Are you ready to enjoy a cold and refreshing glass of sweet tea? Look no further! In this article, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of making iced sweet tea in a pitcher. This classic Southern drink is not only delicious but also packed with nutrition. It is a drink that can be enjoyed on any occasion, whether it’s for a summer barbecue or a cozy evening at home.
To begin, gather all the necessary ingredients. You will need tea bags, sugar, water, and mint sprigs for that extra burst of flavor. The key to a perfect sweet tea lies in the brewing process. Start by boiling four cups of water and then remove it from the heat. Add four tea bags to the hot water and allow them to steep for about 5 minutes.
While the tea is steeping, you can prepare the sweetener. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine one cup of sugar with one cup of water. Place the saucepan on the stovetop and heat it over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Then, remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Once the tea and sweetener have cooled down, pour them into a pitcher. Add six cups of cold water and give it a good stir. If you prefer a stronger taste, you can add more tea bags during the brewing process. Take a moment to taste the sweetness and adjust it to your liking by adding more or less sugar as desired.
Finally, it’s time to serve your homemade sweet tea! Fill each glass with ice cubes and pour in the tea mixture. Garnish with a sprig of mint for a refreshing touch. You can also add a squeeze of lemon or a splash of soda for a fizzy twist. Remember to label your pitcher and store any remaining tea in the fridge for later enjoyment.
Now that you know the four-step tea-making instructions, you can easily make your own sweet tea at home. This versatile drink is perfect for any season and can be enjoyed by everyone. So, go ahead and make a batch of deliciously sweet tea that will leave your taste buds satisfied!
Sweet Tea
Sweet tea, a Southern staple, is a delicious and refreshing drink that is perfect for hot summer days. It is made by brewing tea bags in boiling water, then adding sugars and flavors to sweeten and enhance the taste. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make your own sweet tea at home.
- Boil 4 cups of water in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Add 4 tea bags to the boiling water and let them steep for 5 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and stir in 1/2 cup of sugar or sweetener, or adjust to your taste.
- Pour the steeped tea into a pitcher and add 4 cups of cold water.
- Stir them together until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add ice cubes to a glass and pour the sweet tea over it.
- Garnish with mint sprigs or lemon slices, if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
Each serving of sweet tea contains approximately:
- Calories: 100
- Total Sugars: 20g
- Protein: 0g
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 10mg
Sweet tea can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure to keep it covered to prevent any flavors from seeping in. It can be enjoyed on its own or mixed with other beverages, such as soda, for a unique twist. So, why wait? Try this delicious and refreshing Southern drink today!
Ingredients
To make sweet tea, you will need the following ingredients:
- 4 to 6 tea bags (such as black tea or green tea)
- 4 cups of boiling water
- 1 cup of sugar
- 4 cups of cold water
- 1/4 cup of lemon juice (optional)
- Ice cubes
- Fresh mint sprigs
These ingredients are based on a four-step tea-making process, which includes steeping the tea bags, making a sugar syrup, and then combining them with cold water and lemon juice (if desired).
Step 1: Steeping the tea bags – In a medium-sized pitcher, pour the boiling water over the tea bags. Let them steep for about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Making the sugar syrup – In a separate pot, boil 1 cup of water. Gradually add the cup of sugar, stirring until it completely dissolves. Let the syrup cool.
Step 3: Combining the tea and sugar syrup – Remove the tea bags from the pitcher and pour in the remaining 4 cups of cold water. Stir in the sugar syrup and lemon juice (if desired).
Step 4: Serving the sweet tea – Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour the sweet tea over them. Garnish each glass with a fresh mint sprig for added flavor. Serve and enjoy!
Remember to check the nutrition label of your tea bags for any specific information, as some tea bags may contain additional ingredients or flavors. Additionally, you can add a splash of soda or experiment with different sweeteners and garnishes to customize your sweet tea to your liking.
Each serving contains
- 4 cups of water
- 6 tea bags
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1/4 cup of dark baking soda
- 1/2 cup of fresh mint sprigs
- Instructions:
- Boil 2 cups of water in a medium-sized pot.
- Remove the pot from heat and add the tea bags.
- Let the tea steep for 5 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and press them against the side of the pot to remove any remaining liquid.
- Pour the hot tea into a pitcher.
- Add the sugar and baking soda to the pitcher, and stir until dissolved.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of cold water and stir.
- Add the mint sprigs to the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, remove the mint sprigs and pour the sweet tea over ice.
- Enjoy your refreshing homemade sweet tea!
- Nutrition information:
- Based on a 1 cup serving:
- Calories: 90
- Total Sugars: 24g
- – Added Sugars: 24g
The Four-Step Tea-Making Process
If you’re looking to make a refreshing and delicious sweet tea, this four-step tea-making process is easy to follow and yields a flavorful result. Whether you’re in the southern states of America or anywhere else in the world, this process can be replicated to create a perfect glass of iced tea.
| Step 1: Brewing the Tea |
|---|
| Start by boiling half a gallon of water in a medium-sized pot. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, remove it from heat and add 5-6 tea bags. Allow the tea bags to steep for about 5 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the tea will be. If you prefer a lighter taste, adjust the steeping time accordingly. Note: The type of tea you use can vary based on personal preference. Black tea is commonly used for sweet tea, but you can experiment with different flavors such as green tea or herbal teas. |
| Step 2: Adding Sweetness |
| After the steeping process, remove the tea bags from the pot. Add 1 cup of sugar or sweetener of your choice to the hot tea. Stir well to ensure that the sugar fully dissolves. Adjust the amount of sugar based on your desired level of sweetness. |
| Step 3: Adding Flavor |
| To enhance the flavor of your sweet tea, you can add a few optional ingredients. One popular addition is mint sprigs, which give a refreshing twist to the tea. Simply add a handful of fresh mint sprigs to the pitcher and gently press them against the side to release their flavors. You can also experiment with other flavors such as lemon or peach slices. |
| Step 4: Serving and Enjoying |
| Pour the sweet tea into a pitcher and fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water or soda. Stir well to mix all the ingredients together. You can also add a squeeze of lemon for an added zing. Label the pitcher with the date and total brewing time so that you know how long the tea has been steeping. Serve the tea over ice, garnished with mint sprigs or lemon slices. For the best taste, refrigerate the sweet tea until it’s chilled. This will allow the flavors to meld together and create a refreshing drink that can be enjoyed at any time. |
How to Make Southern Sweet Tea
Making a refreshing glass of Southern sweet tea is easier than you might think. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make a delicious batch!
Step 1: Gather all the ingredients you will need. This includes 8 tea bags (such as black tea), 2 cups of sugar, 8 cups of cold water, and some fresh mint sprigs (optional).
Step 2: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat and add the tea bags. Let the tea bags steep for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: While the tea is steeping, you can prepare the sweetener. In a separate pitcher, combine the sugar with 4 cups of cold water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Step 4: After the tea has finished steeping, remove the tea bags and pour the hot tea into the sweetened pitcher. Stir until the tea and sugar mixture is well combined.
Step 5: Add a few sprigs of mint to the pitcher for an extra hint of freshness (optional).
Step 6: Fill the remaining space in the pitcher with cold water, up to a total of 8 cups. Stir gently to incorporate the cold water with the sweetened tea mixture.
Step 7: Cover the pitcher and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
Once the Southern sweet tea has chilled, it is ready to serve. You can enjoy it as-is or pour it over ice cubes for an extra cold beverage. Remember to give the tea a good stir before each serving, as the sugars may settle at the bottom over time. This recipe can serve a total of 8 cups.
Now that you know how to make Southern sweet tea, you can enjoy this delicious and refreshing beverage any time you want. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or just relaxing on a hot summer day, this tea will hit the spot.
Sweet Tea Ingredients
If you’re ready to dive into the world of Southern sweet tea, then this step-by-step guide will walk you through the process. But before we get started with the instructions, let’s take a look at the sweet tea ingredients you will need:
1. 8 cups of water
2. 6 bags of black tea
3. 1 cup of sugar
4. 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda (optional)
5. 4-6 sprigs of fresh mint (optional)
Now that you have all the ingredients, here is a breakdown of each step in the tea-making process:
- Boil 4 cups of water in a medium-sized pot.
- Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from heat and add in the tea bags. Let them steep for a total of 5 minutes.
- While the tea is steeping, in a separate pitcher, dissolve the sugar in the remaining 4 cups of cold water. (Note: If you prefer a less sweet tea, you can always adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.)
- After the 5 minutes of steeping, remove the tea bags from the pot and pour the hot tea into the pitcher with the sugar mixture. Stir until well combined.
- If you want to add a hint of freshness to your sweet tea, you can now crush the mint sprigs with your hands and add them to the pitcher.
- Cover the pitcher and let the sweet tea steep in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or until chilled.
- Once chilled, take the pitcher out of the fridge and give it a good stir. Pour the sweet tea into glasses filled with ice and garnish with a fresh mint sprig, if desired.
That’s it! Now you have a refreshing glass of sweet tea ready to serve. Keep in mind that the nutrition information of your homemade sweet tea will depend on the specific brand of tea and sugar you use. It is always a good idea to check the label for more information.
Enjoy your Southern sweet tea and let the flavors of this classic, thirst-quenching drink transport you to sunny summer days on the porch!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is a four-step process for making delicious sweet tea:
| Step 1: Boiling the Tea Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add 4 tea bags and remove from heat. Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard them. |
| Step 2: Making the Sweet Tea Add 2 cups of sugar to the hot tea, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Taste the tea and add more sugar if desired. Optional: For a Southern twist, add a few sprigs of fresh mint to the tea while it is steeping. |
| Step 3: Chilling the Sweet Tea Pour the sweet tea into a pitcher and add 4 cups of cold water. Stir well. You can also add ice cubes to make it colder. |
| Step 4: Serving and Enjoying Pour the sweet tea into glasses filled with ice cubes. Garnish with mint sprigs if desired. Serve and enjoy! |
That’s it! Now you know how to make a refreshing, Southern-style sweet tea. Remember to label the pitcher containing the sweet tea with the date it was made, as homemade sweet tea typically lasts for up to a week in the fridge.
