Why you’ll love the salty dog
- It’s simple : With just three ingredients, this cocktail is as easy as it get, and it’s ready in minutes.
- It’s balanced: The salt enhances the citrusy sweetness of the grapefruit juice while mellowing the gin’s botanical notes
- Customizable: Prefer vodka over gin? I still think you should try the gin, but you could swap it out for a slightly different take.
More gin cocktails you’ll love: rhubarb corpse reviver no. 2 / saturn cocktail / ramos gin fizz / white negroni
Other classic cocktails you should try: clover club cocktail / harvey wallbanger / pimm’s cup / mary pickford cocktail
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Gin – Use your favorite gin! Definitely use a good quality gin for this one. Feel free to sub vodka if that’s what you prefer.
- Grapefruit juice – I normally recommend only fresh citrus, but in the case of grapefruit, I’m on the fence. Bottled grapefruit juice can definitely work in this drink!
- Salt – This isn’t really optional for an actual salty dog, but if you want to skip it, that’s up to you. I typically use coarse/kosher salt or fancy sea salt, but you can also buy cocktail rimming salt for this.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Mel’s cocktail tips & tricks
- Fresh squeezed is always best. I recommend juicing your citrus when you’re making your cocktail, but if you need to prep, do it as close to when you’re serving as possible.
- Always chill your cocktail glasses. If you have room in your fridge or freezer, pop them in ahead of time. If not, chill them with ice while you make your drinks!
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a greyhound and a Salty Dog cocktail?
The salted rim is the only difference. The rest is the same!
Why is it called a salty dog drink?
The salty dog is a riff on a greyhound cocktail, which is just gin and grapefruit juice. And, in case you didn’t know, a greyhound is a type of dog. Hence, the salty dog.
Who invented the salty dog?
The salty dog dates back to the 1950’s and many give credit to actor George Jessel, but it’s hard to find concrete evidence of this.
Grapefruit cocktail favorites: French blonde cocktail / grapefruit aperol margarita / zombie cocktail / basil grapefruit martini
Salty Dog Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 4 ounces grapefruit juice
Instructions
- Prep your glass. Rim a cocktail glass with salt, and fill with ice.
- Stir until cold. Add gin and grapefruit juice. Using a bar spoon, stir until well chilled – about 30 seconds.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and serve immediately.
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