Best Sweet Tea Recipes

SMOOTH SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
• Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.

SOUTHERN SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• In a large glass measuring cup, place the tea bags and add the baking soda.
• Pour the boiling water over the tea bags.
• Cover and steep for 15 minutes.
• Take out the tea bags and do not squeeze them.
• Pour the tea mixture into a 2-quart pitcher; add the sugar.
• Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add in the cold water.
• Let cool; chill in the refrigerator and serve over ice.

ICED SWEET MINT TEA

Steps:

• In large tea pot (or two small tea pots) pour boiling water over tea bags and mint and allow to steep for 20 minutes.
• Place sugar in 2-quart pitcher (that will tolerate some heat).
• Pour freshly brewed tea (minus mint and tea bags) into sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
• To serve, pour into tall glasses over ice.
• Serve with lemon slices.
• Serves 8.

SWEET RASPBERRY LIME ICED TEA

Steps:

• Put the tea bags in an 8-cup measuring cup or heat safe bowl. Boil the water, pour it over the tea bags, and allow to steep for at least 10 minutes. Allow to cool and remove tea bags.
• In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Cook briefly until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add raspberries. Let come to room temperature.
• Combine the tea and raspberry sugar syrup, to taste. Put ice into 4 (12-ounce) glasses. To each squeeze in a wedge of lime, pour sugared tea over, and garnish with a sprig of mint.
• Copyright 2005 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST SOUTHERN SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Hold tea bags lined up evenly by the strings and make a loop knot to hold them together. Pull off paper and staple (from paper side). Set aside.
• In a one gallon pitcher, add very hot water. Stir in the sugar till dissolved.
• Add tea bags and dunk into water a few times, then leave them in the pitcher. Cover with lid of pitcher and refrigerate.
• Wait until it is very cold (at least 3-4 hours). The flavor changes until it reaches the 'cold' state.
• Drink and enjoy. (I leave the bags set in the pitcher, but recommend taking them out after about 8 hours--- IF it lasts that long! We make 2 pitchers at a time down here in the south. :).

ALCOHOLIC SWEET PEACH TEA

Steps:

• Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour iced tea, vodka, and peach schnapps over the ice.

SWEET LIME ICED TEA

Steps:

• Pour the water into a gallon sized jar over the tea bags. Allow to steep for 45 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags. Stir in the sugar and lime juice until the sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature; refrigerate until cold before serving.

SWEET TEA CONCENTRATE

Steps:

• Remove peels from lemons; squeeze fruit, reserving 1/3 cup. Save remaining juice for another use., In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until sugar is dissolved, 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; add tea leaves and lemon peels. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain tea, discarding tea leaves and lemon peels; stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature., Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks., To prepare tea: In a tall glass, combine water with 1/4 cup concentrate; add ice.

SWEET CITRUS ICED TEA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water just to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add tea bags; let stand for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. , Pour tea into a large container. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, orange juice concentrate and remaining water. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice.

SWEET TEA WITH VODKA AND LEMONADE

Steps:

• Place tea bags in medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup boiling water. Let steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Place mint sprigs in large pitcher; mash with muddler or handle of wooden spoon until slightly bruised. Pour in tea, lemonade, and vodka. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Fill 8 highball glasses with ice. Divide sweet tea among glasses. Garnish with lemon slices.

SWEET APPLE ICED TEA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tea bags. Allow the liquid to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Remove the tea bags and discard. Add the Vanilla Simple Syrup and stir. Pour the mixture into a glass pitcher. Add the apple and lemon slices and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Pour the tea into ice-filled glasses and serve.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, vanilla bean, and vanilla bean seeds. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.
• Yield: 1 1/3cups

DON'S SIMPLE SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a pot. Dissolve sugar in boiling water; remove from heat.
• Steep tea bags in water to desired strength of tea, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Refrigerate tea until cold, at least 1 hour.

GINA'S SWEET MINT TEA

Steps:

• In a pot, boil the water with the tea bags. Once liquid has boiled, remove the pot from heat. Remove tea bags after desired bold/mild flavor.
• In a small saucepan, add water, sugar and mint and place over medium heat. Bring liquid to a boil then remove from the heat. Allow the syrup mixture to cool. Pour syrup into tea and mix together well. Serve tea over a glass of ice.

THAI SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in tea leaves, vanilla extract, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Cover and remove from the heat. Let steep for 15 minutes.
• Pour tea through a fine mesh strainer; discard tea leaves. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Fill glasses with crushed ice. Pour tea into glasses and top with half-and-half.

CHERRY LIMEADE SWEET TEA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar until dissolved; cool slightly. Transfer to a pitcher; cool completely., Add limeade concentrate and cherry juice to tea. Serve over ice with lime wedges and cherries.

SWEET RASPBERRY TEA

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring 2 quarts water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 5-8 minutes according to taste. Discard tea bags., Place raspberries, sugar and remaining water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Press mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard pulp and seeds., In a large pitcher, combine tea, raspberry syrup and lime juice. Refrigerate, covered, until cold.

LUZIANNE RASPBERRY SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Fill your pot comfortably with enough water, turn to medium heat, add tea bags, and bring to boil.
• Once it has come to a boil, remove from heat and let steep for a couple of minutes.
• Remove bags from water, pour tea in pitcher, add sugar, and stir until dissolved.
• Fill gallon pitcher the remaining way with cold water and stir.
• Enjoy!

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP FOR SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Stir in mint. Remove from heat, and let stand 30 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into an airtight container; discard mint. Let cool completely. Syrup can be refrigerated up to 1 month. Serve with additional mint sprigs, if desired.

SWEET TEA BRINED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• To make the brine: Zest, then quarter the lemon. Put the lemon zest and quarters in a saucepan. Add the tea, sugar, and salt. Simmer the mixture over medium-high heat until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add 1 quart of ice water and the chicken. Brine the chicken in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Drain the chicken and blot dry.
• Combine 2 cups flour, the masa harina, crab boil seasoning, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the 8 eggs with the buttermilk. Put the remaining 2 cups of flour in a third bowl.
• Prepare a breading station by lining up the bowl of flour, then the bowl containing the egg and buttermilk mixture, and finally the bowl of seasoned crust mixture. Roll the chicken in the flour, then the egg mixture, and then the crust then put the legs and thighs in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Fill a large deep pan with enough oil to completely submerge the chicken. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 300 degrees F. Add the chicken and cook until it is golden and the juices run clear, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain the chicken on a rack then serve.

BASIC SWEET TEA (BLACK TEA)

Steps:

• Put the ice aside in a container or pitcher that can withstand the hot tea without breaking and put it in the fridge while you're brewing.
• Bring the 40 oz. of water to a boil in a pot. Place the teabags in the boiling water, and allow them to brew for 2 to 3 minutes while the water boils. When the water has brewed to an oily, reddish-brown, appearance (after 2 to 3 minutes).
• Remove the tea bags from the pot, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cup of cane sugar. It will dissolve almost instantly into the tea. Allow it to stand for a minute as your retrieve the container/pitcher.
• Carefully pour the brewed tea into the container. It will melt most of the ice instantly, evening out the temperature so that the tea does not damage the container. Chill the tea further before serving.