When I first moved to Colorado after college I was absolutely homesick for authentic Southern sweet tea. The moment I knew I was in trouble was during a visit to a steak house. I asked if they had sweet tea and was told no, but that they could figure it out and make it for me. What arrived at my table was mint herbal tea poured over ice with sugar added while cold.
Whether you’re a displaced Southerner looking for a comforting taste of home, or someone who has never stepped foot in the South who is wondering what all the fuss is about, look no further for an authentic homemade sweet tea experience.
How To Make Authentic Southern Sweet Tea
The secret to sweet tea is in the tea bags. I will always only use Luzianne tea bags. In the rural mountain community I resided in I wasn’t able to find Luzianne brand. I had to turn to Amazon and begging for care packages from my sweet Southern sister-in-law in order to recreate the perfect sweet tea.
Boil Your Tea
- To make your tea, fill a pot with water and add 5 Luzianne tea bags. Bring your water and tea bags to a boil for 20 minutes on the stove.
Add Your Sugar
2. While your tea boils, add 2 cups of sugar to the bottom of a pitcher.
I met my husband in Colorado and he is not a Southerner, bless his heart. He often complains that my tea is too sweet and will “take the enamel off your teeth.” I tried making tea using only 1 cup of sugar to appease his palate. While he thought the reduction in sugar was an improvement, I found it to be a sin against everything I hold true. You can reduce the sugar if you feel so inclined, but be weary that you may lose your Southern card. We like our tea as sweet as our Southern hospitality, y’all!
Sweeten Your Tea
3. After your tea bags have boiled for 20 minutes, remove the tea bags from the pot using a slotted spoon.
4. Pour your tea into the pitcher over your 2 cups of sugar. Mix well until all the sugar is dissolved.
This step is important. Have you ever ordered sweet tea in the North only to be brought a glass of iced unsweet tea and a couple packets of sugar? That sugar ain’t going to dissolve right, y’all. You want to pour boiling water over that sugar otherwise you’ll end up with a gritty catastrophe. We don’t want that.
5. Once your sugar is fully dissolved, fill up your pitcher the rest of the way with cold water. Stir.
Serve Iced
6. Put your sweet tea in the fridge to cool and serve over ice. Serve on a hot summer day on a rocking chair front porch. Or in the middle of winter. We don’t judge. Sweet tea ain’t seasonal around here.
Little Cooks Corner
Make sure authentic Southern sweet tea is a tradition for future generations. Sous chefs of any age can help measure and pour the sugar. Older kiddos can help spoon out the tea bags and add cold water to the pitcher.
Feedback
Did you try making your own authentic Southern sweet tea? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
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Authentic Southern Sweet Tea
Whether you’re a displaced Southerner looking for a comforting taste of home, or someone who has never stepped foot in the South who is wondering what all the fuss is about, look no further for an authentic homemade sweet tea experience.
Ingredients
- 5 Luzianne tea bags
- 2 cups sugar
Instructions
- To make your tea, fill a pot with water and add 5 Luzianne tea bags. Bring your water and tea bags to a boil for 20 minutes on the stove.
- While your tea boils, add 2 cups of sugar to the bottom of a pitcher.
- After your tea bags have boiled for 20 minutes, remove the tea bags from the pot using a slotted spoon.
- Pour your tea into the pitcher over your 2 cups of sugar. Mix well until all the sugar is dissolved.
- Once your sugar is fully dissolved, fill up your pitcher the rest of the way with cold water. Stir.
- Put your sweet tea in the fridge to cool and serve over ice. Serve on a hot summer day on a rocking chair front porch. Or in the middle of winter. We don’t judge. Sweet tea ain’t seasonal around here.
Notes
You can reduce the sugar if you feel so inclined, but be weary that you may lose your Southern card.
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