Canning Sweet Tea?

[SingleStack45]

Anyone know how I can can Sweet Tea...for those backwoods trips where it is impractical to carry ice/coolers to keep it fresh?

For longer term storage...I would just vacuum pack the bags...but I am thinking for more short term uses...a couple weeks...or a month or so of pre-made tea...just an idea I had when I saw those half gallon canning jars recently...

[Shamrock1121]

Anyone know how I can can Sweet Tea...for those backwoods trips where it is impractical to carry ice/coolers to keep it fresh?

For longer term storage...I would just vacuum pack the bags...but I am thinking for more short term uses...a couple weeks...or a month or so of pre-made tea...just an idea I had *when I saw those half gallon canning jars recently...

You can't seriously think lugging around canning jars of sweet tea a GOOD thing, can you? Purchase the commercial stuff or I'd suggest you use instant powdered tea?

There is no safe (at home) canning method for tea because it's too low on the pH chart.

-Karen

[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

45, that's a toughy. Canning it is what is confusing me. If I understand your ? correctly, I'm with Karen. Why would you want to carry glass into and out of a hiking area? If it's a dayhike, just put some in a CamelbaK and chill it overnight. For extended trips, lightweight is the way to go. Take tea-bags, sugar and make it on-the-go.

[SingleStack45]

Should have specified...backwoods...Jeeping adventures...I won't be carrying them...the Jeep will...;)

I dunno...it was just an idea...I was also thinking about having it stored for Hurricane season down here in Florida...

[crowweaver]

I think it's a great question and I'm hoping you get a good answer cause i would like to know too :)

[theresehirko]

We can our own margarita mix, but that is loaded with fresh lime juice. I'm thinking along the lines of tea bags and if a hurricane is coming and you absolutely have to have sweet tea, make a huge pot of it before the power goes out.

[Mwhoney89]

I want to start canning small jars of concentrated sweet tea so I can make a couple months worth of tea at a time does any one have any suggestions

[blutfort]

Here's my recipie...I don't like it too sweet so add more sugar if you like.

Get a 5 gallon plastic bucke with a resealable top.
Put 4 cups of sugar in the bottom.
Remove the labels from 20 tea bags and put them in the bottom of the pail.
Put a small chunk of dry ice in the bucket and loosely cap the bucket. When all the dry ice has sublimated, seal and cap the bucket.

When you're ready for sweet tea, add 5 gallons of boiling water, chill and enjoy.

If you want to do the same thing in quart jars, get 20 quart jars, put 1 tea bag and 1/5 cup of sugar in each. Evacuate with a vacuum sealer attachment. When ready to drink just add hot water.

If you like lemon, add some of the "True Lemon" dehydrated lemon available from most grocery stores.