What is more refreshing than a chilled glass of southern lemon Iced tea? Ummmm… Nothing! A fresh homemade version is easy and OH SO DELICIOUS!
Why this recipe works:
- EASY!
- Full tea flavor because of hot brewing.
- Fresh lemon juice gives a vibrant pop of flavor that you just can’t get with store-bought.
Here’s How You Do It
STEP 1.
Heat the water to near boiling
Boiling Hot Water
STEP 2.
Gallon size tea bag into the hot water
STEP 3.
Let the tea sit till room temp.
Put the lid on to allow the tea to steep
STEP 4.
Squeeze the juice from the lemons and cut the remainder into slices
STEP 5.
Add everything together in the pitcher.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why would you put baking soda in the Lemon Iced Tea?
Sometimes Iced Tea can taste a little bit bitter and baking soda neutralizes that bitterness! Everyone loves a smoother tea!
Can I Use Green Tea instead of Black Tea?
Yes of course! Experiment some with other flavored teas as well!
Does Lemon Iced Tea Spoil?
Yes! It does! Keep refrigerated and it should be good for about 5 days. If left out on the counter, the tea will be good for about 2 days.
Is Lemon Iced Tea Good For You?
Drinking more fluids is never bad for you, unless you have a heart or kidney situation. You’ll have to make the decision yourself, but tea and lemon have both been indicated in diets for good health.
Which Tea is Best for Lemon Iced Tea?
We prefer Luzianne Iced Tea Bags or Lipton Tea at our house, these are black teas.
Can You Make ANY Tea Into Iced Tea?
That’s a yes and a no. You can, but should you? Black Teas and Green Teas are most commonly made into iced teas.
TIPS & TRICKS for Perfect Southern Lemon Iced Tea
- Make sure that your tea is completely cooled before transferring it to a pitcher. Hot liquid could shatter the pitcher and that would be awful
- Some folks like a STRONG tea and others like a weaker tea, allow the tea bags to sit in the water longer for strong tea and less for weak tea.
- Allowing the tea bags to sit in the hot water is called steeping. Be SURE to do this for long enough! That will get the most flavor for you!.
Sweetness…
- For sweetness, make sure to make a simple syrup then you can simply pour as much in your drink as you like for sweetness.
- If you just want to add sugar to your own drink, add sugar, stir and taste until it is to your liking. .
- Tea waters down easily, add ice JUST to your own glass and not the whole pitcher.
- Lemons become limp and ugly in short order, only add slices to the glasses you are drinking to keep your lemon fresh looking.This Fresh homemade iced tea recipe is simple and easy to make, the only difficult part is squeezing those lemons but, please use fresh juice, store bought just doesn’t do the trick!
- Try with other citrus fruits like orange, lime or even tangerines and clementines!
PRO TIPS!
PRO TIP: For excellent iced tea ICE, freeze some of the iced tea in ice cube trays and then use those in your tea! This keeps your tea from becoming watered down!
PRO TIP: (affiliate link coming, takes you to amazon where you can compare prices, commission earned on purchase without any increase in cost to you). Don’t have an OXO Good Grips Wooden Reamer
PRO TIP: One lemon has about 2 Tablespoons of juice in it!
If You Enjoyed This Southern Lemon Iced Tea, You Might Also Enjoy One of These…
Fresh homemade lemonade concentrate.
Fresh homemade lemonade from scratch
YA’LL HELP ME OUT, OK?
I need your help! Please leave me a 5 STAR 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 in the comments below ! This lets the internet know that THIS IS THE PLACE for wonderful comfort food
Southern Lemon Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 4 Cups of water
- ¾ - 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 10 tea bags black tea
- 6 whole lemons Squeeze the juice from
- 4 lemons sliced
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to a simmer (bubbles just forming in the water) and immediately turn the heat off.
- Add the sugar, baking soda to the hot water and mix well. Add the tea bags and then put the lid on the pan. Let sit until the water reaches room temperature.
- Remove the tea bags and VERY gently squeeze each one.
- Add the lemon juice to the pan and mix well.
- Pour the tea concentrate from the sauce pan into the pitcher and then add enough cool clear water to fill the pitcher the rest of the way. This will equal about 12 Cups of water (plus or minus)
- Refrigerate until chilled. Serve with the lemon slices in the glass of iced tea.
Notes
- Make sure that your tea is completely cooled before transferring it to a pitcher. Hot liquid could shatter the pitcher and that would be awful!
- Some folks like a STRONG tea and others like a weaker tea, allow the tea bags to sit in the water longer for strong tea and less for weak tea.
- Allowing the tea bags to sit in the hot water is called steeping. Be SURE to do this for long enough! That will get the most flavor for you!.
- For sweetness, make sure to make a simple syrup then you can simply pour as much in your drink as you like for sweetness.
- If you just want to add sugar to your own drink, add sugar, stir and taste until it is to your liking. .
- Tea waters down easily, add ice JUST to your own glass and not the whole pitcher.
- Lemons become limp and ugly in short order, only add slices to the glasses you are drinking to keep your lemon fresh looking.
- Try with other citrus fruits like orange, lime or even tangerines and clementines!
Nutrition
A VERSE TO SHARE
Ever had a super bad day where you can barely even hold your head up and all you want to do is crawl under the covers and never come out? Yep. Me too. This verse from Isaiah always helps me, and I thought it might help you too.
Isaiah 41:10
…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand
Wendi Spraker
Friday 16th of August 2019
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