Southern Sweet Tea
Ingredients
- 3 family size tea bags
- 2 cups sugar)
(see notes below
- 1 gallon water
divided use
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
- 1
Boil ½ gallon of the water on stove in a pot. Once water comes to a roiling boil, pour into one gallon pitcher.
- 2
Add 3 family-size tea bags and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda (you don’t need to stir) to the pitcher. Just make sure the bags are submerged in the water.
- 3
Set your kitchen timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, take out tea bags. Do not squish tea bags before taking them out, just let them drip for a minute.
- 4
Add sugar and stir.
- 5
Add the other ½ gallon of cold water to the pitcher and stir again.
- 6
Chill completely in the refrigerator for several hours then serve in a glass with ice.
Southern Sweet Tea
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Ratings & Reviews
Based on 64 ratings
Rating Breakdown
About this Recipe
Craving that quintessential taste of the South, perfectly sweet and incredibly refreshing? Our Homemade Southern Sweet Tea recipe delivers exactly that, ensuring a flawless batch every single time, ready to be the star of your table or a delightful everyday sip.
What makes this Southern Sweet Tea recipe stand out is a simple yet effective tip, ensuring you achieve that ideal balance of sweetness and smooth tea flavor without any bitterness. It's the secret to consistent perfection, allowing the true essence of the tea to shine through in every glass.
Expect a beautifully clear, amber-hued tea with a perfectly balanced sweetness that isn't cloying. Each sip offers a cool, invigorating experience, embodying the warmth and hospitality of Southern tradition. This generous recipe yields 16 servings, making it ideal for gatherings, family meals, or simply keeping a pitcher ready in the fridge for whenever the craving strikes.
While this recipe aims for classic Southern sweetness, you can easily adjust the sugar content to suit your personal preference. The recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar, but feel free to reduce it slightly for a less intense sweetness or add a touch more if you have a particularly sweet tooth. No other ingredient substitutions are recommended for maintaining the authentic flavor.
This Southern Sweet Tea is truly the "house wine of the south," perfect for any occasion from casual porch sitting to festive family barbecues. Serve it well-chilled over ice, perhaps with a lemon wedge for an extra touch of brightness, and watch it disappear.