Best Southern Sweet Tea Ever 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.

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. :).

SMOOTH SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
• Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.

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.

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.

SOUTH CAROLINA SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Using an electric coffee maker, Place the 3 tea bags in the strainer basket (not in the pot). Brew the tea as you would coffee. Pour the sugar in a gallon pitcher. Pour in the hot tea. Continue to run coffee maker with the tea bags until you have enough tea to fill the pitcher. Allow to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate.

REAL SOUTHERN SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Bring 1 quart of water room-temperature to a boil in a saucepan. Pour the boiling water into a pitcher or large bowl, add the loose tea, and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, fill a large pitcher (large enough to hold at least 2 quarts of liquid) with the remaining 1 quart room-temperature water.
• Strain the brewed tea into the pitcher containing the room-temperature water. Discard the tea leaves. Set the pitcher aside.
• In a small nonreactive pot, combine the sugar and cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the lemons and remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Strain the lemon-sugar syrup into the pitcher. Discard the lemon slices. Refrigerate the sweet tea until serving time.