Iced Tea Recipe

Time1h 30m

Serves6

Make Iced Tea Recipe in just 1h 30m. 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 pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
2
Steep the tea
Remove the pot from heat. Add 6 black tea bags (or an equivalent amount of loose-leaf tea in an infuser). Cover and steep for 5 minutes for medium strength; steep up to 7 minutes for stronger tea. Avoid steeping longer than 8 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.
3
Remove tea and cool slightly
Remove the tea bags or infuser, gently pressing the bags against the side with a spoon to extract flavor (do not squeeze aggressively to avoid bitterness). Let the brewed tea sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to cool slightly before mixing with ice.

4
Make simple syrup
If you want sweetened iced tea, combine 1 cup water and 3 tbs sugar in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat and let the simple syrup cool to room temperature. (You can substitute honey or another sweetener; use about 3 tbs honey dissolved in warm water.)
5
Sweeten the tea
Stir 2–4 tablespoons of the cooled simple syrup into the brewed tea, tasting and adjusting to your preferred sweetness. If you prefer unsweetened tea, skip this step.

6
Chill or pour over ice
Option A (quick): Fill a large pitcher halfway with ice (about 3 cups) and pour the still-warm-to-cooled tea over the ice to chill quickly. Option B (cold): Refrigerate the brewed tea (covered) until fully chilled, about 1–2 hours, then proceed to serve.
7
Add lemon and garnish
Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice into the chilled tea. Add 4 lemon slices to the pitcher and 6 cups of ice to individual glasses. Add a sprig of fresh mint to the pitcher or glasses if using.
8
Serve
Pour the iced tea into glasses filled with ice. Taste and adjust with additional simple syrup or lemon if desired. Serve immediately.
9
Storage
Store any leftover iced tea in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. If separated slightly, stir before serving. Add fresh lemon and ice just before serving for best flavor.