Sweet Tea Recipe
Make Sweet 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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Simple Sweet Tea
Method
Simple Sweet Tea
Brew the tea
Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil. Place 6 black tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or large heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags, fully submerging them. Steep for 5 minutes for a full-bodied flavor (6–8 minutes if you prefer stronger tea). Do not oversteep more than 8 minutes to avoid bitterness.
Sweeten while hot
Remove the tea bags, pressing gently against the side of the pitcher with a spoon to extract liquid (avoid squeezing too hard to prevent bitterness). While the tea is still hot, add 3 cups granulated sugar and stir briskly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Tasting a small spoonful will confirm the sweetness level — adjust only now if you prefer slightly less or more (reduce by 1/4 cup increments).
Dilute and chill
Add 6 cups cold water to the sweetened hot tea and stir to combine. This both cools the tea and brings it to drinkable strength. Allow the tea to come to room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour or until cold.
Serve over ice
Fill tall glasses with ice (about 1/2 cup per glass). Pour the chilled tea over the ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a mint sprig if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes and variations
For less sugar, start with 2 cups of sugar and add more to taste when the tea is still warm. Substitute part of the sugar with honey (use 2 1/2 cups sugar + 1/2 cup honey) and dissolve while warm. To make a pitcher with stronger flavor for iced storage, steep 1–2 extra tea bags and remove after 6 minutes.