Growing up in Alabama, there was only one kind of tea- sweet tea. If you were feeling adventurous, you might add a little lemon. When I moved to Nicaragua 7 years ago, I was introduced to many new flavors of teas and fresh juices. Among those new flavors is my all-time favorite, Hibiscus Tea, known locally as Te de Jamaica. Hibiscus tea is made from a specific variety of red hibiscus buds and has a tart flavor, similar to cranberry or pomegranate. Many cultures in Latin America and the Asia have their own versions of hibiscus tea. Depending on your location, you may find it is more often served hot or more often served cold. You’ve probably seen it on the menu at chain coffee shops or a list of superfoods. There are many recipes out there for hibiscus tea or te de jamaica and I’m sure, many opinions about the “right way” to make it. I won’t tell you this is the right way, but it is my favorite way. My Nicaraguan mother-in-law is an amazing cook and makes the absolute best hibiscus tea. I love it so much that I requested it at our civil wedding ceremony dinner! After years of requesting her to make it, I decided it was time to learn myself. This is her recipe and method for the most delicious and refreshing hibiscus tea. Perfect for the warm summer months ahead!
Hibiscus flowers or tea bags?
In my opinion, dried flowers are the way to go when it comes to brewing hibiscus tea. A few times in the markets, I’ve found the fresh buds, but even here those are a rarety. However, in just about every supermarket in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and I bet most other Latin American Countries, you can find bags of dried flowers labeled “Jamaica.” In the dried version, their color and flavor concentrates and is just waiting to be brought back to life. I am well aware that finding dried hibiscus flowers in the US is quite a bit more difficult than it is here, although that is beginning to change. Keeping that in mind, this recipe can also be made with hibiscus tea bags. You will want to make sure that you are purchasing tea bags that only contain hibiscus, so be sure to check the ingredients on the box. If you would like to try making your hibiscus tea with dried flowers, you can purchase a pound here which will be enough to make about 6 gallons.
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Let’s brew
Making the tea is actually quite simple, but it does take some time so be sure to prepare ahead. Boil a few cups of water and remove the water from the heat. Add 1/3 cup of sugar to the hot water along with the hibiscus and one cinnamon stick. Please, do not try ground cinnamon. It will not go well. For years, I tried making my own hibiscus and it never turned out quite the same as what I tried in restaurants or from Nicaraguan cooks. The cinnamon is not overpowering in the tea, but helps balance the tartness. According to my husband, adding the small amount of sugar at this stage removes any bitterness and “makes it better.” He’s the pro, so we are going to do what he says. Now you’ve got a little sugar, hibiscus, cinnamon and hot water in a pot. It is going to need to sit for a minimum of 2 hours, but overnight is great! Just be sure to put a lid on it so the ants don’t decide to throw a pool party while you wait.
Final steps
Thank you for your patience. It will be worth it in the end, I promise. Grab a fine mesh strainer and an a one-gallon pitcher. Carefully pour your tea mixture through the strainer so that it catches all the flowers and the cinnamon. I’d suggest an apron for this task, as the concentrated tea will easily stain and it tends to splash a little. Using your now-empty pot, let’s make some simple syrup. This is just a fancy way of saying we need to disolve the sugar before adding it to the tea. No one likes it when all the sugar sinks to the bottom of the drinks, right? Add the remaining sugar and one cup of water to your small pot. Bring the sugar and water to a boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Let cool 5 minutes and add to the pitcher with the tea concentrate. Stir to combine and fill the rest of your pitcher with water. This recipe makes 1 gallon. Let cool for about half an hour and once ready to serve, just fill your glass with ice and top it off with your authentic hibiscus tea. Excuse me, I think I need to go make some right now!
Ready to mix up your own refreshing authentic hibiscus tea? Here’s how to do it…
Authentic Hibiscus Tea – Te de Jamaica
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers or 40 single serving hibiscus tea bags
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 16 cups water, divided
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a 2 quart size pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil.
- Remove from the head and add the hibiscus flowers, cinnamon stick and 1/4 cups of granulated sugar. Cover and allow to steep 2-8 hours or overnight.
- Strain the tea concentrate into a gallon size pitcher.
- In the same 2 quart pot, bring 1 cup of water and remaining sugar to a boil for 1 minute to melt the sugar. Add to the tea concentrate and stir.
- Fill the pitcher with water, let sit 30 minutes and serve over ice. Yields 1 gallon.
Notes
- If you plan to half the recipe, you may still use one cinnamon stick.
- This tea will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.
- Please do not substitute ground cinnamon for the cinnamon stick. It will clump together and float on the top.
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