Iced Tea Recipe

Time2h 45m

Serves8

Make Iced Tea Recipe in just 2h 45m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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1
Bring water to a boil
Pour 8 cups of cold water into a kettle or large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
2
Steep the tea
Remove the water from heat. Add 6 black tea bags (or the loose-leaf equivalent) to the hot water. Cover and steep for 5 minutes for a balanced strength, 7 minutes for stronger tea. Avoid steeping longer than 8 minutes to prevent bitterness.
3
Remove tea bags
After steeping, remove the tea bags (or strain out loose leaf). Gently press each bag against the side with a spoon to extract flavor, then discard the bags/leaves.
4
Cool slightly
Let the brewed tea sit uncovered at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes to stop extracting and to cool slightly before refrigerating. This reduces cloudiness in the final iced tea.

5
Make simple syrup
If you want sweetened iced tea, place 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup hot water in a heatproof container or small saucepan. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved to make a simple syrup. Let it cool to room temperature.
6
Sweeten the tea
Stir the cooled simple syrup into the warm-but-not-hot brewed tea to taste. Start with 1/2 cup syrup (equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar) for lightly sweetened, add more if desired. Mixing while the tea is still slightly warm ensures even distribution.

7
Add lemon juice
Stir in 1 cup fresh lemon juice if making lemonade-style Arnold Palmer or lemon iced tea. If you prefer a hint of citrus, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice instead.
8
Chill the tea
Refrigerate the sweetened or unsweetened brewed tea (with or without lemon) until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
9
Serve over ice
Fill glasses with ice cubes (about 1 cup per 12-16 oz glass). Pour chilled tea over the ice, leaving some room for lemon slices and mint.
10
Garnish and finish
Add a lemon slice and 2–3 fresh mint leaves to each glass. Stir gently and taste; adjust sweetness or lemon if needed. Serve immediately.