I’m not a southern gal. In fact, I was raised among the almond trees of beautiful California! My idea of the south was Fresno, and they didn’t serve legendary tea there as far as I knew.
So when I married an eastern boy with southern roots, I was introduced to the Sweet Tea of the South.
Man was it ever good and smooth . . .
and sweet . . .
and so very, very Southern!
For almost fourteen years, I’ve tried to make southern tea. My husband would put up with my “watered down” version of the nectar of the south. Mine was either not sweet enough or not strong enough.
Then I came across this recipe from Craving Comfort which tells the secret of sweet southern tea. Now you southern folks might have your own way of getting it to taste, well . . . southern. But this one has worked for us!
I finally have that smooth, sweet flavor that is not bitter!
However, I will adamantly warn you that this is not for the healthy-minded. Unless you can somehow use stevia or truvia instead of sugar. Because this takes more sugar than I feel comfortable feeding my family on a regular basis, it is saved for special occasions!
Here is the secret ingredient:
Baking Soda
Ohhhh, yuck! That’s what I first thought. Baking soda is reserved for my cookies and my laundry detergent, not to be poured over ice and sipped while sitting on the porch.
If you are an unbeliever like I was, just try it once and see if you don’t begin to view baking soda in a different light.
Now for the entire recipe (because it takes more than just baking soda)!
Sweet Southern Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 12 regular tea bags or 5-8 family size tea bags
- 4 cups boiling water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Gallon pitcher
- Cold water and ice
Instructions
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I use a 2-quart glass bowl to steep the tea in. Sprinkle your baking soda on the bottom of the bowl. Add your tea bags and pour boiling water over them. Let steep 15 minutes.
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Remove the tea bags and add the sugar. Stir until dissolved.
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Pour the brewed tea into your gallon pitcher and fill it to the top with cold water. Stir well. Refrigerate until cool.
-
Now pour over ice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Makes 1 gallon
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Heather Nations via Facebook says
My husband just steeps his tea for 24-48 hours to make it nice and strong. LOL I don’t like iced tea. He’s from Mississippi and I’m from Maine 😀
Jane says
That baking soda makes a big difference! If only I could cut back on the sugar and still have it taste the same!
David L Bahler via Facebook says
My mother makes the best sweet tea you’ll ever have. Our Alabama friends even asked her for the recipe.
But I’ll tell you, those Alabama boys don’t sweeten it up like some of them do down there
Twila says
Never heard of adding baking soda before, but I might have to try it. I am a northern girl married to a southern boy and while we still lived up north I rarely (read maybe twice) made sweet tea. If we had some, it was because Dan made it. But, after we moved to FL, I finally learned how to make it! And it meets his approval! 🙂 *score!!
Living in the Shoe says
So what’s the secret to sweet tea in Florida?
Judy Yoder via Facebook says
Do u put the baking soda in with the hot water an let it dissolve while the tea is brewing?
msmugler says
Hi Judy,
The answer is yes. I’ve been doing the baking soda trick for years. My mom taught me to do it this way and it never fails! The baking soda keeps the tea from getting that sharp/bitter/metallic taste that iced tea gets when brewed for an extended period. I also sprinkle some in the bottom of the pitcher I keep the tea in because it keeps it tasting fresh and it won’t absorb odors in the refrigerator.
Living In The Shoe via Facebook says
Yes, I sprinkle it on the bottom of the bowl and pour the boiling water in.
Joanna says
I’m a “GRITS” gal from GA and never heard of baking soda in tea either but I’m gonna try it – it must take out some of the bitter- that’s all I can figure out! I use 7 regular size tea bags and 1 cup sugar for 1 gal. I don’t like it so syrupy sweet, but there are probably as many ways to make southern tea as there are southerners!! =) Put a slice of lemon in your cup for a nice twang too!
Kimberly Amstutz via Facebook says
Why baking soda?
Sandra Miller says
You can add a pinch of salt – I do that to tea. Salt makes the sweet sweeter.
For regular tea you can make sun tea. It is easy and you can regulate its strength that way.
Living In The Shoe via Facebook says
I am not entirely sure, but I wonder if it doesn’t take some of the bitterness out. ???
Jill Kindy via Facebook says
I make it in my coffee maker. LOL. Is that allowed?
Kimberly Amstutz via Facebook says
The luzianne brand is not bitter.
Beth Cover via Facebook says
Lovely post my dear 🙂
Dena Skrivseth via Facebook says
…I find the comments interesting…someone had told me about using baking soda, but I forgot to try it. At our house we use Tetley, and we use the coffee maker to make it too (we don’t drink coffee at our house, its sole purpose is to brew tea!). We put in 2 family size bags, run the water thru for the first gallon. Then add another family size bag and rerun the water thru and make a 2nd gal. When you drink it a lot, you need to ‘conserve’ a bit! If we used 5-8 family size bags per gallon…we would go broke buying tea!! Also I love the really sweet tea, but when you drink it daily, you can cut back quite a bit, and it is still good! No, I wasn’t born in the south, but my children were, and they will let you know what is good tea or not! 🙂 We do sometimes steep it in a kettle and if you want it stronger, you just steep it a bit longer! When it is finished steeping pour immediately over plenty of ice and the sugar…they say it helps!!
Darlene N Marcus Byler via Facebook says
Sorry, but you forgot the main ingredient in my book; LEMON!!! 🙂
Living In The Shoe via Facebook says
You lemon lovers may keep your lemons. 😉 Jill, I used to make it in my coffeepot, too….then I bought a tea maker. But I’m afraid to mess with success now!
Lowell Graber via Facebook says
don’t mess with success you have it perfect hon
Kathy Sadlier via Facebook says
Maybe the baking soda makes it more healthy:)!!!
amy says
I’ve found too that the Luzianne brand isn’t bitter (at least not to me)…and I make mine in the microwave…a trick I learned from Aunt Jeanie! 🙂
Darrel Chupp via Facebook says
GOT TO HAVE TONS OF LEMON!!!!
Justin Wolfe via Facebook says
NEVER ruin tea with lemons.Please for the love of all that is good in this world.
Living In The Shoe via Facebook says
🙂 Someone might do battle with you on that one, Justin. The lemon tea lovers are pretty protective of their lemons!
Beth Cover via Facebook says
Haha, I’m with Justin Wolfe on this one 🙂
Laura says
Interesting discussion!
Rachel @ BubblyNatureCreations.com says
I am featuring your sweet tea at 5pm today at the Make Bake Create Party! I can’t wait to try it… I must admit that the baking soda is intriguing! lol Thanks for linking up!
Living in the Shoe says
It intrigued me, too! That’s why I had to try it. 🙂 Thanks for the feature!
Naomah-Orrin Miller via Facebook says
I made this last night and it was great! First time I ever made sweet tea that tasted good. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Living In The Shoe via Facebook says
You’re welcome!! I’m glad it turned out well for someone else, too. Sure would hate to have it flop for all of you.
Marcele says
Kendra,
Have you ever put the soda in the tea syrup like we make in California? I like to have it in the fridge for iced tea at any time of day!
Kendra says
I’m not sure how you make it in CA! 🙂 Are you talking about using the loose tea leaves? I know Mom used to do it this way. But, no, I have not put soda in with tea leaves, however, I think it would work the same.
Tina says
I use 6 regular tea bags placed in a 2qt pot filled 3/4 of the way with water and sit it on the stove to bring it to a boil. As soon as it reaches a true rolling boil remove it from the stove and add only a pinch, no more of baking soda. It does remove any bitterness. In my gallon pic her I put 2 cups of sugar, that can be adjusted to taste, but this is traditional southern tea as taught to me by my Grandmother. I pour the still hot tea over the sugar holding the bags bag with my faithful long handled spoon. I then blend the hot tea melting in the sugar. I add cold water to the pot with the bags and pour that into the pitcher a couple of times getting all the tea out of the bags and carefully press the bags so as not to break them, stirring as I go. Then fill the remainder with water and stir. A South Carolina born and raise woman, as well as having lived in Georgia for the last 12 years, my extended family always asks that I make the numerous gallons of tea for family reunions and holiday get togethers. As my mother will even admit it tastes like real Southern tea. LOL
Kendra says
Thanks a bunch for this info!!