Description
Sweet strawberry tea blends refreshing Southern charm with ripe berry essence. Chilled glasses invite summer relaxation with delightful fruity notes you’ll savor completely.
Ingredients
Scale
Fresh Produce:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
- Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
- Additional strawberries for garnish (optional)
Tea Components:
- 4 sweet tea bags
- 4 cups (32 fluid ounces/946 milliliters) boiling water
Liquid Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons/60 milliliters) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Select a large, heat-resistant pitcher capable of holding multiple cups of liquid for tea preparation.
- Boil water to precisely 212°F and pour over tea bags, allowing them to steep for exactly 10-15 minutes to extract full flavor profile.
- Remove tea bags carefully, discarding them, and permit the brewed tea to naturally cool to room temperature without additional intervention.
- Transfer the tea to refrigerator and chill thoroughly for approximately 30-45 minutes until completely cold.
- Transform fresh strawberries into silky smooth liquid by processing them in a high-powered blender until consistently uniform in texture.
- Filter the strawberry puree through a fine mesh strainer, pressing gently to extract maximum juice while eliminating unwanted seeds and pulp.
- Merge the strained strawberry essence with freshly squeezed lemon juice and the previously chilled tea, stirring until perfectly integrated.
- Pour the crimson-hued beverage over generously sized ice cubes, optionally embellishing with delicate strawberry slices and translucent lemon rounds for visual appeal.
Notes
- Choose a high-quality black tea like Luzianne or Lipton for the most authentic Southern sweet tea flavor.
- Experiment with different berry combinations by adding raspberries or blackberries to the strawberry puree for a more complex taste profile.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries at peak season to ensure maximum sweetness and vibrant color in your tea.
- Consider making a sugar-free version by substituting honey or stevia for traditional sugar, which works great for low-carb or diabetic-friendly options.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Tea
- Method: Steeping
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg