Absolutely the Best Southern Sweet Tea

"I know, I know. Everyone claims the best sweet tea around. I only say mine is best because everyone, and I do mean everyone... says so (so far, but now it's posted so that may change). Posted by request. Sometimes we will substitute two of the Lipton tea bags for two green tea bags which gives this tea another wonderful flavor. SOME TEA 'BAG' HISTORY: Tea 'bags' were originally created by manufacturers as 'samples' of their fine teas and given to the distributors to boost sales."
 
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photo by Andi Longmeadow Farm photo by Andi Longmeadow Farm
photo by Andi Longmeadow Farm
photo by Sharon123 photo by Sharon123
photo by Nimz_ photo by Nimz_
photo by loof751 photo by loof751
photo by 2Bleu photo by 2Bleu
Ready In:
4hrs 5mins
Ingredients:
3
Yields:
1 gallon
Serves:
6
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ingredients

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directions

  • Hold tea bags lined up evenly by the strings and make a loop knot to hold them together. Pull off paper and staple (from paper side). Set aside.
  • In a one gallon pitcher, add very hot water. Stir in the sugar till dissolved.
  • Add tea bags and dunk into water a few times, then leave them in the pitcher. Cover with lid of pitcher and refrigerate.
  • Wait until it is very cold (at least 3-4 hours). The flavor changes until it reaches the 'cold' state.
  • Drink and enjoy. (I leave the bags set in the pitcher, but recommend taking them out after about 8 hours--- IF it lasts that long! We make 2 pitchers at a time down here in the south. :).

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Reviews

  1. What I like to do is to tie the tea bags to the same wooden spoon I use to stir the tea with and use it to steep the tea before you put it in the fridge. Tea steeps easier in hot water and the trick is to stir the sugar in while the water is piping hot. Sugar content is spot on!
     
  2. I forgot to get some sweet tea for the southern girl coming to Thanksgiving at our house so I decided to make some. Didn't have any cheap tea and only had 1/2 gal pitcher. Dissolved 2/3 cup sugar in some boiling water, added to superhot tap water to make 1/2 gal. Threw in 3 Earl Grey tea bags and let sit out about 15 minutes, then put in fridge for about 3 hours. Can't really review how it turned out - it was sweet and tea flavored, but I'm from Michigan!
     
  3. EXCELLENT "Georgia Style Southern SWEET TEA"! & I'm from Pittsburgh! (Georgia-Pittsburgh) Shout out to Josh Dobbs, Steelers NEW Quarterback from Tennessee Volunteers Home State=GEORGIA @Josh_Dobbs1 #bripto
     
  4. Speaking from experience...from the Deep South Mississippi. It is also important you STEEP the hot tea bags in water before you put in the fridge. Sugar content is right on!! Of course the secret to good sweet tea is dissolving the sugar before refrigeration.
     
  5. Good recipe. NEVER use hot water from the tap. Bad advice. Always boil fresh cold water. Lots of impurities from your water heater.
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Original Zaaarite. Food lovers. Lynnda passed away in March 2020. Her recipes live on here for everyone to enjoy and Rick continues the tradition. We will forever live together through our food. Live well. Eat well.?
 
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