drinks cannot, strictly speaking, be called "martinis."
A similar drink can be made using a jar of cocktail onions, but it's a Gibson, not a dirty martini.
You can use pepper-infused vodka for a Hot and Dirty martini, or eliminate the vermouth for a Down and Dirty martini.
