📖 Instructions

1. Wash and hull the strawberries: Start by washing 1 pound of fresh strawberries. Remove the green tops (hulls) and slice them into smaller pieces. Doing this ensures the strawberry flavor extracts evenly when making the syrup.
2. Make the strawberry syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the sliced strawberries with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until the strawberries have softened and the syrup has thickened slightly. Stirring is key here, dont forget to do it!
3. Strain the syrup: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the strawberry mixture cool slightly. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the mixture through the sieve. Use a spoon to press down on the strawberries, extracting as much syrup as possible. Discard the solids. What you have left is liquid gold!
4. Brew the tea: While the syrup cools, brew 4 cups of strong black tea. You can use tea bags or loose-leaf tea, whatever you prefer. If using tea bags, steep them in hot water for about 5 minutes. If using loose-leaf tea, follow the package instructions. Remove the tea bags or strain the tea to remove the loose leaves. Don't skip this important part.
5. Combine the syrup and tea: In a large pitcher, pour the brewed tea and the strawberry syrup. Stir well to combine. Taste and add more syrup if you want it sweeter. This is your opportunity to make it YOUR version.
6. Chill the iced tea: Add ice to the pitcher to cool the tea quickly. Then, refrigerate the iced tea for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Overnight chilling is even better!
7. Serve and garnish: When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice and pour the strawberry iced tea over the ice. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices, mint sprigs, or a lemon wedge for an extra touch of freshness. I like to add a little umbrella too, just for fun.