Pork Free Southern Sweet Iced Tea
Few drinks capture the spirit of a long, lazy afternoon quite like a tall glass of sweet iced tea. This classic Southern recipe keeps things beautifully simple — just water, black tea, and sugar — so every sip is clean, refreshing, and deeply satisfying. The technique matters here: steeping the bags without squeezing them keeps the flavor smooth and mellow rather than bitter, and dissolving the sugar while the tea is still hot ensures every glass is perfectly sweet from top to bottom. Pouring the hot concentrate over cold water is a smart shortcut that gets you to a full pitcher faster without sacrificing flavor. Serve it over a mountain of ice with a lemon wedge and a sprig of fresh mint for that picture-perfect Southern touch. It's the kind of drink that disappears fast at any gathering, so you might want to make a second pitcher right away.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 8 cup water
- 6 black tea bags (family-size or regular)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
For serving
- ice, for serving
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to a full boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags without squeezing them — squeezing releases bitter tannins.
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