Southern peach iced tea – peach iced tea Recipe
Sweet, well-chilled tea with peaches and ice, drunk by the liter on hot days in the American South. It tastes like a cross between compote and tea, but is lighter and more refreshing. Perfect for the balcony, a picnic or a backyard barbecue.
This Southern-style iced tea combines the depth of strong black tea with the natural sweetness and aroma of peaches, making it both refreshing and full of flavor. The homemade peach syrup gives it a much richer taste than store-bought iced tea.
Chef's tips
Adjust the sweetness to your taste—Southern versions are usually quite sweet, but you can easily reduce the sugar. If you’re serving a crowd, make a double batch of the peach syrup in advance and keep it chilled, then mix with freshly brewed tea as needed.
How to serve
Serve in large jugs packed with ice, peach slices and mint so guests can help themselves. It pairs especially well with grilled chicken, corn on the cob and simple summer salads.
Ingredients
- black tea tea bags or loose leaves - 3 pieces
- water - 800 ml
- peaches fresh or canned - 2 pieces
- sugar - 60 g
- lemon - 0.5 pieces
- ice cubes - 200 g
- mint - 4 sprigs
Preparation
- Wash the peaches, cut them in half, remove the pits and slice thinly. If using canned peaches, drain off the syrup and slice them as well.
- Put the sugar into a small saucepan, add half of the sliced peaches and pour in about 150 ml of water from the measured amount. Heat over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the peaches soften and release their juices, stirring from time to time.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and lightly mash the peaches with a spoon to release more flavor. Set the syrup aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, bring the remaining water to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the tea and steep for 4–5 minutes so it’s fairly strong. Remove the tea bags or strain out the leaves and leave the brew to cool.
- Strain the peach syrup into a jug through a sieve, pressing the fruit gently to extract the juice. Add the tea and the juice from half a lemon. Stir to combine.
- Add ice cubes, the remaining peach slices and the mint sprigs to the jug. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the tea gets very cold and the flavors meld.
- Serve in tall glasses with extra ice cubes, a peach slice and a mint leaf.
Storage
Store leftover iced tea in the fridge for up to 2 days. Remove the mint after a few hours so it doesn’t turn bitter, and add fresh mint and ice just before serving again.
I like to leave a few peach slices in the bottom of each glass—they soak up the tea and become a little extra treat at the end. If peaches are out of season, good-quality canned peaches work surprisingly well.
