There’s a moment after dinner when the fire has settled into a steady glow and everyone’s hands instinctively reach for something cold and bright. The Smoky Campfire Grapefruit Paloma hits that mood exactly—sparkling, citrusy, and just rugged enough to feel like it belongs outdoors. Instead of squeezing grapefruit and calling it good, you’ll take a quick campfire cooking detour and char the grapefruit until the cut side caramelizes and the edges go a little smoky.
That kiss of smoke plays beautifully with tequila, a squeeze of lime, and bubbly soda, while a pinch of sea salt rounds the whole drink into something crisp and thirst-quenching. It’s the kind of camp cocktail that tastes extra refreshing after a hot day of hiking or swimming, when your cooler is still clinking with ice and the chairs are angled toward the flames.
For car camping, the setup is refreshingly low-maintenance: a small grate or cast-iron pan over the fire, a knife and citrus juicer, and you’re basically done—no blender, no sticky syrups, and easy cleanup. Serve it over ice with a salted rim, and let that charred grapefruit aroma drift through camp like a little signal that the evening’s officially begun.
Smoky Campfire Grapefruit Paloma
Equipment
- grill grate or skewer
- Knife
- Cutting board
- mason jar
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 grapefruit halved
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup tequila
- 2 teaspoons sea salt divided
- 1 cup sparkling water
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup or honey
- to serve ice cubes
Instructions
- Place grapefruit halves cut-side down on grate or skewer and char over campfire until slightly blackened (about 2-3 minutes).
- Cool slightly, then juice grapefruit into mason jar.
- Add lime juice, tequila, agave, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Stir well.
- Fill glasses with ice, pour mixture over, and top with sparkling water.
- Rim glass with extra salt before pouring, if desired.