Go Back
Print
5 from 1 vote

Yerba Mate With a Teapot and No Strainer

Here are the exact step-by step instructions on how to quickly prepare your newly bought loose leaf yerba mate using just a simple regular teapot and no strainer, just as you would prepare a regular loose leaf tea. No gourd and bombilla needed! This method while certainly not classified as traditional is fast, reliable and requires minimal cleanup after. Ready to prepare your delicious yerba without the use of any additional equipment in around 5 minutes? Then let's begin!
Prep Time1 minute
Active Time9 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fast, how to, no bombilla, no gourd, no strainer, prepare, quick, simple, teapot, yerba, yerba mate
Yield: 1

Equipment

  • 1x 12 ounce / 350 ml teapot , or any other kind of teapot really
  • 1x Cup

Materials

  • 3-4 tsp Yerba Mate Depends on your preferred ratio.

Instructions

  • Take your teapot and put a few teaspoons of yerba mate inside it.
    The best proportions with the traditional method are said to be ~1-3 tablespoons of yerba per one cup (8 ounces / 230 ml) of water, but in our example we're only using 4 full teaspoons of yerba in our 12 ounce teapot.
    It very much depends on your preferred ratio, just as with regular loose leaf tea!
  • Fill the teapot with water that is around 160 to 180 °F (70-80 °C).
    Do not fall into temptation and simply use boiling water straight from the kettle!
    If you attempt to use boiling water with yerba mate, you really risk ruining it! If you burn your yerba it will taste bitter and this might really throw you off as a first timer!
    Just as if you were preparing green tea, make sure that you don't use the water right after boiling it. Wait a while until the water cools down a bit and if you really want to be sure, you can optionally use a thermometer to quickly check the water's temperature.
  • Close the teapot and steep the yerba for around 3-5 minutes.
  • Now, the important part. Carefully fill a cup with your yerba. Don't go too fast, as right now you're using your teapot's spout as a simple strainer.
    Once you're done, you'll most probably notice that there are still quite a few yerba leaf particles floating around in your drink - this is perfectly normal!
    As we're using a teapot without any kind of a strainer, infuser or filter, some yerba leaves are bound to get into your cup. Don't worry about it, as these are perfectly safe to ingest while they are floating in your prepared drink.
  • What you want to do now, is to simply let your yerba sit in the cup for a short while, until the largest particles float down to the bottom of the cup.
    All ready! Enjoy your very first home prepared teapot yerba mate!
  • You can safely refill the teapot with 160-180 °F water a few times just as you would while steeping regular loose leaf tea.