Description
A refreshing Strawberry Sweet Tea recipe that combines freshly simmered strawberries, brewed tea, and a hint of lemon, perfect for a cool and flavorful summer beverage.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Syrup
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced (about one pint)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
Tea
- 10 regular-sized tea bags
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
To Combine
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon, squeezed)
- 6-8 additional cups of water (to dilute tea and syrup to taste)
Optional Garnish
- Lemon slices
- Strawberry slices
Instructions
- Prepare Strawberry Syrup: Place the sliced strawberries, sugar, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high, stirring until boiling.
- Simmer: Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer gently for 20-30 minutes to extract strawberry flavor and sweetness.
- Strain Syrup: Remove from heat, strain out the strawberries, and discard them. Reserve the sweetened strawberry liquid for later.
- Brew Tea: Place ten tea bags in 3 cups of hot water and steep for 5-10 minutes until the flavor is strong. Remove tea bags and discard.
- Add Sugar to Tea: Stir 1 cup sugar into the hot brewed tea until fully dissolved.
- Combine and Lemonize: In a large pitcher, mix the sweetened brewed tea and the strawberry syrup. Add the lemon juice and stir well.
- Adjust and Chill: Add 6-8 cups of cold water to dilute the tea to your desired strength. Refrigerate until chilled.
- Serve: Pour over ice and garnish with lemon and strawberry slices if desired for an extra touch of freshness and presentation.
Notes
- Adjust sugar quantities according to preferred sweetness.
- For stronger tea flavor, steep tea bags longer or use more tea bags.
- To make this beverage in advance, prepare syrup and tea separately and combine when ready to serve.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor rather than bottled lemon juice.
- This recipe yields approximately 1 large pitcher (around 8 servings).
