Introducing BADOP! My new salt + MSG seasoning blend is available now. Now celebrate with a spicy michelada!

A classic michelada is a savory Mexican beer cocktail that combines lime juice, hot sauce, and savory seasonings with light lager and is served over ice in a glass rimmed with seasoned salt. They ride the line between intense but balanced flavors while remaining perfectly refreshing in either hot or cool weather. Between the carbs in the beer and the salt in the seasonings, think of it more like the original electrolyte drink, but with a little more kick.

This version is a variation of a michelada I made several years back with Chef Ming Tsai on his show Simply Ming, this time upgraded with BADOP!—my brand new salt and MSG blend—to up the umami and round out the flavors. You can order a limited edition Founder's Tin of BADOP! here.

I start by rubbing a slice of orange around the rim of an ice-cold glass then dipping it in a mixture of gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), BADOP!, and orange zest. (Make sure to cut extra orange slices and extra spice blend to dip into the mixture and eat as a table snack.) I then stir together a mixture of gochujang (Korean sweet fermented chile paste), soy sauce, orange juice, hot sauce (I like a habanero-based sauce like Marie Sharp’s), and a pinch of BADOP! until there are no lumps of gochugaru remaining before topping it with ice and an ice-cold can of N/A lager.

If you want to have a michelada party, mix up a big batch of the spice mix and the michelada base and mix them up to order.

Recipe: BADOP! Gochujang Michelada

Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.

What I love about this recipe:

• Using BADOP! this drink is able to hit sweetness, savoriness, and umami all at once.

• Works with non-alcoholic beer just as well.

Yield: 1 michelada
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Notes: Gochugaru is Korean chili flakes. They tend to be relatively mild in heat. You can substitute other mild chile flakes like ancho, or a blend like Tajín. BADOP! is a mixture of salt and MSG designed to replace salt in all of your day to day cooking. For this recipe, you can substitute with an 8:1 mixture of kosher salt and pure MSG.

Ingredients

For the Rim:

• 1 teaspoon gochugaru (see note)

• 1 teaspoon of BADOP!

• 1 teaspoon navel orange zest

• A slice of orange, about ⅓-inch wide

For the Drink:

• 1 teaspoon gochujang (about 5 g)

• ½ teaspoon soy sauce

• ½ ounce (15ml) fresh orange juice

• 2–3 dashes hot sauce

• 8–12 ounces (240–355 ml) very cold light lager or pilsner

• Ice (optional, traditional micheladas don’t always use it, but it works here)

Method

1. Dip the rim. Mix the rim ingredients together on a small plate. Rub the rim of a chilled beer stein or pint glass with an orange wedge. Dip into the seasoning mixture and twist gently to coat. Dip the orange wedge into the mixture to coat on all sides.

2. Prepare the drink. In the bottom of the rimmed glass, combine gochujang, soy sauce, orange juice, and a pinch of BADOP! Stir thoroughly until the gochujang is fully dissolved and smooth. (Really take a second here—no red clumps.)

3. Serve and enjoy. Fill glass with ice cubes. Pour in beer slowly while stirring gently to integrate. Garnish with the orange wedge and serve immediately.