Sweet Tea

[energyzer]

Not sure if this is the right place for this question, being a non BBQ topic, but I noticed a thread in the Catering section about sweet tea. That made me think, there are a lot of people here from the south. Question, What is your best sweet tea recipe? It seems that sweet tea from the south is just in a class of it's own. Would anyone care to share their recipe?

[Swine Spectator]

This is a hot topic in my family. We all seem to have settled on two family-sized tea bags per gallon (Luzianne or Community preferred). The argument is over the sugar content. I am on the low end with 3/4 cup and my uncle is on the high end at 1 1/2 cups. Most of the family is in the 1 cup camp.

David

[Pyrotech]

Does anyone else make a simple syrup first? or just add the sugar to the hot brewed tea?

[T-Man]

Luzianne tea and sugar to personnel taste... There you go...

[Bludawg]

This how Granny BluDawg made it and I have never had a better glass of Texas Champagne.

6 lipton tea bags
1 cup sugar
*1/8 tsp baking soda
3 quarts + 1 cup ice water
* baking soda cuts the acid/tannins leaving a clean tea flavour

Put the 6 tea bags into a 1 quart mason jar and the sugar and baking soda into a pint jar
Bring 3 cups of water just to a boil pour 2 cups over the tea and 1 up over the sugar stir until the water turns clear
Steep the tea until the it is around room temp.
Remove the tea bags and squeeze them out into the mason jar. add the sugar syrup to the tea. pour the tea syrup into a 1 gal pitcher and fill with ice water. Enjoy!

[uhpilot]

Luzianne, 6-7 bags.
1 cup of sugar (the wife likes 1.5 cups) added while still hot.

Unsweetened tea + sugar does not = sweet tea. :)


Ricky

[bigluelok]

Mmmm sweet tea I toga try making some since ive only had sweet tea from the golden arches gotta have some homemade

[T-Man]

Hmm ..Bludawg ... The Baking soda deal.. I remember hearing that years ago ... Thanks

[Mdboatbum]

Luziane decaf. 2 family sized bags. 12 cups* of water run thorough the drip coffee maker into the carafe. In the carafe is 1 cup of sugar, the tea bags and 1/4 tsp baking soda. The water will be hot enough to melt the sugar. Let steep for 15 minutes, then pour into a pitcher with another 12 cups of cool but not cold water. Refrigerate over night.
*this the 12 cup mark on the coffee pot. I believe it's based on 6 oz. cups.
The baking soda really, really makes a huge difference.

[landarc]

I use a simple syrup for sweet tea. But, I add it when I add the tea bags. And I use Liptons, 4 bags per gallon. No boil and remove after 10 minutes or until I remember to.

[BluegrassSmoke]

3 Family size tea bags
we use 3/4 cup sugar, but most use 1 cup

boil water in sauce pan, remove from heat, place 3 tea bags in water for about 20 min.
gal jug ( old clean milk jug works) add sugar and then hot tea..shake to mix sugar and tea, fill up with cold water....
works for me. Not as sweet as Micky D's tea

[captndan]

In the restaurant if you have a sweet tea brewer it calls for corn syrup. Just put it in the place on top that says "syrup' and the machine does the rest.

[deguerre]

Tea is like cornbread. I don't put sugar in it either...

[Pitmaster T]

Does anyone else make a simple syrup first? or just add the sugar to the hot brewed tea?


On my trailer or at an event I made LOTS of sweet tea. Only thing was, I was in Connecticut and the name didn't quite catch there then. Most resturants you would ask for sweet tea and they would say yes they have it, bring you regular tea and pull out some sugar packets.

NOT THE SAME THING!!!!

The answer to your question is yes!!!!

I made a TON of simple syrup. TON... it keeps in the fridge well and I used it for my teas and lemonade.

For lemonade, I think somewhere when I used to make the Lemonade BBQ sauce that I used for the Baked Smoked Chops (smothered in the sauce), I started making my lemonade WITH a food processor, whole lemons (peels, pulp, seeds) and sugar which helped break things down. The mess of lemon crap is then strained and food milled and always needed more syrup to make a good lemonade. This would also be the base of my sauce. It is amazing how the taste came from the oils in the peels. This was doubled up with standard country time lemonade though to make it go further and with some added pulp people thought I had made a huge batch of homemade lemonade (10 gallons) when actually I made half of it from scratch.

So about tea. I think the SS is crucial to this but for some reason, like I said, people were buying more cokes and stuff than tea up there. In much the same way changing the name from BBQ Spaghetti and Meatballs to Cosmic Slop and Armadillo Eggs more than Tripled my sales (the recipe never changed), going from sweet tea to Fruit Tea, doubled my tea sales.

My fruit tea was a blend of Luzianne (which I had to have mailed to me) and frozen fruit concentrates, and of course water. SS was added to make it balance. I added one other thing to a 5 gallon supply. Almond Extract!!!! I would have women come just for the tea. Later they started buying my other items like "BBQ Sundaes" (Plastic Vintage Coke glass filled with two inches of brisket or pulled pork, followed by two inches of my Stellas' Sweet and Tangy Baked Beans, and two inches of a choice of Grady Tater Salad - a mix of sweet, red and white potatoes in a hit me fred inspired sauce OR Slaw all topped by a Pickle Spear, "Cup O Pizza" (inspired by the Movie the Jerk) and "Cup of Slop" (Cosmic Slop and an Atgomic Buffalo Turd to top it off) all served in a cup with a fork so they could get their Q on without the intimidation of a big ass meal. 5 bucks... dolla for the tea.

Hold it...wasn't this about the Tea?:blabla::blabla::blabla::blabla::blabla::blabl a::blabla:

[Pitmaster T]

I wonder if people will realize that many of us forget things... and this little diddy here is about the most valuable damn thing I have seen on here in quite some time.

People ask me why my coffee is so good, I use a trail hand trick that adds a bit of salt to the brew to soften the water (often quite hard round regions here)...

the other day I was going on about baking soda.... this brings an out of balance water back to neutral (remember the exchange in hydrogen atoms), adn yes it also fixed the ph of tea. When things are in balance you taste more. There are tons of flavor receptors on your tongue and they ring bells of all sorts; sour, acidic, salt, sweet, savory.... heat.... anyway.... when one of these is out of balance, it throws off the ability for you to perceive what the others are saying. I would liken it to making a BBQ sauce that has so much heat in it you cannot enjoy it...so you bring the heat down with carrots or reducing the peppers so you can taste other things.

BROTHER YOu ARE MY HERO FOR THE MONTH FOR THIS. I LIKE THE TEXAS CHAMPAGNE NAME TOO!!!!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:


This how Granny BluDawg made it and I have never had a better glass of Texas Champagne.

6 lipton tea bags
1 cup sugar
*1/8 tsp baking soda
3 quarts + 1 cup ice water
* baking soda cuts the acid/tannins leaving a clean tea flavour

Put the 6 tea bags into a 1 quart mason jar and the sugar and baking soda into a pint jar
Bring 3 cups of water just to a boil pour 2 cups over the tea and 1 up over the sugar stir until the water turns clear
Steep the tea until the it is around room temp.
Remove the tea bags and squeeze them out into the mason jar. add the sugar syrup to the tea. pour the tea syrup into a 1 gal pitcher and fill with ice water. Enjoy!

[BIGBrandon2785]

Luzianne, 6-7 bags.
1 cup of sugar (the wife likes 1.5 cups) added while still hot.

Unsweetened tea + sugar does not = sweet tea. :)


Ricky
Agreed,gotta add the sugar while the tea is hot.And Luzianne is the way to go........................Dont forget the lemon slice in your frosted mason jar though

[razrbakcrzy]

Luzianne-decaf regular size bags I like about 8

simple syrup boil 2 cups water add 2 cups sugars boil for an additional 1 minute.

Cool and add to cooled & iced tea.

[caliking]

We don't boil our tea. When the temps start hitting 90 outside, we set up a foodservice size Lipton tea bag (the big one) in a gallon of water and leave it outside. For a stronger tea, squeeze the bag before removing it after several hours of steeping. We add a ladle of sugar (probaby 1/2 -3/4 cup) sugar and stir it in. The sugar mixes in well with the warm water, then we stick it in the refrigerator. Tea comes out really nice and smooth after steeping in the Texas sun all day.

[Myrdhyn]

Luzianne 4 family bags per gallon. I prefer unsweet.

For sweet also mix in 1.5-2cups of sugar to taste OR serve simple syrup on the side of the unsweet tea and people can sweeten to taste.

The key here is it must be Luzianne brand :P

[eddieh70301]

Gonna have to try the baking soda thing.

[Q-Dat]

Fortunately tea isn't expensive, so you can afford to experiment.

I think you should start here.
4 bags of lipton
1 cup of sugar
Pinch of salt

In a small pot of water bring the teabags, sugar, and salt to a boil. Then turn the heat off and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Then remove the teabags and pour it into a 1 gallon pitcher. Then add ice water to make the rest of the gallon.

Done!

Try this. If the sweetness isn't to your liking adjust it accordingly on your next batch. Same thing with the strength of the tea flavor. I like my tea a little stronger than most so I use 5 tea bags.

Also if you are using decaf tea, it will take more to equal the same flavor.

Edit: If you want something really killer, cut the sugar back a little and add some of the juice from a can of Peaches in Heavy Syrup!

[1FUNVET]

Luzianne tea and sugar to personnel taste... There you go...

Agree with T :clap:

To really get going, try sweet tea vodka

[jgbmgb]

Southern Sweet Tea

2 family sized Luzianne tea bags
1 1/2 cups sugar
dash baking soda
1 gallon water

Boil 1 qt water. Add tea bags and pull off heat and let steep with lid on about 20 minutes. Put sugar in gallon container along with baking soda. Pour hot steeped tea over and stir til sugar disolves. Add rest of gallon with cold water. Put in fridge for a few hours or better overnight. Always sweeter the next day. Perfect every time.

[mattdean1003]

Why, oh WHY did you mention Peach syrup in tea?????? My FAVORITE tea is peach tea!

I do 4 family sized Luzianne bags, cup and a half or so of sugar, but I also run mine through the coffee maker. We've got one of those Mr Coffee "filtered" coffee makers, and I mean filtered as in it's got a "change monthly" water filter that sits on top of the mesh, reuseable coffee filter. Open teabags, pour into the mesh coffee filter, set brew to strong, and let er' rip. We don't even use that little paper filter. Stupidest thing I've ever seen.

Got a smokin' deal on the coffee maker though LOL

What I've been doing is actually cooking down a can of peaches with about a cup or so of sugar. Been wanting to try peach puree but I think regular juice will do. Little off topic, but I remember going up north to NJ a few years back to visit a friend, and we stopped in McDonalds one day for a quick bite so we could resume railfanning (watching Amtrak fly by at 150+ mph on the Northeast Corridor). I got the usual dbl quarter w/cheese combo and out of pure habit, asked for sweet tea. Silence. She said "We have hot tea, and we have green tea. You may add sugar but we do not."

[caseydog]

Luzianne is my choice, too. I make it strong, and pour the hot tea into my glass of ice ice to dilute it just the right amount.

The amount of sugar is a personal taste thing, IMO.

CD

[jgbmgb]

Why, oh WHY did you mention Peach syrup in tea?????? My FAVORITE tea is peach tea!

I do 4 family sized Luzianne bags, cup and a half or so of sugar, but I also run mine through the coffee maker. We've got one of those Mr Coffee "filtered" coffee makers, and I mean filtered as in it's got a "change monthly" water filter that sits on top of the mesh, reuseable coffee filter. Open teabags, pour into the mesh coffee filter, set brew to strong, and let er' rip. We don't even use that little paper filter. Stupidest thing I've ever seen.

Got a smokin' deal on the coffee maker though LOL

What I've been doing is actually cooking down a can of peaches with about a cup or so of sugar. Been wanting to try peach puree but I think regular juice will do. Little off topic, but I remember going up north to NJ a few years back to visit a friend, and we stopped in McDonalds one day for a quick bite so we could resume railfanning (watching Amtrak fly by at 150+ mph on the Northeast Corridor). I got the usual dbl quarter w/cheese combo and out of pure habit, asked for sweet tea. Silence. She said "We have hot tea, and we have green tea. You may add sugar but we do not."

All of the Mickey D's around here actually have "brewed" sweet tea. It is pretty good. Our son works at one and occassionally he will bring home a gallon.

[Q-Dat]

If anyone lives near a McCallister's Deli, they make really great tea.

[olewarthog]

3 Family size tea bags
we use 3/4 cup sugar, but most use 1 cup

boil water in sauce pan, remove from heat, place 3 tea bags in water for about 20 min.
gal jug ( old clean milk jug works) add sugar and then hot tea..shake to mix sugar and tea, fill up with cold water....
works for me. Not as sweet as Micky D's tea

I concur with the 3 family size tea bags. Luzianne of course.

[chachahut]

At the Hut - we start by making simple syrup. Once that has gone clear & the sugar is completely dissolved - we let it go a little until small bubbles start to form (just the starting edge of boiling). We pull it from the heat - throw in some tea bags - & cover & let steep for 1 hour. This ends up being a concentrated base we can use to make multiple batches of Sweet Tea. Was told by someone from Georgia last week that he did not believe he could find great Q & Sweet Tea in New York but we proved him wrong on both counts.

Oh yes - the recipe is my grandmother's as well...

[BIGBrandon2785]

Agree with T :clap:

To really get going, try sweet tea vodka
Think you just called my plan for tonight,lol

[vr6Cop]

For a gallon of tea, I use 2 cups of sugar stirred into the pot of heating water until it's a syrup. Once it boils, I put 4 family sized bags of Luzianne tea into it, turn off the heat and cover for an hour or so. Then I funnel it into a gallon jug and top with water. Perfect for me :)

[energyzer]

This how Granny BluDawg made it and I have never had a better glass of Texas Champagne.

6 lipton tea bags
1 cup sugar
*1/8 tsp baking soda
3 quarts + 1 cup ice water
* baking soda cuts the acid/tannins leaving a clean tea flavour

Put the 6 tea bags into a 1 quart mason jar and the sugar and baking soda into a pint jar
Bring 3 cups of water just to a boil pour 2 cups over the tea and 1 up over the sugar stir until the water turns clear
Steep the tea until the it is around room temp.
Remove the tea bags and squeeze them out into the mason jar. add the sugar syrup to the tea. pour the tea syrup into a 1 gal pitcher and fill with ice water. Enjoy!
Thanks everyone for all the great recipes and tips. For today, I decided on trying Bludawg's recipe. Turned out great! Only thing I may do next time is cut the sugar back to 3/4 cup. It's pretty farken Good! Thanks!

[eddieh70301]

Gave the tea a try.
1 gal water
4 fam size tea bags (luzianne)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sugar in the raw
Juice if 1 lemon
1/8 tsp baking soda

Boiled 1/2 gal water. Removed from heat and added the tea bags. Steeped for 8 minutes. Poured the hot water into a pitcher and added the sugar and baking soda. Then added the cool water. Stirred and added the lemon.
It was great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[T-Man]

If anyone lives near a McCallister's Deli, they make really great tea.

I agree ..McCallister's Deli has some pretty good tea.

[eddieh70301]

I agree ..McCallister's Deli has some pretty good tea.
I likes Canes Tea. 1/2 unsweet and 1/2 sweet. Killer!

[T-Man]

I likes Canes Tea. 1/2 unsweet and 1/2 sweet. Killer!

Canes tea? .. As in Cane's chicken place , I believe I had a coke in there , I will have to try next time...

[T-Man]

I used to go to this BBQ joint about 25 years ago in Eastern NC , great tea . Always brought a pitcher out with the meal and left it on the table . Good hushpuppies too... BBQ restaurants are a dying breed...

[jestridge]

I always use a bag of Eary Grey in my teas and 3 bags of green then 4 bags of LIpton or Luizanne

[eddieh70301]

Canes tea? .. As in Cane's chicken place , I believe I had a coke in there , I will have to try next time...

Yep. Canes chicken.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NorthwestBBQ]

Pitmaster Tea.

[Pitmaster T]

Pitmaster Tea.

Yes... you got my ****ing gift?

[Wampus]

We have a Mr Coffee 3 qt Iced Tea Maker that the wife actually had BEFORE we got married 15 years ago. Fill it up with water, fill the pitcher up with ice, put 2 family sized tea bags (we use Lipton or Luzzianne decaf) in the "steep" container, put about 3/4 C sugar in the ice, then push the little button. 10 minutes later.....fresh brewed tea!

We just have to stir up the pitcher until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Good stuff!

[razrbakcrzy]

If you like a little something, something to your tea! Try adding a little juice of your favorite flavor Cranapple, cranberry juice coctail, pineapple or peach, Then adding a complimentary flavor of rum like coconut or pineapple! It will really put the relaxed in a relaxing saturday afternoon!

[dzimmer1]

I used Luzianne for the longest time and then bought a box of the Red Rose tea. I get it at Wally World for about $1.50 a box. ( and it comes with a little figurine ).

~Fill a 3 Qt pan about 3/4 full of water and bring to a boil.
~Add 13 tea bags. ( they are the small ones. ) I always twist them and tie them together so that I dont have to fish them out.
~ Steep for 15 minutes
~ Add sugar. I use about 1.75 Cups & a healthy pinch of baking soda. Stir.
~ Pour in gallon container, add cold water to fill. Give a couple shakes.

I also heard somewhere that a glass container will react with the tea differently than a plastic container.. supposed to use glass..... Im cheap and use plastic. :biggrin1:

[Myrdhyn]

I've made tea in multiple types of plastic as well as stainless and glass....couldn't say I could tell a different attributable to the container in any way.

[Trumpstylz]

I drink it every day. Sometimes I use baking soda and sometimes I don't.

I drink a ton of it, so I use luzianne or lipton family sized tea bags and I use 1/2 regular and 1/2 decaf or some variation of that (I drink so much of it that I really try to limit all that caffeine).

If you do add sugar, do it while the water is hot. I prefer to use equal sweetener (some use splenda or sweet n low). I fill a one liter cup (32 oz) with ice to the brim, then add 4-6 equal packets depending on how sweet I want it.

Sometimes instead of sweetener I just add lemon or lime (lemons are $$), but never sweetener and lemon or lime.

[Happy Hapgood]

Go into a restaurant in the South. If they don't have sweet tea, they are probably a chain. We've been using Luzzianne as long as I can remember.

One good thing we do is thin slice orange into it instead of lemons. Peel and all. Gives it a Great flavor.

[Q-Dat]

Go into a restaurant in the South. If they don't have sweet tea, they are probably a chain.

Except in New Orleans!!! Don't know why, but as geographically south as New Orleans is, for some reason there are many restaurants that only make unsweet. In fact, I would say that more often than not, I am told only unsweet in N.O. restaurants. Crazy as it sounds, I have actually come across non sweet tea drinkers, that don't even like the fact that its on the menu.

[NBBD]

Tea is like cornbread. I don't put sugar in it either...

Agreed.... I will have a small bit of sweet tea when in the south, but prefer unsweetened brewed with a bit of salt and maybe some fresh mint... Much more refreshing...

Sweet tea leaves me feeling thirsty...

[Happy Hapgood]

Agreed.... I will have a small bit of sweet tea when in the south, but prefer unsweetened brewed with a bit of salt and maybe some fresh mint... Much more refreshing...

Sweet tea leaves me feeling thirsty...

Y'all ain't from around here, are ya? :rolleyes:

[Happy Hapgood]

Except in New Orleans!!! Don't know why, but as geographically south as New Orleans is, for some reason there are many restaurants that only make unsweet. In fact, I would say that more often than not, I am told only unsweet in N.O. restaurants. Crazy as it sounds, I have actually come across non sweet tea drinkers, that don't even like the fact that its on the menu.

That's why I don't go to the big city :crazy: