I made Bloody Marys using 4 celebrity chefs' recipes, and the best was the easiest to make

Paige BennettJun 25, 2020, 02:35 IST

Many celebrity chefs have their own special Bloody Mary recipes.Jason Merritt/GettyImages,Evan Agostini/AP,Denis Contreras/Getty Images for SOBEWFF®/Paige Bennett for Insider

I followed four different Bloody Mary recipes from celebrity chefs Alton Brown, Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, and Ina Garten.
Brown's recipe had a lot of intricate steps and ingredients I had to make from scratch — but the final cocktail tasted spicy and fresh.
The recipes from Stewart and Garten were quite simple and classic.
Flay's Bloody Mary was my favorite because it was light, citrusy, and easy to make.

Bloody Marys are a quintessential, tomato juice-based cocktail that can be made with varying levels of spice and different types of garnish.

With so many ways to make the drink, I decided to follow recipes from celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Alton Brown, Ina Garten, and Martha Stewart to find out who would help me craft the best Bloody Mary.

Here's how the cocktails turned out:

Bobby Flay's recipe calls for plenty of citrus and spice.

The ingredients for Bobby Flay's Bloody Mary recipe. Paige Bennett for Insider

The drink didn't smell great while I was making it, but the unpleasant scent didn't last.

Bobby Flay's Bloody Mary wasn't complicated in terms of ingredients or steps. Paige Bennett for Insider

This drink couldn't have been easier to make.

Bobby Flay's recipe required a combination of citrus and jalapeño. Paige Bennett for Insider

This Bloody Mary was ice-cold and refreshing.

Bobby Flay's Bloody Mary had a slight kick. Paige Bennett for Insider

Alton Brown's recipe calls for homemade tomato vodka.

Alton Brown's recipe had many steps. Paige Bennett for Insider

The process of making Brown's Bloody Mary was a marathon, not a sprint.

The tomato vodka I made for Alton Brown's recipe. Paige Bennett for Insider

Watching Brown's Bloody Mary come together was pretty cool.

Assembling Alton Brown's Bloody Mary was quite easy. Paige Bennett for Insider

His drink really brought the heat.

Alton Brown's Bloody Mary was quite spicy. Paige Bennett for Insider

Ina Garten's Bloody Mary features traditional ingredients.

The ingredients for Ina Garten's Bloody Mary recipe. Paige Bennett for Insider

I imagine this recipe would've worked better if I had a food processor.

Ina Garten's recipe required some finely minced ingredients. Paige Bennett for Insider

Still, it was easy enough to put this recipe together once I'd measured out and cut all of the ingredients.

Ina Garten's Bloody Mary wasn't that tricky to assemble. Paige Bennett for Insider

The last step was pouring the cocktail over ice and adding a bit of celery as a garnish.

Ina Garten's Bloody Mary was garnished with a celery stalk. Paige Bennett for Insider

Martha Stewart's Bloody Mary requires simple, classic ingredients.

The ingredients for Martha Stewart's Bloody Mary recipe. Paige Bennett for Insider

Stewart's Bloody Mary was shaken, not stirred.

Martha Stewart's Bloody Mary required a lot of shaking. Paige Bennett for Insider

For the final step, I garnished my glass and poured in my cocktail.

Martha Stewart's Bloody Mary had some fresh garnish. Paige Bennett for Insider

The final Bloody Mary was spicy and savory but not too overpowering.

Martha Stewart's Bloody Mary. Paige Bennett for Insider

Bobby Flay's simple and citrusy beverage was my favorite.

Bobby Flay's Bloody Mary was easy to make, too. Paige Bennett for Insider

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