As Kevin would say, "J-E-L-L-Oh, my freakin' head..."For the last few years I've been experimenting with Jello shots, and I think I'm getting close to perfection. If by perfection you're thinking total inebriation, then, by all means, perfect. That's not necessarily the point of these, but it seems to be what happens.
At Costco, I purchased a box of 2 ounce Dixie portion cups--the kind that a side of ranch might come in. A separate box contained lids--for a grand total of under $15. For 1,200. Oh, by the way, I'm out. Yes, folks, that means I've made more than a thousand shots in the last few years. Now is the time to detail the process, and share some recipes to boot!
There's a slideshow with instructional photos (or you can click here to view them in the gallery--hover your cursor over each photo for instructions).
Once you get the hang of it, it doesn't take long at all. What takes the longest is getting good at not spilling any when you're pouring into the cups--the rest is a breeze.
First, let's consider what we're working with: Jello, alcohol, and water. A large (6 ounce) box of Jello will make about 24 decent-sized shots. A small box (3 ounces), naturally makes about half of that. A mixture of half alcohol and half water for the liquid portion is about as strong as you'd ever need to go.
Speaking of which, here's the second consideration: Just how strong should you make these things? Well, if you make them strong, your partakers won't need a lot. Too little alcohol, and they may be popping them like Valium... wait...
Start by deciding which Jello flavor you'll be using, and then what alcohol you're going to use. Keep in mind that most of the flavor will come from the Jello, and the alcohol can merely only accent the flavor--so, don't bother with making lemon Jello with lemon vodka, it would only waste more expensive vodka. Recipes follow these instructions.
For a large box of Jello, I recommend a total of 3 cups of liquid. A regular batch of Jello is 4 cups, and I think slightly firmer shots work better--for two reasons. First, they come out of the container quicker (and in this case coming quicker... nevermind). Second, a more concentrated flavoring from the Jello can help mask copious amounts of alcohol. I think it just tastes better, and I've never had any complaints with this ratio (apart from drunkitude). For simplicity's sake, let's say we'll use half alcohol and half water. Feel free to adjust ratios to suit, as it really doesn't matter from an instructional standpoint. The separate parties that consumed the last mega-batch said that half/half was a bit strong, so maybe next time I'll try 1/4 alcohol. And to think, I used to use 100% alcohol (yes, some boiled off).
You'll need those cups. I'm sure you can probably get them at Costco, Smart & Final, or the likes. Also, I highly recommend the mini foam paint roller for applying the oil.
Hold on a minute--did the fat man just say oil? Yes.
If you've ever had a Jello shot not readily slurp out of a container, then you'll know that a Jello shot in the container is practically worthless--it needs to quickly come out. Patience is not something that alcoholics have. It only needs the thinnest of layers of oil.
So, yes, please check out the instructional pictures for the foam roller--readily found in Wally World's painting section. If you don't want to bother, then just a bit of oil on a washcloth or napkin will do fine. The trick is to put some oil on whatever applicator, and then thoroughly coat the container--paying careful attention to the bottom corners. Do this for about 25-30 containers for each batch, so they're ready to pour into.
Put the water in a pot. Heat the water. Add the Jello. Stir. Keep an eye out for when it starts to boil--the foam on the top does wonderful tricks. You may wish to take a look at the pictures to see just when to turn the heat off. When the foam starts to rise en masse, you'll probably want to get the pot over the sink--just in case. Quickly, now!
You can now add the alcohol. I typically take my alcohol straight from the freezer, so the shots set up quicker. Stir. Let everything cool for a bit (perhaps in the freezer), and then you're ready to pour into the shot cups.
After the Jello has set a bit, you can put the lids on, and continue to chill. After a few hours, you can bag up the shots (not having to keep them upright anymore).
Tips: Consider purchasing a set of silicone measuring cups. I have three that hold up to 4 cups of liquid--and the cool part is that the liquid can be several hundred degrees and you don't feel it through the cup. They also bend squishy-style for easy pouring, and wash wonderfully. Also, if you're consuming as you go--silicone doesn't tend to shatter quite like a Pyrex glass measuring cup does.
The custom-made labels are totally optional. So are maraschino cherries. Put those in after the shots have been setting for a few minutes. Please inform your partakers, or make warning labels--although they can be tasty, some have been known to almost choke to death after having accidentally ingesting one (which begs the question--just how many shots did you have before that one, Dani?)
Recipes:
Any flavor of Jello along with plain vodka or rum will work just fine. They've got a lot of great new flavors--melon, black cherry, wild strawberry, etc.--so experiment!
Cape Cod - Cranberry Jello and vodka, top layer of lime Jello and vodka (wait for the bottom layer to set first!)
Orange Creamsicle - Orange Jello and vanilla vodka
Lemon Drop - Lemon Jello and vodka
Lemon Cream - Lemon Jello and vanilla vodka (crème for you sticklers)
Margarita - Lime Jello and tequila
Fuzzy Navel - Peach Jello and orange rum (or orange Jello and peach Schnapps)
Pina Colada - Pineapple Jello and coconut rum (optional--maraschino cherry)
Rum & Cherry Coke - Cherry Jello, Rum, and Coke (optional--maraschino cherry)
Experimental (haven't tried these yet)
Lemon Jello and strawberry vodka (or strawberry Jello and lemon vodka) [Mary Ann]
Unflavored gelatin and Pernod/Ouzo/Zambuca [Dad]
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