southern sweet and I mean sweet ice tea recipe??

[annakris1973]

My recipe is 4 Lipton Family Size teabags, steeped in a pan of water that has just come to a boil and then been taken off the heat, for about 30 minutes. Discard teabags and pour liquid into pitcher (I use a plastic Rubbermaid pitcher and it is "the tea pitcher" at my house. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar and stir until dissolved. Add water to fill the pitcher, then add the juice of two large lemons. Stir and serve over ice - yum!!

This is pretty much how I was taught how to make SWEET TEA (that is the official name here in the south) except NO LEMON!!! Now, I just use a coffee pot (we don't drink coffee) I fill the pot up, dump the water in the machine, put 3-4 Lipton family size tea bags in the pot and turn it on. I ususally let it brew for about 15-20 minutes. I put 1-1 1/2 cups of sugar in my gallon sized tea pitcher and pour the brewed tea over it. As long as the brewed tea is hot it will melt the sugar completely. Stir well and fill the remainder of the pitcher with cool water.

Trust me!!! I cook for my church, and us Baptists drink alot of sweet tea!!! We ususally make 8-9 gallons every Wednesday night for about 90-100 people.

 

[awdfan]

Why do Yankees make this so hard?

Okay, this cracked me up.

I guess it's hard for me because I live in the land of coffee lovers who would gasp and cringe at the fact that (a) I want to make tea and (b) use regular old sugar and not some sort of "pure cane, unprocessed" sugar from some dark forest somewhere obscure and remote that can only be purchased at Whole Foods.

/rant

Thanks for all the recipes!

 

[megcellent]

My family "recipe" is the same as has been mentioned. Boil water in a pan (no measurements for me, just some water in a little boiler). Once it boils take it off the heat and put in tea bags (according to the box is a good rule of thumb) to steep. Let steep 15-30 minutes. It will still be warm. I use 1 1/2c sugar/gallon. Put that in the bottom of my pitcher along with a pinch of soda - i don't know why, that's just what my granny and mama always did, so i do it too. Pour over sugar steeped tea - sugar will melt. Fill remaining room in pitcher with cold water. Refrigerate or ice and serve. Tea gets sweeter as it sits. If you know it will be consumed the same day - I use 2 cups sugar for desired sweetness on the same day that I make it.

 

[AmyinKY]

I make it the way annakris does. My old coffee maker is my tea pot. Pour the water in, put a couple of tea bags in the pot, and turn it on. No need for a simple sugar, just put a half cup to a cup of sugar in your pitcher and pour your hot tea over it when it finishes. Stir. Very simple.

For special occasions, you could make a simple sugar, add mint or lemon, depending on your mood. But not necessary.

 

[Sethsmom]

It's funny how you visit other states and you ask for sweet tea and they look at you like your crazy and say we only have unsweet. You just can't get the same taste by sweetening at the table. At that point, I order coke or sprite. You can always find a good sweet tea here in Alabama. I don't think anyone here offers unsweet only.

I used to try just pouring the hot steeped tea and water over the sugar but it's not the same. Much better with the simple syrup.

I'm think Paula Deen had a tea recipe on Food Network one time that changed the way I prepared mine.

I started making a simple syrup by boiling about 3 cups water and probably 2 cups sugar in a glass measuring cup in the microwave for about 10 minutes. I stir it before putting it in the microwave. After it is finished, I stir it again and then I throw in my tea bags. I use 4-family size Luzianne or Red Diamond tea bags. (I do not like Lipton) I turn the microwave on another couple of minutes and then just let it steep for a while. I have never timed it but generally try to finish it within 30 minutes. I hold the tea bags over to the side and pour the mixture into a gallon size pitcher. I run water over the tea bags until the container is full and then squeeze the bags with a spoon to get all the liquid out and refrigerate. Sweet tea will go bad if left out of the refrigerator.

Tea is my coffee.

 

[crisi]

You generally can't find Luzianne up in Yankee country - you have to go with Lipton or Tetley.

 

[Sethsmom]

You generally can't find Luzianne up in Yankee country - you have to go with Lipton or Tetley.

I'm glad you mentioned Tetley. I forgot about it and it is one of my teas of choice.

 

[kimsuenew]

I absolutely LOVE "real" sweet tea!

I love being down South, it is all I drink when travelling! We are fortuanate to have a Captain D's, Skyline McDonalds, and Lee's up here (Ohio) that have it as well, in fact at Skyline you can buy it by the gallon to take home!

There is no comparison to iced tea that you sweeten after it is brewed... none whatsoever.

BUT... I have a problem! After being diagnosed (less than 6 months ago) as Diabetic my "sweet tea" days should be over, and are (for the most part, I have to sneak every now and again... I know I shouldn't, it is just hands down my favorite thing!

Does anyone have a fresh brewed (can't stand the instant stuff) sweet tea recipe using Splenda? Is it even possible? I can do without pop and do drink my iced tea with Splenda packets in it, but it is just not the same!

If anyone has made sweet tea with Splenda (or equivalant sweetner) would they please share? THANKS! Kimberly

 

[CarolinaBlue]

This is pretty much how I do it, except for adding a little more sugar and no lemon (my DH doesn't like lemon!) I've lived in NC my entire life.

Yep, that's how I make it, too. Absolutely NO LEMON!!!

 

[1rockinmamato2]

My had perfected his recipe over the years. This is how our family makes easy SWEET tea:

Bring 1 pan (about 4 qts.) to a boil.
Turn off heat.
Place 10 regular-sized Luzianne tea bags in the water (do not place the tea bags in the water while it's boiling, it will make the tea bitter).
Let tea bags sit for 30 minutes.

In a 4 qt. pitcher, put TWO WHOLE CUPS of sugar in (1 3/4 cups if you're not that brave).
Pour the tea into the pitcher.
Stir.
Add water to top.

Put in fridge until it's cold (trying to make iced tea with hot tea will only water it down and that's yucky).

Mmmm, I love iced sweet tea.

 

[1rockinmamato2]

Does anyone have a fresh brewed (can't stand the instant stuff) sweet tea recipe using Splenda? Is it even possible? I can do without pop and do drink my iced tea with Splenda packets in it, but it is just not the same!

If anyone has made sweet tea with Splenda (or equivalant sweetner) would they please share? THANKS! Kimberly

You could always brew the tea and use Splenda instead of sugar. Also, if you have a Kroger near you, they have very good sugar-free tea sweetened with aspartame by the gallon. It's next to the orange juices. It is delicious.

I heard Publix has good pre-made tea too, not sure if they have one sweented with Splenda or not.

 

[1rockinmamato2]

Wow! We must like it really sweet in my family!

This is how we have made it since I was a kid. Bring 1 gallon of water to boil. Take 9 regular or 3 quart size Luzianne teabags and add them to the boiling water. Turn the temp down and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the tea bags. Add 2 cups of sugar. That's right...2 cups. Stir and then allow the tea to cool. Once it is cool you can strain it to remove the extra tea oils floating on top if you want. Stick it in the fridge or add ice and enjoy!

 

[DebMcDonald]

You generally can't find Luzianne up in Yankee country - you have to go with Lipton or Tetley.

Thank you because as I was reading this I had never heard of Luzianne.

 

[graygables]

Put 3 regular tea bags (I like PG Tips, it's stronger) in a 2 qt pitcher. Boil 1 qt water and pour over. Let steep 15 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in 1 cup sugar (or 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 c Splenda OR 1/2 c sugar, 1/8 teaspoon stevia powder) until dissolved. Top pitcher with water, stir and serve over ice. Been making iced tea this way pretty much every day for 40-some years...

 

[1rockinmamato2]

You generally can't find Luzianne up in Yankee country - you have to go with Lipton or Tetley.

Well, then I'd order some online.

http://www.luzianne.com/template_category.cfm?ID=13&

 

[tinatark]

I put a gallon size tea bag (get those at Sam's Club, but you can use 2 of the "big" Lipton bags) in a pot of water to boil (I use one specific pot for tea, it's not used for anything else). Boil it, take it immediately from the heat - I know people like to let it "steep" but the tea can be too strong if it sits too long.

Put 1 cup regular, white sugar in the pitcher - pour the boiled tea water (whatever you want to call it!) in the pitcher. Refill the pot with cold water, pour that in, repeat until the pitcher is full. We use a 1 gallon tupperware pitcher (it's only used for tea) - put the lid on to seal the pitcher and turn it upside down to mix it up.

No lemons, oranges,etc!

 

[annakris1973]

I absolutely LOVE "real" sweet tea!

I love being down South, it is all I drink when travelling! We are fortuanate to have a Captain D's, Skyline McDonalds, and Lee's up here (Ohio) that have it as well, in fact at Skyline you can buy it by the gallon to take home!

There is no comparison to iced tea that you sweeten after it is brewed... none whatsoever.

BUT... I have a problem! After being diagnosed (less than 6 months ago) as Diabetic my "sweet tea" days should be over, and are (for the most part, I have to sneak every now and again... I know I shouldn't, it is just hands down my favorite thing!

Does anyone have a fresh brewed (can't stand the instant stuff) sweet tea recipe using Splenda? Is it even possible? I can do without pop and do drink my iced tea with Splenda packets in it, but it is just not the same!

If anyone has made sweet tea with Splenda (or equivalant sweetner) would they please share? THANKS! Kimberly

I am foregoing sugar at the moment to princess-size my pooh-sized frame In place of sugar, I use the equivilant of splenda (not the "for baking" kind) I have actually found the most wonderful splenda product here...it is splenda in kool-aid size packs. They come 5 to a box, and are made for sweetening 2qt of kool-aid. But, they are SOOOO sweet, I only use one per gallon of tea. It really makes some yummy tea. They are sort of hard to find, when i find them I stock up. Look in both the sugar eisle and near the kool-aid/drink mixes.

 

[Swtcn]

We love our sweet tea so much we have started calling it Sweet Georgia Wine.lol

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

Okay here is my recipe and it is pretty sweet. I put 1 2/3 cup sugar in a 2 quart pot and bring to a boil. After a full boil, put in 4 family size tea bags and steep for 6 minutes. Pour into 1 gal pitcher and fill to the top with cold water. Be sure to put in the refrigerator within an hour as it will sour.

 

[TallyTutter]

My recipe is 4 Lipton Family Size teabags, steeped in a pan of water that has just come to a boil and then been taken off the heat, for about 30 minutes. Discard teabags and pour liquid into pitcher (I use a plastic Rubbermaid pitcher and it is "the tea pitcher" at my house. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar and stir until dissolved. Add water to fill the pitcher, then add the juice of two large lemons. Stir and serve over ice - yum!!

Sounds about right - minus the lemons!