Description
This refreshing Strawberry Sweet Tea combines homemade black tea with a vibrant strawberry syrup, lightly sweetened and enhanced with a splash of lemon juice. Perfect for hot summer days, this American classic is easy to make on the stovetop and customizable to your preferred sweetness level.
Ingredients
Scale
Tea Base
- 8 cups water, divided
- 3 family-size black tea bags
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Strawberry Syrup
- 1/2 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup water (for simmering strawberries)
Serving
- Ice, for serving
- Fresh mint and strawberry slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Brew the Tea: In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Let steep for 5 to 7 minutes to extract rich flavor, then remove and discard the tea bags.
- Make Strawberry Syrup: In a separate saucepan over medium heat, combine the sliced strawberries, sugar, and 1 cup of water. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are soft and broken down.
- Strain the Syrup: Remove the saucepan from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Pour the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the remaining solids.
- Combine Tea and Syrup: Add the brewed tea and lemon juice to the pitcher with the strawberry syrup. Then add the remaining 3 cups of cold water. Stir thoroughly to mix all components.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the strawberry sweet tea until thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint leaves and strawberry slices if desired.
Notes
- For a smoother consistency, blend the cooked strawberries before straining the syrup.
- Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste preference for sweetness.
- This tea can be prepared a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator for convenience and enhanced flavor.
