There is a lot of attention devoted to the topic of canning vegetables like pickles, tomatoes, and peppers, but not as much to the grape crop.
Grapes have a short shelf life and might be difficult to preserve at home unless you’re creating wine. By making grape jelly, you can keep grapes for a long time and make something that both kids and adults will like.
Among the many kinds of fruit jellies available, grape jelly is a favorite among people. Discover the steps to making your very own grape jelly at home, using either fresh grapes or grape juice.
Which grapes make the best jelly?
Concord Grapes are ideal if you’re using fresh grapes in this recipe. When slightly underripe, they produce the tastiest homemade grape jelly.
But jelly can be made from any kind of red grape. And yet, green or white grapes are not the best candidates for a jelly recipe. There isn’t enough flavor in them to make a tasty jelly.
Recipe for Homemade Grape Jelly
**Makes about 12.5-ounce jars
INGREDIENTS:
- Grapes, or Grape Juice Without Added Sugar
- Sugar
- No-Sugar Needed Pectin
For those watching their sugar intake, this dish can easily be adapted. It should work as long as you follow the instructions for converting your sugar to an alternative sweetener.
Use no-sugar-needed pectin whether you’re cooking with sugar or a sugar substitute. Also, it’s used when sugar is added to the mix here.
Compared to regular pectin, the no-sugar-added pectin allows us to use less sugar in our recipes while still achieving the same results. Using Sure-Jell No-Sugar Needed Pectin, we were able to reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe by half.
To make excellent grape jelly that still sets up nicely, this approach allows you exactly the appropriate amount of sweetness.
INSTRUCTIONS
To begin preparing grape jelly, wash the grapes and cut off the stems.
Spread out enough grapes in a big dish to cover the bottom. You can use a potato masher to crush the grapes.
Then, place the grapes in a large, nonreactive stockpot. Grapes should be crushed and added to the stockpot until all of the grapes have been used.
After that, fill the pot with water until the grapes are just submerged. Put the stove on medium heat and, while stirring continuously, bring the grapes to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes once the mixture has reached a boil.
Strain the mixture
A jelly strainer or a colander lined with cheesecloth set over a large dish is where you’ll next pour the concoction. Let the mixture strain overnight for optimal results.
Mix in the pectin and remaining half cup of sugar the following day to complete the homemade grape jelly. Put aside.
Then, put a metal spoon into the icy water. Later, we’ll use this spoon to measure how thick the grape jelly is.
Return the filtered grape juice to a large stockpot and stir in the pectin/sugar combination. Simmer the juice over medium heat.
Turn the heat back up to high and return to a full boil after stirring in the remaining sugar. Keep it at a rolling boil for a minute, then use the cold spoon to check the consistency.
Put in half a teaspoon and set it down on a platter. Once it reaches room temperature, you can flip the spoon on its side to stir.
The jelly is done when it has thickened to the correct consistency, which indicates that the gel has thickened. If not, keep cooking it and checking it until it does thicken.
Making Grape Jelly from Fresh Grape Juice
Making grape jelly at home from scratch is a simple process.
The juice should first be poured into a large stockpot. Then, combine the pectin and half a cup of sugar in a separate small bowl.
Cook this concoction until the juice boils, about 5 minutes over medium heat. Put a metal spoon in a glass of ice water and put it away while you wait for the kettle to boil.
Add the remaining sugar once the mixture has begun to boil, and return to a full boil while stirring frequently. Boil the water for one minute.
Then, place a half-filled teaspoon on a plate and use the cold spoon to check the consistency. Once it reaches room temperature, you can flip the spoon on its side to stir.
The jelly is done when it has thickened to the correct consistency, which indicates that the gel has thickened. If not, keep cooking it and checking it until it does thicken.
Canning Instructions
When preparing the jelly for canning, fill half-pint sterile mason jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Put on the top and band after wiping the rim clean. Process in a canner with hot water for 5 minutes, making adjustments for altitude as needed.
Instructions Storing
Grape jelly produced at home keeps well in both the fridge and the freezer. After the jelly has cooled to room temperature, store it in containers that hold either half a pint or a full pint. It has a storage life of up to a month in the fridge.
The jelly can be frozen in canning jars that can withstand being placed in the freezer. In order to prevent the jars from breaking, provide 1/2 inch of headroom.