Basic Southern Style Iced Tea Recipes

SOUTHERN STYLE SWEET TEA

Steps:

• In a pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil; remove from heat Add tea bags and allow to steep for 3-5 minutes depending on the strength of tea you prefer. Remove tea bags and stir sugar into warm tea; continue to stir until completely dissolved. Pour concentrated tea into pitcher and mix in remaining 8 cups water. Allow to cool to room temperature. Pour into glasses packed with ice cubes, garnish and serve. For best flavor, refrigerate and use within 48 hours.

SOUTHERN SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• In a large glass measuring cup, place the tea bags and add the baking soda.
• Pour the boiling water over the tea bags.
• Cover and steep for 15 minutes.
• Take out the tea bags and do not squeeze them.
• Pour the tea mixture into a 2-quart pitcher; add the sugar.
• Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add in the cold water.
• Let cool; chill in the refrigerator and serve over ice.

BASIC ICED TEA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the 2-1/4 cups water to a gentle boil. Add the tea bags, remove the saucepan from the heat, and cover. Steep for 15 minutes.
• Remove the tea bags without squeezing them (which would add bitterness) and pour the steeped tea into a 2-1/2-quart heatproof container (like a large Pyrex liquid measure). Add the 6 cups cold water and mix. Let cool at room temperature and then refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice, garnished with sugar, lemon wedges, and mint sprigs.

SOUTHERN-STYLE SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Heat 4 cups of the water to boiling. In large heatproof bowl, place tea bags; pour boiling water over tea bags. Cover with foil; let steep 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags.
• Add sugar to tea; stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour into large heatproof pitcher. Stir in remaining 4 cups cold water. Refrigerate until chilled.
• Serve tea well chilled over ice, garnished with lemon and/or mint.

PERFECT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Hot-Brewed:
• Bring 8 cups water to a simmer; remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons loose tea or 6 tea bags. Let steep about 4 minutes, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags. Let cool, then transfer to a pitcher, cover and refrigerate.
• Cold-Brewed:
• Combine 8 cups cold water and 6 tablespoons loose tea or 10 tea bags in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 15 to 36 hours, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags.
• Sweet Teas:
• Combine 3/4 cup each sugar and water in a saucepan and add 1 infuser, if desired. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the infused syrup through a fine-mesh sieve (you'll get about 1 cup).
• Orange Add 6 strips zest
• Blackberries 1 cup
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Lavender 3 tablespoons dried
• Vanilla 1 halved bean
• Mint 3 sprigs
• Ginger 1 cup sliced
• Lemon 8 strips zest
• Nectarine 1 cup chopped
• Cucumber 2 cups chopped

REFRESHING SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Heat a full cup of water in the microwave until boiling hot. I use a large measuring cup.
• Submerge tea bags in water and let steep 3 minutes or until water gets dark.
• Pour dark water into pitcher. Refill cup with hot water from the faucet and let steep for 2 minutes.
• Add sugar to pitcher. Stir until dissolved.
• Add hot water from cup and than fill the rest of the pitcher with hot water from the sink. Stir and Refrigirate.
• Enjoy!
• I refill my cup and let steep 4 times, but it depends on how dark you like your tea. If you are in a rush, 1 steep will do.

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST SOUTHERN SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Hold tea bags lined up evenly by the strings and make a loop knot to hold them together. Pull off paper and staple (from paper side). Set aside.
• In a one gallon pitcher, add very hot water. Stir in the sugar till dissolved.
• Add tea bags and dunk into water a few times, then leave them in the pitcher. Cover with lid of pitcher and refrigerate.
• Wait until it is very cold (at least 3-4 hours). The flavor changes until it reaches the 'cold' state.
• Drink and enjoy. (I leave the bags set in the pitcher, but recommend taking them out after about 8 hours--- IF it lasts that long! We make 2 pitchers at a time down here in the south. :).

DELICIOUS QUICK & EASY SOUTHERN SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Place family size tea bag in a microwave safe container filled with water & microwave until it boils (approx. 4min for 4cups).
• While that is going, in a gallon size pitcher, pour about 1 1/2 - 2 inches of sugar in the bottom. I usually eye it and it comes out perfect.
• The microwave should be finishing up. Pour hot tea water into the pitcher over the sugar. The hot water dissolves the sugar granuals. Stir until completely dissolved. (If you have time, let sit in microwave for a while and steep even more. If you don't have time, that's cool too.).
• Fill the rest with cold water & refrigerate.
• Serve over ice. Enjoy!
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• I, personally, don't put lemon in it because I find that lemon cuts the sugar & you have to use a whole lot more sugar for it to be southern "sweet".

ICED TEA I

Steps:

• Put tea bags in a 2 quart pitcher. Add hot water. Let sit at least 15 minutes. Add cold water and remove tea bags. refrigerate and serve over ice.

SOUTHERN STYLE SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Boil about 8 cups water.
• Add 3 family (large) size tea bags and steep for 3-5 minutes. You can also use 8 small regular sized tea bags.
• Mix concentrated hot tea with 1 3/4 cup sugar and stir well in tea pitcher.
• Add cold water until pitcher is full and stir to combine.
• Serve over ice with a garnish of lemon or raspberry.
• *Tip pour some in an ice cube tray and freeze. Keep the pitcher cold in the refrigerator and serve with tea ice cubes to prevent your tea from getting watery on a hot day. :).