Southern Sweet Tea

This is my own basic recipe for a large batch of sweet tea. It's all about the water, the water's temperature, getting the sugar completly dissolved, and the type of tea.

"Folks Are Coming!"
One Gallon of Southern Sweet Tea

Ingredients:

3 cups of good-tasting,* cold water
5-9 tea bags** of good-tasting black tea*** (remove any paper tags, staples, etc)
1 1/2 cups white sugar****
6 cups of ice cubes (approximately)
Directions:
Put three cups of water in a pot. Place the pot on the stove on high heat to bring the water to a rolling boil.
Have the tea bags ready.
Pour sugar into a gallon pitcher.
When it is finally hot enough, remove the water from the heat and pour into the gallon pitcher. Stir to completely dissolve sugar into the hot water.
Quickly, add the tea bags and cover. Allow to steep for 5 to 10 minutes. No more, or your tea will be "over- brewed."
Remove tea bags.
Then, fill up the gallon pitcher with cold water.
Refrigerate, until time to serve.
* "good-tasting, cold water" You cannot make good-tasting tea without good-tasting water. Do you like the taste of your tap water? If yes, then use ordinary tap water to make tea. If no, then try one of the following. Use an inexpensive, good-tasting bottled water or use charcoal-filtered water. It's up to you.

Some folks suggest using a pinch of baking soda (a little less than 1/4 teaspoon). The pinch of baking soda takes out the bitterness and darkens the tea.

**If you like your tea more "robust," use 10 bags. Luzianne Tea is a well known Southern robust tasting tea.

*** "good-tasting black tea" is a subjective description. As noted above, Luzianne Tea is a robust tasting tea. Personally, I prefer a smoother black tea, like Earl Grey.

**** "sugar" If you like your tea really sweet, add 2 cups sugar. If you prefer less sweet tea, add only 1 cup sugar. It's up to you.

Excellent Southern Sweet Tea

When I was little, I remember seeing some Florida ladies make iced tea by adding loose tea leaves to the pot of boiling water, stirring lightly, and then straining the leaves out. These directions are another good method for making "Excellent Southern Sweet Tea."

The directions for this method are gleaned from Brewing Sweet Tea, accessed 6/20/12.

Use a high-quality loose leaf tea, rather than ordinary tea bags, which are generally filled with low-grade tea. Some also suggest avoiding water straight from the tap, claiming carbon-filtered water produces a better flavor.

Ingredients:

1 ounce loose tea leaves
1 1/8 cup granulated sugar (preferably organic)
1-gallon pitcher
wire mesh sieve
lemon slices for garnish
ice
Directions:
  1. Steep: In a large pot, bring half a gallon of filtered water to a boil. Once bubbling, remove from heat, dump in the tea leaves, and agitate the water for 30 seconds. Steep for exactly 4 1/2 minutes--any longer and the leaves will release bitter tannins.
  2. Sweeten: In the meantime, prepare the pitcher by filling it with ice cubes. Ice halts the steeping process and will help lock in the robust flavor. Pour sugar over cubes. Place the sieve over the pitcher’s opening.
  3. Serve: Pour the brewed tea through the sieve. The hot liquid will melt the ice and begin to dissolve the sugar. Discard the leaves and stir until all the sugar is incorporated. Refrigerate until cool. Serve in a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
  4. Two delightful, basic variations:
    a. To give a "hint of mint," add a few fresh mint leaves to the hot water and loose tea teaves during steeping, Remove when straining the tea. If you wish, add a garnish with few more fresh mint sprigs.
    b. To give a "touch of orange spice," add the following during steeping to the hot water and loose tea teaves, one cinnamon stick and two thin slices of orange including the rind. Remove both when straining the tea.
2012, Myth Woodling

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