Cool, refreshing and simple. There is NOTHING that is more comforting than a big tall glass of iced tea on a hot summer day! It tastes EXACTLY like summer! How To Make Iced Tea is your secret to a perfect summer!
EASY and READY in less than 30 MINUTES! !
Iced Tea on a hot day!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy
- This Basic Iced Tea Recipe is the perfect drink for any occasion
- Affordable
- Ingredients you probably already have.
- If you like sugar in your tea, you might prefer Southern Sweet Tea instead.
Here’s How It Is Done
Step 1.
Make tea with tea bags on the stove top . Heat the water
Boiling Hot Water
Step 2.
Turn off the burner. Add the Tea Bags.
Gallon size tea bag into the hot water
Step 3.
Put the lid on. When the tea is cooled (at least 15 minutes) , add it to your pitcher and then add the cool water. Drink up!
Put the lid on to allow the tea to steep
WHO CAN MAKE ICED TEA?
- At our house, Mr. Loaves and Dishes is the tea maker.
- Therefore, it stands to reason, YOU can make sweet tea!
- This recipe will show you how to make iced tea fast!
HERE’S A LIST OF WHAT WE WILL COVER TODAY FOR PERFECT ICED TEA…
- You’ll be able to make iced tea without depending on a dark “tea line” on the saucepan..
- There will be no more questions about how many tea bags to use.
- I’m sharing ALL of the secrets right here with exact measurements HENCE, YOU’LL HAVE NO more guessing!
- You’ll know how to make iced tea using tea bags!
Frequently Asked Questions For How To Make Iced Tea (FAQ’s)
- This is so straightforward, there really aren’t many tricks.
- The first tip is USE GOOD WATER. If your water is overpoweringly loaded with chemicals so that it smells like a swimming pool, then use bottled water instead. I remember my dad would always bring some of my grandma’s well water home from our visits there to make tea with at home. That is how important good water is!
WHAT KIND OF TEA?
- Do NOT USE cheap/discount/ no name tea. It is worth a dollar or so more to get good name brand tea. Trust me on that. (At our house, we prefer Luzianne or Lipton– there are other good brands too – just look around)
- Whatever you do, please Do NOT USE instant tea. Just no.
HOW TO HANDLE THE TEA BAGS…
- Don’t boil the water because that bounces the tea bags around too much.
- When you put the tea bags in the water, make sure they sink down, but not so far that you lose the little paper tags. .
- Here is a primary rule about squeezing the tea bags, DO NOT get to fresh with those tea bags when you are squeezing them out because they break easily and hence, if they do you are going to have tea dirt all in your tea. Tea dirt is just used tea leaves and it won’t hurt you however, it is gritty and no one likes gritty tea.
WHAT MEAL DO I SERVE ICED TEA WITH?
Serve iced tea at LITERALLY ANY meal. Most southerners wouldn’t serve it with breakfast, but on a hot day? Maybe.
Tea is good with everything!
WHAT KIND OF PITCHER TO USE.
- Use a pitcher that is going to be your “Tea Pitcher” and then keep it meticulously clean! Tea spoils quickly.
- We like to use glass tea pitchers at home (I feel like I can get them cleaner). In fact, I’ll put a link below if you want to see the exact ones we use because we love them. They pour great and you can make just half a gallon at the time if you want or one pitcher of sweet and one of unsweet.
- The large opening is nice, you can get your hand in there to clean them. The lid closes tightly. The handle doesn’t stick out so far as to be a problem in the fridge.
- That’s it – you are are free to make your tea!
- The pitcher in the photo here is an Amazon Affiliate link, when you purchase through this link, I earn a commission from the sale. Just click the photo to go through to compare prices.
TIPS & TRICKS FOR HOW TO MAKE ICED TEA
- To make iced tea FAST – replace 1 quart of the water with 4 cups of ice cubes. Put everything into the same pitcher. The hot tea will melt the iced cubes and cool the whole thing quickly.
- Use Good Water.
- If you prefer sweetened tea, you can find out about that here.
PRO TIP: To make CLEAR iced tea, use bottled water and do not refrigerate too soon after making. Allow tea to come to room temperature first before putting into the fridge for a cloudy iced tea fix!
Try Loaves and Dishes OTHER GREAT Tea!
Southern Iced Tea
Would You Love to Cook A PERFECT Southern Dinner?
IMAGINE YOU, COOKING THESE! YOU CAN DO IT!
Chicken Pie or
And…
Add A little Yum Yum Sauce
Deviled Eggs made with this Easy Peel Hard Boiled Egg
And finish it all off with…
YA’LL, HELP ME OUT, OK?
Please leave me a 5 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟comment below in the comment section, all right? I would LOVE to know if you made this recipe or even if you are planning to! Of course, head on over to Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram and tag me with some photos of your creation!
I can’t wait!
Ya’ll know I love your comments!! ❤
How To Make Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 2 Quarts fresh cold water
- 4 regular size tea bags or one gallon size tea bag we prefer Luzianne or Lipton
- 2 Quarts fresh cold water
Instructions
- In a medium sized stock pot, combine 2 quarts of fresh water and 1 Cup of granulated white sugar.
- Turn the burner on medium heat and allow to heat until the water is beginning to steam but is not yet starting to boil.
- Place the tea bags into the water, place the lid on the saucepan and turn the heat off. Allow to come to room temperature.
- Remove the tea bags and gently squeeze to remove any remaining tea. Discard tea bags.
- Pour the tea concentrate into a gallon size tea pitcher and add the remaining 2 quarts of cool water.
- Serve over a full glass of ice cubes.
Notes
- The first tip is USE GOOD WATER. If your water is overpoweringly loaded with chemicals so that it smells like a swimming pool, then use bottled water instead. I remember my dad would always bring some of my grandma’s well water home from our visits there to make tea with at home. That is how important good water is!
- Do NOT USE cheap/discount/ no name tea. It is worth a dollar or so more to get good name brand tea. Trust me on that.
- Do NOT USE instant tea. Just no.
- Don’t boil the water with the bags in it - that bounces the tea bags around too much.
- When you put the tea bags in the water, make sure they sink down, but not so far that you lose the little paper tags.
- DO NOT get to fresh with those tea bags when you are squeezing them out because they break easily and if they do you are going to have tea dirt all in your tea. It won’t hurt you - but it is gritty and no one likes gritty tea.
Jane Lee
Tuesday 10th of August 2021
Hey Wendi, Just wanted you to know I have been enjoying browsing your recipes since finding your website a couple hours ago, and have saved a few for future use and for gift ideas. Thanks so much for sharing all that you have with us. While browsing, I saw your sweet tea method and gave it a look, mostly to compare with my own sweet tea concoction, which has been passed down thru several generations from Scotch-Irish settlers in Appalachia. I’m not certain but thought you may be interested, so this ‘antique’ tea recipe comes with thanks for all your effort on the public’s behalf, and with the hope you will not be offended, but appreciate my best intentions. I agree with your choice of a quality tea, but it’s nothing expensive or hard to find; a blend of Black and Orange Pekoe teas, preferably from a Luzianne box. (Keep in mind this is an old school tea concoction). So. for one gallon of dark, delicious sweet tea, make as follows:
•2 family sz or 4 small sz tea bags in 2(ish) qts water •add 1/8 tsp baking soda •Begin with stove top temp @ med/high until the water boils, then adjust down slightly to a low boil for 7-10 minutes. •Remove and strain into a pitcher containing sugar- 1 cup sugar per gallon of tea. •Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved then top off with water, stirring well. •Refrigerate overnight before use, for best flavor.
A note or two: For me, this amount of sugar makes a perfectly sweetened tea, (sweet enough, not too sweet) but may be adjusted to taste. •The baking soda eliminates the slight bitterness you taste without it’s use, and also darkens the color of the tea. •The amount of time you boil the tea also determines the finished color, in addition to determining the tea’s strength. (I boil mine for 8-10 minutes; my dad, grandma, and great grandma went for the 10 minute cook). •The tea can be used directly after making it, but it just tastes better after an overnight in the fridge. •To make more or less tea, adjust all ingredients proportionately. •This is a darker, somewhat stronger flavored tea than most tea blends you encounter today, because it is the way sweet iced tea was made 150+/- years ago. ••• I hope you enjoy•••
Wendi Spraker
Wednesday 11th of August 2021
Thanks Jane Lee, what a precious gift.
Wendi Spraker
Sunday 26th of May 2019
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