It’s easy to make your own tea at home. You don’t need a fancy tea set or even a tea pot. In this article, I’ll tell you how to make tea at home on the stove using tea bags, loose leaf tea, and more.
In this article you'll find:
How To Make Tea on the Stove with Tea Bags
The easiest method requires a kettle and mug.
- Fill the kettle with clean water.
- Turn one burner up all the way and place the kettle on the proper burner.
- Place one or more tea bags in your favorite mug.
- Wait for your water to boil, then turn off the burner.
- Pour hot water into your mug.
- Wait until the tea reaches a comfortable temperature, and enjoy!
Read the instructions on your box of tea bags. Some herbal teas need to steep for ten minutes or more, while others (like green tea) taste best if the tea bag is removed after just a few minutes.
How To Make Tea Without a Kettle
To make tea without a kettle, simply follow the directions above, using a small pot in place of a kettle. A nice bonus of doing it this way is that you can steep your tea bags directly in the pot once the water has boiled, or you can – carefully – pour the hot water into a mug and add your tea bag(s).
How To Make Loose Leaf Tea on the Stove
Making tea without a tea bag is pretty much the same as using tea bags, and it’s also easy; you just need some sort of strainer. Many are made to fit right over the opening of a mug, but a fine mesh kitchen strainer or even cheesecloth will work as well. Here’s what to do:
- Fill your pot (or kettle) with clean water.
- Turn one burner up all the way and place the pot on the proper burner.
- Wait for your water to reach the desired temp – see your tea package for details – turn the burner off and remove the pot or kettle from the hot burner.
- Add your loose leaf to the pot (or a strainer in or over your mug), measuring according to directions on the package.
- Add the hot water, letting the tea steep for the recommended amount of time. Some leafy teas should simmer for only a few minutes, while roots and spices can simmer for hours.
- If you steeped the tea in a pot, carefully strain your tea as you pour out of the pot and into your mug.
- Wait until the tea reaches a comfortable, sippable temperature, and enjoy!
How To Make Sweet Tea on the Stove
You can make sweet tea with black tea or with any number of herbal teas. Play around with different combinations. Here are some of my favorites:
- Black tea with pure cane sugar
- Hibiscus tea with cinnamon and honey
- Rooibus tea with maple syrup
- Chai tea with brown sugar
- Mint tea with just a touch of honey
To make your own sweet tea at home:
- Follow the directions for making tea on the stove, and add your choice of sweetener.
- Wait until the tea reaches a comfortable temperature, and enjoy!
How To Make Iced Tea on the Stove
The secret to great iced tea? Use double the recommended amount of loose leaf tea or tea bags to make your tea extra strong, so that it won’t be weak when diluted with ice. Here’s how you do it:
Follow the same directions for making tea on the stove but adjust the amount of tea you’re using as noted above.
Iced tea may or may not have sweetener – so prepare it however you like. In Canada, iced tea almost always has sweetener, but in the US you’ll need to ask how they serve it so you know for sure what you’re getting – I’ve found it’s often not sweetened, which is my preference most often.
The Wonderful World of Tea
Now that you know the basics, there’s a whole world of different teas for you to explore! Try buying new herbs from the bulk selection at your local health food store and making your own unique mixes.
You can make your own chai tea by simmering ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper. Experiment with different ratios until it’s exactly how you like it. Add orange zest for something really special.
You can even grow your own herbal tea! Some of the easiest herbs to grow for tea include lemon balm, peppermint, and chamomile. Tulsi (holy basil) makes a fragrant, wonderful tea that’s easy to grow — and bees love its beautiful flowers.
Conclusion
There you have it! Making tea on the stove is truly as simple as heating some water and steeping your tea. Once you’ve mastered the basics, there’s a whole new world to explore.
