From Southern Living Barbeque by Joy Zacharia 2003
Makes 1 gallon. Steep 10 minutes
The quintessential sweet Southern bevy. Garnish with mint leaves.
6 cups water 4 tea bags 1 to 1 3/4 cups sugar
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan; add tea bags. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing gently.
Add sugar, stirring until disolved. Pour into 1-gallon pitcher, and add enough water to fill pitcher. Serve over ice.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Chris Allingham,
Posts: 7 | Location: CT | Registered: July 10, 2004
I've never heard of boiling tea for a minute. I always pour boiling water (for black) or steaming water (for green) over the tea and let it steep without boiling.
For an extra refreshing summer drink to cool you off, substitute a mint tea bag for one of the regular ones. It is not an overpowering taste, just a hint. Ice down well when served and it is awesome.
".....just as the smoke gets into your clothes and the sauce gets under your finger nails, the feeling of eating real barbecue in a classic joint gets into your soul. " Lolis Eric Elie 2005
I remember my Grandpa boiling tea in water when I was a kid. I don't think that's the best way to do it by today's standards, but if there was any harshness in the flavor as a result, it was drowned out by all the sweetener he added!
Regards, Chris
Posts: 5759 | Location: San Jose, CA | Registered: November 10, 1999
For those not familiar with the South, sweet tea is most definitely the norm. 'Course so is coke, orange coke, root beer coke, grape coke, etc.... All of this sorta grows on you, kinda like kudzu...
"It's on my TO-DO list, awright?". -Shrek
Posts: 908 | Location: Central GA | Registered: June 21, 2004
My DH Robert has drank sweet tea every day of his life, and he STILL gets excited when we go to a restaurant and the waitress says, "sweet or unsweet?" Now granted, I don't make tea syrup the way my kinfolks in South Carolina do, using about a cup sugar to a quart of tea. I use probably the artificial sweetner equivalent of a cup of sugar to a gallon of tea, so I guess I'm right in line with the SL recipe.
We can get Cain's brand gallon-sized teabags here. I fill my little electric Presto kettle to its quart capacity - it takes about 1.5 minutes to come to a full boil. Then I unplug the kettle, chunk in the teabag, and leave it sit while I get the rest of dinner ready. If I'm being lazy, I just make my tea concentrate in the coffee pot, but the little electric kettle uses less electricity per pitcher of tea.
The first time I went up into "yankee" territory lo these many years ago, I got some very interesting looks when I requested "iced tea" - I thought the whole country drank iced tea all year 'round.
Keith, your comment about "orange coke, root beer coke", etc, rang a bell with me. I remember back in college in the late 70's and early 80's - it was the first time that I realized the hilarity of this common Okie exchange:
"I'm going down to the lounge - do you want a Coke?" "Yeah, thanks - bring me one." "What do you want?" "Dr. Pepper."
I'm a Texan who got flooded out of New Orleans. I'm part time in Pennsylvania now. When I ask for tea, I most commonly get tea with raspberry flavor. It's add sugar to your own taste. We now go from place to place housesitting for people who want to get away, from a week to six months. We have noticed that there are certain questions that are asked over and over in local eateries, like sweet or unsweet? In Arizona the "question" is red or green? In Lousiana, the "Question" is hot or not hot. Can you guess what the "question" is in North Carolina? So what is the "Question" in Oklahoma?
In California I don't think anyone asks for just "tea" so there is no question I can think of. It's normally, Raspberry iced tea the customer asks lol.
If we just say "tea" it comes out unsweetened. Almost always.
Posts: 352 | Location: San Diego, CA | Registered: April 17, 2006
Originally posted by Jim Langford: I've never heard of boiling tea for a minute
What color is Lipton's?
I'm sorry but, speaking as a Brit, Liptons does not count as tea. I drink at least a dozen mugs of the stuff a day and when I come to the US and get Liptons i want to cry. Real tears. Honestly.
Posts: 6 | Location: Letchworth, UK | Registered: August 12, 2009
Originally posted by BILL_O: What is the prefered tea leafs (bags) used by most?
My fav tea bags are made by Twinings. I like what we call navvies tea over here in the UK. A navvie is a nickname for a workman. Not fancy tea but it tastes great but its not for sale in the US on their site.
As a close seconf you can get some nice English breakfast in the US which would make great iced tea.
Posts: 6 | Location: Letchworth, UK | Registered: August 12, 2009
Originally posted by Keri C: My DH Robert has drank sweet tea every day of his life, and he STILL gets excited when we go to a restaurant and the waitress says, "sweet or unsweet?" Now granted, I don't make tea syrup the way my kinfolks in South Carolina do, using about a cup sugar to a quart of tea. I use probably the artificial sweetner equivalent of a cup of sugar to a gallon of tea, so I guess I'm right in line with the SL recipe.
We can get Cain's brand gallon-sized teabags here. I fill my little electric Presto kettle to its quart capacity - it takes about 1.5 minutes to come to a full boil. Then I unplug the kettle, chunk in the teabag, and leave it sit while I get the rest of dinner ready. If I'm being lazy, I just make my tea concentrate in the coffee pot, but the little electric kettle uses less electricity per pitcher of tea.
The first time I went up into "yankee" territory lo these many years ago, I got some very interesting looks when I requested "iced tea" - I thought the whole country drank iced tea all year 'round.
Keith, your comment about "orange coke, root beer coke", etc, rang a bell with me. I remember back in college in the late 70's and early 80's - it was the first time that I realized the hilarity of this common Okie exchange:
"I'm going down to the lounge - do you want a Coke?" "Yeah, thanks - bring me one." "What do you want?" "Dr. Pepper."
Keri C
Growing up in California in the early 60's I never heard the term "soda pop" or "soft drink" and thought that "coke" was term used when asking for a soft drink. I'd ask for a coke and my sister would ask what kind and I'd say Dr. Pepper. Seems funny now.....
18" WSM 22.5" OTG
Posts: 79 | Location: Kansas | Registered: October 09, 2005
