Southern Sweet Tea

We southerners like our sweet iced tea, and this is how to make really good sweet tea.  I usually make it by the half gallon.  All you need is a pot of boiling water, tea bags, and lots of sugar.  We like our tea sweet.

1/2 gallon water
8 regular tea bags or 4 family size tea bags
1 cup white granulated sugar (Yes I like it sweet.)

1.  I boil the water in our electric kettle. 

Boil the water.

 2.  Pour a quart of boiling water over 8 tea bags (or 4 family size tea bags).

Eight tea bags.

Cover and let steep for 5 to 7 minutes.

3.  Cover and let steep 5 to 7 minutes.  Longer than 7 minutes makes the tea bitter.

Place 1 cup of sugar in pitcher.

4.  While tea is steeping, place a cup of sugar in your pitcher and add some hot water to dissolve the sugar into a syrup. 

Add hot water to sugar to dissolve into a syrup.

5.  When tea has steeped, remove the tea bags (don't squeeze the tea bags) and add the tea to the pitcher.  Stir until the syrup is mixed with the tea. Add enough cold water to make a half gallon.  Let this sit until tea reaches room temperature.

I used Trader Joe's green tea for this pitcher of tea.  Green tea has more antioxidants.

6.   Serve cold with ice and a lemon wedge. 

Glass of sweet iced tea with lemon.

Dan and I drink more hot tea in the winter, but at family dinners, Thanksgiving and Christmas, I always make a pitcher or two of sweet tea.