Margaritas shouldn’t come from buckets, be served in plastic glasses, or look like they were poured from a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine.

This margarita recipe takes some extra work and only yields a single beverage, but the result is a stronger drink, showcasing pure agave tequila complementing bold citrus flavors. Your taste buds will thank you.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces 100 percent blue agave tequila (silver)
• 4 limes
• 1 small orange
• 2 tablespoons light agave nectar**
• 1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 3/4 cup ice

** Agave nectar is an all-natural sweetener that can be found alongside syrups in most supermarkets. It has a mild, almost indistinguishable flavor, dissolves in cold liquid, and is a viable substitute for any sweetener, including honey.

Directions:

Pour 1/2 ounce of the tequila into a small saucer. Spread the kosher salt in a separate small saucer. Dip the rim of a cocktail (martini) glass into the tequila. Lift out of the tequila and hold upside down for 10 seconds to allow slight evaporation. Next, dip the glass into the salt to coat the rim. Set aside.

Halve 2 of the limes. Cut a thin slice from one of the halves, and set aside for garnish. Juice the halved limes into a cocktail shaker. Quarter the remaining limes and the orange, and place the quarters into the shaker with the juice. Add the agave nectar and muddle for two minutes, or until the juices are released from the citrus quarters. Strain the juice mixture from the cocktail shaker into a separate glass, and discard the solids.

Return the juice mixture to the shaker and add the tequila, along with the remaining tequila from the saucer. Add the ice to the shaker, cover and shake for 30 seconds. Strain the mixture into the prepared cocktail glass, garnish with the reserved slice of lime, and serve immediately.

An Alton Brown original.