Written by Audrey Wick
One staple of Southern living is sweet tea. Summer is the perfect time for an ice-cold glass, and my characters in the Texas BBQ Brothers series know this. Tea makes a sideline appearance several times in the small town duet series ON THE MARKET and OFF THE MARKET. It’s served as a regular menu item in The Hut, the BBQ restaurant owned by my heroes, the Hutchinson brothers. Patrons can’t get enough of them—and their sweet tea!
But making sweet tea doesn’t require a complicated contraption or special ingredients. Here’s the perfect way to turn the heat of summer into a reason to make sun tea at home.
The Hut’s Recipe for Sweet Sun Tea
1) Choose a pitcher or glass container.
2) Fill with 2 quarts room temperature water.
3) Dunk 2 family size tea bags of any variety black tea inside.
4) Cover the container and set in a sunny location for 2-3 hours.
5) Discard tea bags.
6) Add 1/2 – 2/3 cup pure cane sugar. Stir until dissolved.
7) Refrigerate until cool.
Note: Do NOT immediately add ice, as that will weaken the tea. Once the tea has cooled in the refrigerator, then ice can be used as you pour yourself a tall glass.
Have any lemon, lime, or mint leaves? Add some for a dash of extra flavor.
As the dog days of summer stretch on, stay cool! There’s still plenty of time to read, and plenty of time to enjoy a glass of sweet sun tea while you do!
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Like this? Want more recipes? Each book in the Texas BBQ Brothers series contains four original recipes in the back, ranging from BBQ brisket to corn casserole to peach cobbler. Savor the flavor of small town Texas by grabbing your copy today!
