Substitute for Grand Marinier (sp)

Is there a more reasonably priced substitute for Grand Marinier (sp)? I'm looking for one.

What are you supposed to use Grand Marnier for? It might make it easier to provide decent alternatives. If we're talking margaritas, Patron makes an orange liquer that I've used before to great success. Cointreau works, too.

Grand Marnier is an expensive orange liqueur. There are other expensive ones available, like Cointreau.

I think Patron orange is a bit less expensive. Gran Gala is another option at a moderately lower price.

Depending on your application, you could maybe just use Triple Sec, which is usually quite inexpensive.

If you can find it, there's a Mexican liqueur called Controy, which is reasonably priced, but probably not as inexpensive as Triple Sec. Curaçao could work, too.

On a recent trip to Mexico, I bought a bottle of Controy and was quite surprised at how good it was. Cointreau was incredibly expensive there, which prompted me to try the very inexpensive Controy. I don't know if Controy is sold in the U.S. (I suspect it isn't.)

Cointreau and Gran Marnier will keep for quite a long time. So, if you try to find it on sale and plan to use it a few times, you'll be happy you got it. Or, you can opt for De Kuyper's Triple Sec. I haven't tried it.

Note that Cointreau and Gran Marnier aren't exactly the same thing, but they are close. But note that they do have slightly different flavor profiles. I generally substitute one freely for another.

Marie Brizard Orange Curacao is the best quality substitute for GrandMa. If you can't get that and you have the Dekyper/Bols/Arrow or whatever add a couple of orange twists and a dash or three of orange bitters into the shaker to give a richer flavor.

Toby

I'm fond of Gran Torres Orange, a Spanish brandy-based liqueur, although it's orangier than Grand Marnier.

You might find this helpful:

The Great Oh Gosh! Orange Liqueur Showdown

LAZ wrote:I'm fond of Gran Torres Orange, a Spanish brandy-based liqueur, although it's orangier than Grand Marnier.

Yes, I'm fond of Gran Torres as well, and first found out about it from a Frontera Grill margarita recipe in Bayless' first cookbook (they use it in their main margarita recipe at the restaurant as well, I believe.)

If I'm making crepes suzette or a souffle, Cointreau and/or Grand Marnier are de rigueur.

If I'm making margaritas, any, read cheapest, triple sec (or other orange licquer) is fine. I favor the Steve Dahl recipe, 4:2:1, tequila, fresh squeezed lime, triple sec. Steve's is actually 1.5:1:.5, but I find mine easier to remember.

FYI-I like the packages of key limes that everyone sells now, but they turn before I can use them all. Squeezing and freezing as they turn in little ice cube trays works great.

MLS wrote:FYI-I like the packages of key limes that everyone sells now, but they turn before I can use them all. Squeezing and freezing as they turn in little ice cube trays works great.

I've also found, for some reason, that keeping them in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator helps to keep them for considerably longer (than either loose in the fridge or out on the counter).