Great Homemade Southern Style Iced Tea

So many people think they can make a great batch of iced tea. I mean, all you have to do is put some tea bags in really hot water right?



The truth is, there's far more to it. Thankfully for you, I know the technique, and shall share it with you now.

Step 1: Get a thick plastic jug or other suitable brewing container ready (it must be sealable with a lid of some kind).
Step 2: Start boiling your water in a suitably sized pan.
Step 3: Put the full amount of granulated white sugar that you would normally add to your batch, except put it in the brewing container first.
Step 4: Squirt a small amount of lemon juice, preferably from a fresh lemon, into your container with the sugar.
Step 5: Shake up the lemon juice with the sugar.
Step 6: Have your tea bags ready.
Step 7: When the water is boiling, dump it directly onto the sugar in the container.
Step 8: Add your tea bags carefully, leaving the paper bits on the outside of the top of the container.
Step 9: Seal the container.
Step 10: Let it sit for about 6 minutes.
Step 11: Remove the tea bags, gently squeezing them against the top of the container with a spoon to get extra flavor.
Step 12: Seal tightly and shake the container thoroughly.
Step 13: Place the sealed container underneath the faucet and run cold water over it for approx 1-2 minutes.

Voila, add a hefty portion of ice to your glass before pouring, and you've got some of the best tasting tea ever made. The trick is letting the lemon juice and sugar dissolve into the boiling water while adding the tea bags, thus changing the flavor of the brew and helping to extract the tea flavors via the slight amount of lemon juice. If you don't like lemon iced tea, don't worry, I don't care for it too much either. I'm talking about a very small amount of lemon juice, almost unnoticeable once it has brewed. If you prefer lemon, add as much as you'd like.

a reply to: r0xor
I'd say that is perfect except for one tiny detail---use a glass jar to brew the tea for the true taste of the tea without the taste of plastic.

originally posted by: diggindirt
a reply to: r0xor
I'd say that is perfect except for one tiny detail---use a glass jar to brew the tea for the true taste of the tea without the taste of plastic.

Right, but for safety do not run under cold water after brewing. This could shatter the glass.

And me personally I like plain Ice tea, especially "Sun tea".

I have heard that adding a pinch of baking soda is a trick many Southerners use. My momma didn't, but it seems to be common.

I love Southern Ice Tea...

Perhaps because they're all mostly sweetened instead of unsweetened...

Thanks very much for the tip, is this a family recipe of some sort?

Never EVER squeeze out a teabag. You release all the tannins which make the tea astrigent.

While I'm a self professed sugar crystal, I have noticed that when I started using herbs from gardens and better brands and blends of tea I no longer needed sweetener. Has anyone else noticed this?

I also worry about making my tea in plastic pitchers. My tea kettle gets hella hot. But, I'm too.clumsy for glass.

a reply to: Iamthatbish
I actually use an old Pyrex coffee pot with the innards removed. No worries about breaking from the hot water. And although they will break, my Beloved hasn't managed to break this one despite dropping it in the sink many times. You can find them in thrift stores or at yard sales pretty cheap.

Good idea! I'll try that.

a reply to: diggindirt

a reply to: diggindirt

Seems like a long way home.

Boil water, 2-4 cups.
Turn off.
Add two family size tea bags. (I add one Constant Comment Black Tea w/orange favoring.)
Let brew 5-10 minutes, no longer.
(By experimentation discover the best brewing time for you versus how much water you use.)
Do NOT squeeze bags.
Fill pitcher with ice.
Pour mix over ice in pitcher to "shock" it cold.
Stir and add water to adjust to desired amount.
No sugar! (Your waistline will thank you.)

a reply to: Restricted

I did not know that! Thanks so much!!!!

a reply to: Aliensun
Thanks, but my waistline is fine. LOL!
Really, I need the calories and I use the organic, unbleached sugar crystals. But, like you I like to make the different blends of tea, often adding flavored herbal ingredients in the process. I don't add ice to the pitcher, just pour it over ice when ready to drink.
I do pretty much the same thing with fresh-squeezed lemonade. Squeeze the lemons, use about a cup of hot water to dissolve the sugar crystals and mix the juice into the syrup. When ready to serve, I pour in some of the "concentrate" over ice and add water to taste. Saves space in the fridge, and in summer, with all the produce coming in from the gardens, space is king.

Nice topic.

Here's what my grandparents did back in Texas if I remember right...

1. No sugar.
2. Get a very large glass mason jar with a screw top lid
3. Put in the amount of needed tea/teabags for that volume.
4. Add cold water to fill it up, and put on the lid.
5. Put this in the sun for ~6-8 hours.

Then, get a glass of ice. Poor and strain the "sun tea" into the glass to make iced tea, and enjoy =)

I fill a 85 year old 1/2 gallon blue mason jar( from my grandmother) with water filtered through a Big Berkey 2 filter, two canister system impregnated with silver.( It takes out everything except minerals) I add top rated chinese black tealeaves that I get direct from China in a stainless canister then set it in the sun for 6 hours. I bring it in and add raw hawaiian sugar, and shake it before putting it into the fridge. I usually pick and squeeze fresh Meyer lemon juice into it after it has cooled. Today I used fine chinese black tealeaves from Teavivre, and dried blueberries. I also added some top quality Tea I bought from England. I did not add lemmon, but did add raw sugar.

PS: you ought to see how I do my coffee and Iced coffee..... LOL

I'll give you another tip that we use in alabama. Adding a small amount of brown sugar. If you add to much it will overpower the tea, add just enough for a slight caramel flavor.

Personally I like brewing with fresh mint from the garden when making sweet and unsweet tea.

Hawaiian raw sugar has the carmel as well. I do grow multiple varieties of mint and willtry that some time