Spearmint Juleps Recipes

MINT JULEPS

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar and chopped mint leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow syrup to cool, approximately 1 hour. Pour syrup through a strainer to remove mint leaves
• Fill eight cups or frozen goblets with crushed ice and pour 4 ounces of bourbon and 1/4 cup mint syrup in each. (Proportions can be adjusted depending on each person's sweet tooth). Top each cup with a mint sprig and a straw. Trim straws to just barely protrude from the top of the cups. Serve juleps on a silver platter.

SPEARMINT JULEPS

Steps:

• Combine bourbon and mint in a large pitcher, cover, and refrigerate 12 hours or up to 1 day. Strain, discarding mint. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Divide julep mixture among 4 ice-filled glasses. Garnish each with a mint sprig.

FROZEN LEMON MINT JULEPS

Steps:

• Combine the bourbon and spearmint in a large pitcher, cover and chill for at least 12 hours.
• Remove the zest from the lemon in strips with a vegetable peeler and cut away any white pith (the pith imparts a bitter flavor).
• In a small saucepan over moderately-low heat, combine the zest, 1/2 cup water and the sugar. Bring up to boil and cook until the liquid gets all syrupy, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep 30 minutes. Remove the zest and add the juice from the lemon.
• Pour half the mint-infused bourbon, half the lemon syrup and enough ice to reach up to the top of the blender and puree until smooth. Carefully divide it among 3 goblets and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Garnish each with a sprig of mint and enjoy!
• What Makes This Recipe Really Sing: Really try and find fresh spearmint leaves. The flavor is so different from regular mint leaves that you normally use.
• BYOC: How about a Maraschino cherry? They are such a fun throwback garnish.

GINGER MINT JULEP

Steps:

• For mint syrup, place sugar, water and chopped mint in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool completely., Strain syrup through a fine mesh strainer; discard mint. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours., For each serving, place ice in a mint julep cup or rocks glass. Add bourbon, lime juice and 1/4 cup mint syrup; stir until mixture is cold. Top with beer.

KENTUCKY DERBY MINT JULEPS

Steps:

• The day before serving, or even earlier, put the julep cups in the freezer. Put the water and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil without stirring, and boil for 2 minutes, or until sugar is completely dissolved.
• Put the mint leaves in a glass jar or cup, pour the slightly cooled syrup over them, let cool, then cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or longer. When ready to use, strain out the mint leaves.
• Half an hour before serving, pack the julep cups tightly up to the rim with crushed ice and return them to the freezer.
• For each julep pour 3 ounces of bourbon over the ice, followed by two teaspoons of mint syrup. Do not stir or agitate. Use a cloth to hold each cup by the rim so as not to disturb the frost. Use a short straw or a chopstick to make a hole in the ice on the side of the cup and insert a sprig of mint. Serve immediately, preferably on a silver tray.

MINT JULEP

Steps:

• Fill an 8- to 10-ounce glass with crushed ice (1 cup). Add mint, syrup, and bourbon and bruise mint with back of a spoon.