How to Make Hibiscus Tea (Agua de Jamaica)

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How to make and brew hot or cold, fresh, fruity, tart and floral hibiscus tea made from dried hibiscus flowers.

Prep Time1

Cook Time5

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cold brew, hibiscus tea, how to brew hibiscus tea, how to dry hibiscus

Servings: servings

Calories: 1kcal

Author: Erin

Cost: $4.50

1 cup dried hibiscus flowers about a dozen (12) fresh hibiscus flowers, petals separated.
1 tablespoon orange zest

Prepare the flowers first by pulling the petals apart from the stamen (the yellow part in the middle with pollen), and away from the stems and leaves.
Take a whole orange, and use a grater to grate the very outer layer of the orange peel (the 'zest') or use a vegetable peeler to peel the outermost layer of the orange zest away from the orange. Avoid the white, bitter portion below the orange peel.

To dry hibiscus flowers in the oven, preheat the oven on the absolute lowest setting with the oven door slightly ajar. On most ovens this is around 170 degrees F. Arrange the flower petals and orange zest in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 2-3 hours until leaves and orange zest are dry and brittle.

To dry hibiscus flowers in a food dehydrator, set the dehydrator to around 120 degrees and arrange hibiscus flower petals and orange zest on dehydrator trays.
Dehydrate for 6-10 hours until petals are dry and brittle. The petals will shrink a great deal, so be sure to use trays that they can't fall through as they dehydrate.

To dry hibiscus flowers in the sunlight, arrange the petals and orange zest in a single layer on a piece of parchment paper and set in a sunny window to dry naturally. This method could take up to three days or even more depending on how warm the area they are drying in is.

To brew hot hibiscus tea, bring 2 cups of fresh spring water to a boil either in a pot on the stove or tea kettle.
Add one tablespoon of hibiscus tea and boil the tea leaves loosely or using a tea ball strainer for an additional 5 minutes. Do not over steep the tea, it can ruin the flavors.
Strain the tea into heat safe mugs and enjoy hot. Sweeten as desired (optional).

To brew cold brew hibiscus tea, use fresh cold spring water.
Stir a one cup of hibiscus tea into 8 cups of cold water.
Steep the loose tea in the cold water for 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
Strain the cold brewed tea through a mesh strainer and enjoy cold or over ice.
Store remaining cold brewed hibiscus tea in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

Store dried hibiscus tea in an air tight container or zip lock bag.

Store cold brewed hibiscus tea in the refrigerator in a pitcher for up to a week.

You may add honey, stevia, agave, sugar or any other sweetener you like to compliment this tart tea, or enjoy it tangy and unsweetened.