How do I make real iced tea?
 

This sounds like a simple question for someone who has been cooking for 50+ years, but how do you make real iced tea? I dislike the canned sweet tea we buy way up here in the north. I make a very good pot of hot tea but iced sweet tea has me baffled. It would be nice to have a pitcher in my fridge ready to drink, now that our hot and humid summer is approaching. Thanks everyone for the help.

Whether right or wrong ...
I just make hot tea, to my liking.
Remove the tea bags, and then let it cool.
Sweeten to taste.

Get you an ice tea maker. I don't exactly follow the directions given. Here is my procedure and we love it. I brew the tea in the ice tea maker. Then I put a cup of sugar and some water in a microwavable pitcher, stir this up a bit and heat in microwave until sugar completely dissolves. We use a one gallon milk jug to storing the tea so I then pour the hot sugar mixture in the gallon jug. When the tea has completed it cycle, I pour the tea into the milk jug and fill the jug nearly full with tap water. Then I turn the jug a few times to mix the tea and finish filling with tap water. Store in the fridge and enjoy. My husband and I can drink a gallon of this sweet in two days time. I like the flavored teas so I often put a little blackberry syrup or raspberry syrup in mine. It is so, so delicious.

I make sun tea. I use the large canning jars, put a teabag in & set in the sun for a couple hours. Put a bit of sugar in while it is still warm & shake - then refrigerate.

I only drink unsweetened tea, hot or cold. I normally heat water to just under the boiling point. Most of the time I do couple of cups in the microwave, faster and easier. Then I add the tea bags for about 5 min and take them out and pour over ice. I don't want the bitter stuff to get into my tea. When you drink it without sugar, etc then you notice the taste of the tea itself. I can't stand instant tea, no matter what. If I was going to add sugar it would be to disolve it in the hot water first.

My mom always boiled water in the kettle or in a saucepan - then pour the hot water in the pitcher with your tea bags (I use between 5-8 tea bags) I think Lipton is the best - fill the pitcher about half way or less with hot water- just let the tea bags steep for a while - then add cold water to the top - sweeten as you like it - usually add ice to the glass to cool it more.

I make ice tea daily. We have a very large kettle that holds more then a gallon. I boil hot filtered water, turn off the burner once it hits a hard boil, and put oolong tea and a little dried ginger in the kettle. This is where you would add sugar or any other sweetners if you wanted. I let it stand on the stove till it has cooled and then pour it into glass containers, glass apple juice bottle or glass pitchers, and let it further cool in the fridge. I do not use ice but if I intent to like for wedding parties I make ice cubes from the ice tea. You can also make the tea stronger to account for the ice melting and diluting the tea. I am just not fond of drinking molten ice.

I am of Northern European descent so there is always tea in my fridge. I have a teamaker that I use but I am guessing that you don't have one. To make it atop the stove I would do it as stated above but here is my formula from on top of the range. I keep it simple.

4-5 family size tea bags.....black tea or any iced tea blend
boil water in a saucepan add bags and steep for 30 minutes or more.
Pour the steeped tea in a gallon pitcher and add cold water. Squeeze teabags.
Sweeten to taste and refrigerate.

As you make it you will adjust it to you tastes. Another thought is to add a raspberry teabag to brew.

I have iced sweet tea in my fridge at all times. Can't live without it.

Using a tea kettle, heat water until the whistle. Don't boil - especially if you have hard water. It gives a funky taste.

Pour water into a 1 gallon pitcher and drop in 1 family size tea bag.

Let it steep for 30 minutes or so.

Sweeten to taste. I use either 1 cup of sugar or artificial sweetener to equal that.

Fill the jug the rest of the way up with cold water and stick in the fridge.

In my house, we make at least 2 gallons every day. More if my Dad stops by.

put the tea bags in the coffee maker pour water in ---tea out ......pour over pitcher of ice and add sugar to liking [or not]

This is how I make it. 1/2 gallon ofwater brought just to boiling. pour over 6 tea bags cover and let steep 6 minutes.
Remove tea bags NOW here is the secret to cutting out the bitter and having a nice clear tea add just a pinch of baking soda. Add sugar to taste while tea is still hot. Enjoy

Real Iced Tea -

• 1 large glass pitcher or jar with lid (that will accommodate 8 cups of water)
• 6 to 8 regular size tea bags (or equivalent loose tea) ((We use 3 Lipton Family size tea bags))

Directions:

• Fill pitcher with 8 cups of cold water then add the bags. Seal with lid.
• Place pitcher in full sun (getting 2 to 3 hours of sunlight–up to 4 hours if you prefer a stronger brew).
• After brewing, squeeze the tea bags so you get the fullest flavor from them.
• Add sugar to taste - some people like it really sweet others not so much or at all.
• Refrigerate until fully chilled.
• Add ice cubes and any flavorings before serving.

(You need to add the sugar while it is still warm so it will dissolve. )

Enjoy and be prepared to make more!!!!

That's how we do it in the south. No need to get the kitchen warm with a hot stove!

whynotquilt

Mine is very simple.

I put a pot of water, 6-7 cups on the stove. I add 3 large tea bags, bring just to a boil, then turn it off. Let it steep for a few (5?) minutes. Pour the hot tea in a gallon pitcher. Add just over a cup of sugar (more or less to taste) stir to disolve. Fill with cold tap water and put in fridge to chill.

Very easy. I put 4 family sized tea bags in a 6 cup measuring cup and put it in microwave for 5 minutes. Done. Makes a large glass pitcher full.

I would simply make your tea the way you like your hot tea and then either let it cool naturally and pop it in the fridge. My only suggestion added to the above would be to make sure you add your sugar/sweetener while the liquid is hot...otherwise it will not dissolve correctly and you may end up getting a 'gritty' sweet taste.

I make mine like this, only add approx. 1 1/2 cups of sugar (sweeten to your taste) to hot tea in jar (stir and give a few min to dissolve sugar) before adding cold water.

We bought a mr coffee tea maker, put your tea in and water per directions that comes with it. Brews up nicely, refridgerate, sure makes all the difference to have brewed ice tea.

I grew up in southern US :) sweet tea capital of the world I swear ....

take 6-8 cups of water in a sauce pan, add 1c or less of sugar (makes 2 qts) bring to a boil, turn off stove, add tea bags, let steep for 5-10mins depending on how strong you like your tea. Take the bags out, pour over ice. :)

I love my iced tea maker that I recieved as a house warming gift in 1993.
Sandy

I've always made what I call California tea. Learned it at least40 years ago.
Take a glass bottle with a tight lid. Old jucie bottle, gallon bottle etc, fill it with water and about 6 bags.
Seal it tight and place it in the sun for a few days.
Refrigerate and serve.
Never bitter and very little floating tanin scum.
MaryKatherine

This is my recipe for tea, everyone raves about it.
Bring 4 cups of water to a hard boil. Turn off heat, drop in 6 tea bags & a pinch of baking soda & let steep for about 30 minutes. Pour into a 1 gallon pitcher, add enough cold water to fill the pitcher, cover & place in refrigerator.

The pinch of baking soda takes out the bitter taste.

I make a very different style of iced tea; it is an ice tea concentrate. I bring water to just a boil and pour it over 10 tea bags in a mason canning jar: I wrap the tea bag strings around a spoon so they do not get lost in the jar. I let the tea steap and remove the bags and let the tea cool to room temperature before covering it and putting it in the refrigerator, cooling it keeps it from getting cloudy.

To make the tea I add the concentrate to a glass or pitcher and and cold water, ice and lemon (never sugar, some things should not be sweet :). It probably is about 1-2 Tbsp concentrate per glass, depends on how strong I want it to be.

The main reason I do it this way is that it takes up less room in the refrigerator.

You can also do it as a cold brew by using the same method above and adding cold water to the jar and letting it brew in the refrigerator overnight before removing the tea bags, this can remove some of the bitterness.

Pat
in Minnesota where it is finally starting to warm up

Pat, I remember my Grandmother would make the tea concentrate...years ago..my sister has the original small crock type pitcher she would use to put on the table, each person would have their glass of water..adding the amt of tea they liked..sure brings back memories, as a child, I thought the whole world made tea like my Grandmother...boy was I wrong. Thanks for sharing your way, think I will start to use this way again.

3 pages of tea recipes who knew LOL!
When I was a young woman I recall an interview by an american news person of Princess Diana and Diana gave the instructions for making "real" british tea. The key was to take the water off the fire and add the bags at the exact moment before it starts to boil...letting water boil releases the oxygen in the water.
I take two cups of water, seven tea bags and make a concentrate, I let it steep no longer than six or seven minutes the discard the bags (Don't squeeze the bags..this is where the bitter is) I run cold water over the bags when filling the container with the concentrate and water to pitcher.

I make sun tea, it is the best by far of any tea I have tasted. I just put 4 family size tea bags in a gallon jar filled with water and place in the sun for a few hours. I even make it in the house overnight. My SIL called it mulberry tea when made in the house over night. I just left the light on over the sink and sat the jar there and by morning had a gallon of tea.

I put about 5 bags in about a cup of water and heat until just before it boils. I found if I boil it, it turns cloudy. Let the bags sit for awhile until it gets a dark color. I add sugar at this point so it melts while the tea is still warm. Depending on how sweet you like it, I add about 3/4 cup sugar. I pour the tea in a pitcher and add more water until it gets the color I like. At this point it can go in the frdige to cool.

As a Southern raised girl, iced tea is my first drink of choice. I use a 2 quart pan filled with water, bring to boil, drop in 10-12 tea bags (yes I like tea to look like tea), put lid on, remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes. I drink it unsweetened totally. But when I was growing up, my mother would remove the tea bags after 5 min. and add the sugar while it is still hot so it dissolves. If you add sugar, add more than you think because you will need to dilute this tea after cooling. I use two half gallon Ball jars putting about a quart of tea in each one and then adding water diluting to the color that I prefer.

I have adapted my recipe to an "Arnold Palmer" type of tea.
Boil water on the stove. Put in 2 iced tea family size bags and steep for 10 minutes. Meanwhile fill 2 qt. pitcher with cold water 1/6 way full. Allow hot tea to cool and then pour in with cold water. (Ice cubes just dilute everything so I don't use them except in my glass). Add 1/4 cup lemon juice. Add as much sugar as you would like. Pour over ice...yum!

.
Judy
I like my tea like yours!

Now I'm looking for help--
I'm hosting a graduation party for 700 and wanting to make a very strong tea concentrate 2 days before the event, to be added to water to make tea as needed thru out the event. Any suggestions?
Thanks

I have one pan that is only for making tea. Fill it up with good (not faucet) water. The water you use makes all the difference and we have hard water here. Let it come to a boil. Then put in a Lipton 1 gallon tea bag (I get them from Sam's) and let it steep for 10 mins. Pour it into a pitcher that has some water already into and put it in the frig. Then when we want a glass - pour into glass and fill with ice. I only make unsweeten tea as everyone has a different like on sweetness. Also when we do go out to eat - we order unsweetened tea as most people/places like it like syrup. My mother in law would have a little coffee or tea with her sugar and we could not stand it. I usually make 1-2 gallons every day and everyone likes it. Good luck.

I have seen Paula Deen make iced tea. She states make your tea like you usually do a bag for each cup or you can make sun tea (still a bag for each cup) If you want it sweetened (since sugar doesn't dissolve in cold water) make a simple syrup. Equal parts sugar and water. Bring it to a boil but do keep an eye on it. Let it cool and store in the refrigerator for future use. I don't like sweet tea but if I know I'm having company, I have the simple syrup on hand. I also have raspberry and lemons and mint julep for those who want something different. Sorry, I don't have any diet sweeteners on my shelves. I have used a little Bailey's in my tea on the rock's. Yummmm!

nnwalton2 makes a point I forgot to mention. I buy the bottled water when I'm making for tea. We have a filter but that would take forever. Didn't know about Sam's having the gallon bags. Will have to check it out.

I do what my mom always did: For a 2-qt. pitcher of iced tea, I boil about 3 c of water on top of the stove, add 8 teabags, plus a couple extra for the pitcher. Let it sit until cool. Remove the teabags, add about 3/4-1c sugar and stir. Pour in pitcher; add water to fill and stick in frig.

I put 6 regular tea bags or 3 family size tea bags in a tea pot. Bring the tea kettle to boil, then fill the tea pot and let it steep for about 15 minutes or more. Pour the tea into a 2 qt. pitcher and fill to the 2 qt. line with cold water. If you want it sweetened, add about 1/2 cup sugar while it's hot, stir and then add the cold water. You can add more or less sugar to your desired taste. I use Lipton tea because it brews a stronger tea than other brands. We drink ours unsweetened.

i take a family tea bag or 2 small ones put in a microwave safe (i use pyrex) measuring cup cook for 2 minutes with the tea bag in it.put in your container and let it sit for a bit add water. thats all i do. man that sounds good about right now too

I love sun tea! I use a gallon glass container with a screw on lid. I like to use the family size tea bags, using about 5 - 6 depending on the weather. Also I use bottled water, not as bitter. I don't like sweetened back back east where they ask you if you want sweetened tea or not. They make a simple syrup which is about 1 cup sugar to 2 cups water; bring to a boil, let cool. Hope this helps.

Ice tea is always in my house......I boil 2 qts of water and add 1/2 cup of sugar (real sugar)stirring until it boils and when it comes to a boil turn off and I then add my tea bags (12) I use decaffinated tea I then wait till it cools and transfer to my large pitcher which is 4 qts...remove tea bags and add... more water to the pitcher usually about another qt then add my lemon juice...you need to taste as you go along to see if you want or need more sugar,water or lemon...once you get this recipe down you will never use another one.....I re-searched ice tea recipes for a year and when I came across this one which was in my moms recipe box I had that I forgot ....I was like omg right in front of me lol....anyways hope everyone tries it you will love it.......Trish

I throw 6 bags in a 2qt sauce pan. Fill it with water and bring to a boil.let it simmer 5 minutes. Turn it off and let it cool. If you want sweet tea, dissolve sugar then let it cool. Pour in gallon pitcher and fill with water.

Wow! I only steep my tea for 3-5 minutes and never more than 10 minutes.... 3 family size Lipton Tea bags to make a gallon of tea. Bring water to a boil, take the pot off the burner and add the tea bags. Add sugar... I only use about 1/2 cup sugar, but that's a personal preference. For really sweet tea, add more sugar. Be sure to put the sugar in while the water is hot so it will melt well. Then add cold water to fill your container. Tweek to your own taste.

The secret to true Southern sweet tea is making sure the sugar is completely dissolved in the hot tea just after brewing. You can get more sugar into the water when its hot. If you add the sugar when its cool it won't dissolve.