While the dirt ball found floating in bottle ofmezcalis nothing more than a marketing ploy , sal de gusano , or “ dirt ball salt , ” is in reality a literal part of mezcal culture . Made from the larvae that live the agave plant life , sal de gusano is a gamey - salty condiment traditionally served with orangish slices as an accompaniment to glassfuls of the smoky life .
you could get sal de gusano for sale in specialty shop and online , but it ’s much well if you make it yourself — plus it ’ll gain you some serious cocktailing cred ( heck , you ’ve earned some just from knowingmezcal is n’t tequila ) . Here , we show you how to make three different types of worm salt ( traditional , chocolate and celery ) to upgrade your next mezcal sipping session .
How to Prepare a Worm for Sal de Gusano
Step One : Buy a Bottle of Monte Alban MezcalUnless you live in Mexico with ready accession to savage agave , the best source of larvae isMonte Albanbrand mescal , which includes a louse in every bottle for “ genuineness . ”
Step Two : Strain Out the WormHold a interlocking sieve over a turgid carafe . Pour the Monte Alban through the sieve until the worm shore in the sieve . mark the worm aside . utilise a funnel shape to pour the liquid back into the feeding bottle and reserve for mixing into cocktails ( likethisone ) .
maltreat Three : Dry Your WormPlace your larva on a microwave oven - secure plate and heat the sucker in 10 - second intervals until it ’s dry to the speck and business firm . verify not to zap it for too long because it will explode .
Step Four : Dice Your WormDice the louse into the smallest patch potential to make grate easier . Now you ’re quick to make sal de gusano .
How to Make Traditional Sal de Gusano
Serve this Strategic Arms Limitation Talks with orange fade for dipping and glasses of your best-loved mezcal .
INGREDIENTS:1 mezcal louse , finely chopped1 tsp sea salt1 tsp dry out Mexican chile , finely chopped
METHOD : sum all ingredients to a mortar . Using the muller , grind all of the ingredients together to form a ok , well - mixed salt .
How to Make Celery Sal de Gusano
Use this salt to rim a mezcal - ladenBloody Maria .
INGREDIENTS:1 mezcal worm , finely chopped1 tsp sea salt1 tsp celery seed
METHOD : Add element to a mortar . Using the stamp , crunch them together to form a okay , well - mixed salinity .
How to Make Chocolate Cinnamon Sal de Gusano
Dip orange slices in this sweet - spicy mixture to enjoy alongside an extra - smoky mezcal .
INGREDIENTS:1 mezcal worm , delicately chopped1 tsp sea salt1 tsp unsweetened cacao powder1 tsp ground cinnamon
METHOD : Add all ingredients to a mortar . Using the pounder , toil them together to form a fine , well - mixed salt .
