How to Make Southern Style Sweet Iced Tea

If you have ever wanted to make authentic southern style sweet tea that everyone will love, try this recipe for the true nectar of the south. No southern dinner, barbeque or party is done without cold, sweet, southern iced tea.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• family sized tea bags
• 1 3/4 cups of sugar
• one pot to boil tea
• cold water
• one gallon tea pitcher
• lemon wedges
• ice

1. Fill the pot three quarters of the way full with water, and bring to a good rolling boil. Put the two tea bags into the hot water and let it steep for about twenty minutes. If you like your tea really strong, you can add a third tea bag or let it steep longer.

2. Remove the tea bags from the pot. (Tea makes good fertilizer for your plants, so when you make tea, cut open the bag and pour it around your plants outside. The environment will thank you for reducing the waste thrown in the garbage.)

3. Pour the tea from the pot into the tea pitcher.

4. Add the sugar to the pitcher and stir it until the sugar is completely dissolved. If you have a problem making it dissolve, add a little bit of hot water to it. When you stir it in, it should dissolve the rest of the way. Sometimes the sugar is stubborn, and doesn’t want to dissolve. You may have to stir it for several minutes to make it dissolve.

5. Fill the pitcher with water, and stir the tea for a minute or two. It can be served immediately over ice or you can refrigerate it to serve later.
   
   Remember:
   If tea is left out of the refrigerator, it will sour quickly. If you leave it out on the counter for a family gathering, make sure that you add some ice to the tea pitcher, it should help it stay fresh.

Tips & Warnings

• Southern style iced tea tastes great with lemon wedges or a drop or two of lemon juice.
• If you don’t have access to a stove while you are making tea, you can use the family sized cold brew tea bags. If you use the cold brew tea bags, you will want to use three tea bags because it’s not quite as strong as brewed tea. It will still give you the same great taste as brewed tea.

[strightco]

on 6/17/2009 It shouldn't as long as you only put it about 1/4th full of ice. We used to do it that way at our restaurant. Use 3 tea bags when you do it, and it will keep a good flavor.

[xrayness]

on 6/15/2009 My wife makes this on Sunday morning. Do you think the tea will get watered down if I add ice?