Iced Sun Tea Recipes

PERFECT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Hot-Brewed:
• Bring 8 cups water to a simmer; remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons loose tea or 6 tea bags. Let steep about 4 minutes, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags. Let cool, then transfer to a pitcher, cover and refrigerate.
• Cold-Brewed:
• Combine 8 cups cold water and 6 tablespoons loose tea or 10 tea bags in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 15 to 36 hours, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags.
• Sweet Teas:
• Combine 3/4 cup each sugar and water in a saucepan and add 1 infuser, if desired. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the infused syrup through a fine-mesh sieve (you'll get about 1 cup).
• Orange Add 6 strips zest
• Blackberries 1 cup
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Lavender 3 tablespoons dried
• Vanilla 1 halved bean
• Mint 3 sprigs
• Ginger 1 cup sliced
• Lemon 8 strips zest
• Nectarine 1 cup chopped
• Cucumber 2 cups chopped

CLASSIC ICED SUN TEA

Steps:

• Pour water over tea, and steep in bright sunlight until rich brown and translucent but not cloudy, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Strain. Serve over ice with garnish.

SOLAR-POWERED, SUN-BREWED ICED TEA

Steps:

• *Early in the day*: fill a gallon jar with water, tea bags and honey; cover and place jar out in a sunny spot.
• Remove from outdoors, shake jug to be sure the honey is well-mixed; remove tea-bags (these can go in the compost).
• Place jar in fridge to chill (well, duh!).
• Serve over ice cubes or just chilled.
• VARIATIONS: If you're using unflavored tea bags, you can add a flavor by adding several (or fewer) drops of your favorite flavoring extracts to the finished tea: raspberry, orange, blackberry or a combination.
• MONEY-SAVING HINT: Leave the honey out and let everyone add their own sugar when they're served.

ICED SUN TEA

Steps:

• Remove any tags from the tea bags (prevents dye from leeching into the tea) and place them in the bottom of a clear, glass, 1/2 gallon pitcher.
• Fill with cold water , add lemon and lime and cover with plastic wrap or lid (keeps gnats and other creepies out).
• Place outdoors in the sun (can do out of the sun as well, but takes just a bit longer).
• Allow to brew for 5-6 hours or until it is as dark as you like (warmer weather brews it faster).
• Remove tea bags and fruit and serve tea over ice, sweetened with honey if desired (mix it in while tea is warm).
• Tea will keep about 6 hours, after which the quality decreases rapidly.

SUN TEA

Steps:

• Using a gallon sized jar, place your tea bags inside, then fill to the top with cold water.
• Place jar outside in the warm sun.
• If you want to make a smaller amount, in a smaller jar, that's good too! Just reduce the number of teabags.
• I determine when my tea is done, but the color. I like a rich strong tea, so I wait until it's a deep amber.
• Once it's reached the color and boldness you want, bring it back inside and add the sugar. Of course, you can omit the sugar if you want unsweetened tea.
• Serve over a tall glass of ice.
• Enjoy!

HOW TO MAKE SUN TEA

Steps:

• Place the tea bags, orange slices and mint in bottom of a large pitcher. Slowly fill with water.
• Cover pitcher with plastic wrap or lid and place outside for at least 4 hours on a sunny or warm day.
• Bring inside and strain tea. Serve with ice.