Real southern sweet tea...anyone?

Question

I live in Virginia and have had sweet tea at the local restaraunts here and I really like the way it tastes, but have tried to make it at home and it's just not the same. What's the secret? Is there a special tea bag they use? Can anyone clue me in? Thanks!

Answer 1

Lipton is the choice for sutherners here!! We boil 8 tea bags on the stove,in like a quart or two of water, make sure it boils that`s my secret,just fer a sec. though.Let stand until almost cool then add that to a gallon pitcher,remove bags of course!! Add 1 1\2- 2 cups of sugar however sweet u like it and stir,fill with cool water and stir again.The longer it sits in the fridge the sweeter it gets;overnight so u gotta experiment with the sugar 1 1\2 is starting point".Dixie Crystal" is the best sugar for sweet tea,as it doesn`t take as much as if you had used the cheaper stuff.

Answer 2

This is how my Granny made sweet tea and it is some kind of sweet. Know that and beware. Pa-Paw used to down 2-3 glasses after working in the garden all day. Back off the sugar if you can't handle it. This one is for true southerners only ;)

6 regular tea bags
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2-2 cups sugar
6 cups cold water

In a large glass measuring cup, place the tea bags and add the baking soda.
Pour the boiling water over the tea bags.
Cover and steep for 15 minutes.
Take out the tea bags and do not squeeze them.
Pour the tea mixture into a 2-quart pitcher; add the sugar.
Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add in the cold water.
Let cool; chill in the refrigerator and serve over ice.

Answer 3

Restaurants use a tea that it generally premixed from a bottling company. The best thing that I have had is sun tea. You take a 1 gallon jug and put about 25-30 tea bags in it(depending on the strength you want) add sugar, and let it set in the sun for a couple days. After it has done the nature type of cooking, you remove the tea bags and add some ice. It is really good.

Answer 4

I was born and raised in Alabama, currently live in Arkansas...and lived from the coast of North Carolina to the coast of Hawaii, and I've never found sweet tea as good as mine! I've made sun tea, and tea in my kitchen -- and if you make them both right, they both taste the same!

I tend to use Lipton family-sized tea bags because I can find them in about any store, in about every state. However, I've used Tetley and Luzianne, as well. I personally use decaffeinated tea bags because I feel that some brands of caffeinated tea have a slight after taste. But you can make sweet tea this way, no matter the tea bags you choose.

For one gallon of prepared tea:
Bring anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 quarts of water (depending on the size of your pot -- it doesn't make too much difference how much water you use) to a rolling boil. Place four family-sized tea bags in the boiling water and use a spoon to dunk them under the boiling water for just about 30 seconds, or so, before removing the entire pot from the heat. Cover the pot with a snug lid and let it sit, covered (steeping), for approximately 10 minutes.

Pour two cups of granulated sugar into a gallon container and then pour the tea from the pot (after ten minutes) into the container. Add enough hot water to reach the one gallon mark, and stir well. The sugar should dissolve almost instantaneously after the hot tea is poured in.

Refrigerate the tea soon after it's made and it'll be a hit with your family!

Answer 5

i'm from virginia. i absolutely love southern sweet tea. try this recipe. it's around what i do. i also add some lemon to it.

Ingredients:
8 individual sized tea bags
1 1/2 cup of sugar
cold water to fill 1/2 gallon pitcher
ice

Directions:

Place tea bags in water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer a few minutes. Pour this over 1 to 2 cups of sugar and mix until sugar is dissolved. Top with cold water to fill pitcher. Serve over ice.

Answer 6

At the restaurant we use 4 cups sugar to 5 gallons of tea.
Made in a tea urn we used 2 family packs of prepared tea bags any brand would do. It is the amount of sugar that makes it good. Don't bring it to a boil because that is what makes it bitter. Just soak the bags after the water boils.

Answer 7

Yes, there IS a secret. My grandma is over 90 years old and she makes the best tea in the South, let me tell you. The secret is that the good iced tea is made in the sun. It's called sun tea. You get a large glass jar and add the appropriate number of tea bags, then set it outside to be slowly brewed by the sun. Usually we add a lot of sugar, too. Lipton is a good brand of tea bags to use for it.

You have to be patient, but it's worth it. Besides, you know everything moves more slowly in the South!

Answer 8

I have found that Tetley tea bags are less bitter than others in hot water, so start with that. Then, make your tea with hot water and add sugar to your own taste. This is the real secret, because sugar dissolves 'way better in hot water, so you'll get more into your tea. Finally, you'll need to dilute it, because it will be pretty strong from being made with hot water. To do this, you can either add water and refrigerate, or just pour over lots of ice.

You can use other brands of tea bags, but Tetley seems to be less bitter.

Answer 9

I'm not personally a fan of sweet tea, but the best sweet tea is made in the sun. steep your tea bags out in the sun and add the sugar while the tea is still hot so it dissolves faster. my husband says the more sugar the better. :) as for the tea, stick to Lipton or Luzziane orange pekoe.

Answer 10

Most of us use Lipton tea bags. I don't know of any secret ... you just have to get it the way you like it, and keep making that way. My dad makes it perfectly, and for the life of me, I can't get mine to taste the same! But he's been using the same ceramic jug to brew in and the same old stained pitcher for as long as I can remember! Maybe that's the trick!


As for the sun tea? That's completely different, but very, very delicious! Once you drink that , you'll never go back!