It is said the "secret" ingredient removes any bitterness and creates a smooth, clear tea. I have seen this twice in the last month. One from the deep south and the other from the (now closed) Lone Star Steakhouse in Houston, TX.

Ingredients

tea bags↗12
quart water, boiling↗1 quart
quarts water, cool↗3 quarts
cup sugar↗1 cup
more or less to taste, in TX they use 1.5 cups
teaspoon baking soda↗1⁄4 teaspoon
the secret ingredient

Step-by-step instructions

1
Sprinkle baking soda into a 1 gallon pitcher.
2
Add tea bags.
3
Pour boiling water over tea bags.
4
Cover and steep 15 minutes.
5
Remove tea bags (I hope you compost them).
6
Add cool water.
7
Refrigerate until cold and you are ready to drink it.
8
Serve over ice.

Source: food.com

Original recipe ↗

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