Southern Sweet Iced Tea Recipe | Best Southern Sweet Tea Recipe | Old Fashioned Southern Sweet Tea
About Southern Sweet Iced Tea Recipe | Best Southern Sweet Tea Recipe | Old Fashioned Southern Sweet Tea
What is Southern Sweet Tea?If you are familiar with iced tea, you have likely heard of sweet tea. This variety of iced tea is commonly consumed in the United States, especially in the Southern United States, earning it the name Southern Sweet Tea. When people mention sweet tea, they often refer to the bottled version. This refreshing recipe is perfect for making at home every summer.Sweet tea is more than just adding sugar to a glass of iced tea. It involves adding sugar to tea bags brewing in hot water while the mixture is still hot, allowing the sugar to dissolve easily. This process saturates the tea with sucrose. Baking soda is an optional ingredient used to reduce the drink’s acidity. Just a pinch of baking soda can make a significant difference in a pitcher of freshly brewed sweet tea, neutralizing the tannins and giving it a smoother taste, thus reducing the tea's bitterness. Traditionally, sweet tea is served ice-cold with sugar. Chilling the tea enhances its flavor. It may also be flavored with lemon, mint, peach, or raspberry. Simply pour the tea over ice cubes and drink it straight or with mint leaves or lemon wedges.The History of Sweet TeaSweet tea has a sweet history. It began as a luxury item due to the expensive nature of tea, ice, and sugar. Ice was the most valued ingredient at the time, as it had to be shipped from afar, unlike today where it can be made quickly in large quantities. The oldest known recipe for sweet iced tea was published in 1879 in a cookbook called "Housekeeping in Old Virginia" by Marion Cabell Tyree. This recipe mostly used green tea. However, during World War II, the major sources of green tea were cut off from the United States, leading Americans to drink predominantly black tea.Sweet tea was once consumed as a punch mixed with hard liquor, mint, and cream. In 2003, the Georgia House introduced a bill, supposedly as an April Fool’s joke, making it a "...misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature" to sell iced tea in a restaurant that did not also offer sweet iced tea on the menu. However, the bill never went to a vote.How to Make Southern Sweet TeaIf you are making sweet tea for the first time, start with this recipe and adjust it to your taste. Whether you steep the tea for a longer duration, squeeze the bags to make it stronger, or add some flavorings, you will love your sweet tea. This recipe yields approximately 2 quarts of tea. The preparation takes about 30 minutes, followed by refrigeration for chilling. The tea is best when refrigerated for 4 to 5 hours or overnight, as this improves the flavor.Equipment Required: 1. Small saucepan2. Long-handled spoon3. Large pitcher or multiple small pitchers4. Glass bowls big enough to brew the tea
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Recipe Time & More
Ingredients
- 7 Tea Bags regular
- 2 cup Boiling Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- 6 cup Cold Water note 1 cup = 240 ml
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Instructions
- Keep the ingredients ready.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a bubbling boil in a saucepan and remove it from the heat.
- Add a pinch of baking soda to the bowl containing the tea bags and pour this boiling water over the tea bags and baking soda.
- Close the glass bowl immediately and allow it to steep for 15 minutes.
- Take out the tea bags.
- Pour the tea mixture into a pitcher and stir sugar using a long handled spoon until dissolved.
- Add in the cold water.
- Once the mixture is completely cooled, refrigerate it at least for 5 hours or overnight.
- Serve your southern sweet tea over ice cubes. Additionally add a sprig of mint leaves or lemon slices. The southern sweet iced tea can be kept refrigerated for about a week and can be relished.
Recipe Notes
- For a stronger tea let the tea steep for more than 15 minutes up to an hour or two.
- If you prefer more sweet you can increase the measurement of sugar.
- To make Arnold Palmers or Swamo water: Mix equal parts of lemonade and sweet tea and serve.
- To make sparkling sweet tea cocktail: Add a shot of your favorite liquor, and then pour the sweet tea over it and serve.
- You can use sweet tea as a marinade on your sea food dishes or add it in your baked goods.
- You can also make lot of variations like Cherry Ginger infused sweet tea, Blackberry sweet tea etc., as per your creativity and choice.
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Recipe Nutrition
Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 2mg | Sugar: 100g | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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6 Comments
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Looks so wonderful! Thanks for posting.
Looks so mouthwatering! Thanks for sharing.
Such a delicious dish! Thank you.
Superb!! Nicely explained…. I love mine with a good squeeze of lemon 🙂
Such a tempting dish! Thank you.
Such a lovely dish! Thanks for sharing.