Sun Tea Recipes

SUN TEA

Steps:

• You will also need: 1 gallon container or jug, with a screw on lid.
• About 9am, fill your pitcher with the water, and tea bags.
• The reason for the screw on top, is so that ants don't get to the tea.
• Let the tea sit in the sun for most of the day, a prime full sun location is best.
• When bringing the tea in, boil one cup, and then mix it with the sugar (but, in the summer, the heat from outside can be enough to dissolve the sugar).
• Boiling the cup of tea only helps to make dissolving the sugar easier.
• Combine the sugar, tea, and more water to make one gallon.
• Serve with thick 1 1/2" wedges of lemon.
• It usually takes 4-6 hours of being in the sun, in order to steep.
• You can eye ball the tea, and bring it in, after the tea looks dark enough.
• Since the tea is best served cold, put it in the fridge right away.
• It does not last as long as boiled tea for some reason.
• And I usually leave the tea bags in the jug until the tea is gone.
• Then, I take the tea bags and sprinkle them in my flower garden, or over my roses.

CLASSIC ICED SUN TEA

Steps:

• Pour water over tea, and steep in bright sunlight until rich brown and translucent but not cloudy, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Strain. Serve over ice with garnish.

BREWED SUN TEA

Steps:

• Place the tea in a lidded jar that will hold at least one gallon. Fill the jar with a gallon of water, and tighten the lid.
• Place the jar in a sunny spot outdoors, and allow the tea to brew for 4 hours.

SUN-BREWED MINT TEA

Steps:

• Pour the water into a large glass container with a lid. Stir in honey until dissolved.
• Zest the lemon, being careful not to include any white pith, and juice the lemon. Combine the zest and juice with the honey water mixture.
• Hold a bunch of mint in one hand; use your other hand to twist and squeeze the leaves, slightly bruising them to release their fragrance and oils. Immerse the bunches in the water mixture. Cover the container and place in direct sunlight for two hours. Remove the mint leaves, shake, and serve over ice in tall glasses, garnished with a mint sprig.

ICED SUN TEA

Steps:

• Remove any tags from the tea bags (prevents dye from leeching into the tea) and place them in the bottom of a clear, glass, 1/2 gallon pitcher.
• Fill with cold water , add lemon and lime and cover with plastic wrap or lid (keeps gnats and other creepies out).
• Place outdoors in the sun (can do out of the sun as well, but takes just a bit longer).
• Allow to brew for 5-6 hours or until it is as dark as you like (warmer weather brews it faster).
• Remove tea bags and fruit and serve tea over ice, sweetened with honey if desired (mix it in while tea is warm).
• Tea will keep about 6 hours, after which the quality decreases rapidly.