Decaffeinated Ice Tea Concentrate

I really love ice tea on warm days – what I don’t like is all the caffeine that comes along with it. I also like to be able to control the amount of sweetener in my iced tea. I canned homemade tea concentrate a couple years ago and found one jar still on the cold room shelf. I opened it up and it was so good I decided to make a supply of decaffeinated iced tea concentrate.

This recipe makes 6 quart jars or 12 pints. Recommended 1 pint of concentrate to a gallon of water. For single servings use approx. 1/4 cup concentrate to 1 cup water.

Caroline’s Decaffeinated Ice Tea Concentrate

12 cups water
30 decaffeinated tea bags ( I used Tetley Orange Pekoe Decaf)
9 cups granulated sugar
2 cups Real Lemon juice

Place water in large stainless steel pot . Bring to a boil. Add tea bags. Turn off heat and cover with lid. Let sit 15-30 minutes. Carefully remove tea bags.
Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Stir in the Real Lemon juice.

Prepare 6 quart jars or 12 pints and lids according to canning directions. Fill jars to 1/2″ from top. Wipe rim of jar with a paper towel dipped in vinegar. Put lids on.

Heat water water in pressure canner or water canner. When warm add the jars sitting them on the rack inside the canner.

Pressure Canner: – use according to canner directions. Put lid on. Once it steams let it vent for 10 minutes. Put weight on. Pressure can for 15 minutes at 10lbs. ( use pounds of pressure for your area)

Water Canner – place in water filled canner making sure water covers jars by 1-2 inches. Bring to boil and process 15 minutes.

Makes 6 quarts or 12 pints