Indiana Pine Needle Tea

Jake & I made pine needle tea while camping in Hoosier National Forest.

First, gather pine needles.  Avoid dry needles if possible; they lack flavor & nutrients.  Try to harvest ones that appear to be young and healthy.  Pick out & discard the driest ones.  
Wash the needles if necessary.

 Next, put the pine needles into the water to soak for a few minutes before turning on the heat source.  Boil the water and needles for at least 3 minutes.

Then, cover the and allow the needles to continue steeping for another 3-5 minutes.

Once ready, the pine needles will be softened from their original state.  A slight change in color might also be noticeable.  Allow the tea to cool to the desired temperature and drink.  

It's not a necessity to transfer the tea to a new mug or to remove the pine needles before drinking; it's merely a preference.  I do not usually remove mine.

Check out my Yukon River Trip blog!