How to make GRAPE JELLY

My Dad was a farmer at heart. He was a city boy who married a farm girl and Dad not only adored Mom but love the country life. In 1953 he bought a few acres in the country and planted Concord Grapes. I grew up on Grape Jelly and homemade Grape Juice

Where I live there are grapes everywhere. Mostly wine grapes but a lot of table grapes too. To make jelly I started out with Ontario Concord grapes, a few Sovereign Coronation Grapes and a bag of Fredonia grapes from a friends back yard.

The Fredonia Grapes are in the bowl being washed and the first photo - the grapes still on the vine. The Sovereign Coronation grapes are the green ones and the Concords are in the box.

I wanted about 5 pounds of grapes to start with. I washed the grapes, added about a cup of water and then crushed them with a potato masher.

Once they are washed, taken off the stems and crushed they go on the stove and bring to a boil.

Bring the crushed grapes to a full rolling boil and shut off the heat.

Now you need to strain the juice out of the grapes. I use an old white pillowcase - you can make your own jelly bag or buy a jelly bag or like me use an old white pillow case. Carefully pour the hot grapes into the bag laying open in a big pan.

I do this in my basement where I have a place to hang cooked fruit to get the juice out of it. I gently lifted the bag and tied it so the juice will drip out of the bag into the pan. All the grape mush stays in the bag to be emptied, then rinse the bag, washit and put it away for the next time you want to make jelly.

I usually let the bag hang overnight and in the morning I cover the juice and let it get cold in the fridge. Once cold I use cheese cloth in a sieve and strain the juice. While cooling crystals form and you don't want them in your jelly.

When I'm ready to make the jelly I sterilize my jars (I use my dishwasher) and I put the lids in a pot of simmering water on the stove to keep hot.

Now you are ready to cook your jelly. My grapes gave me 11 cups of juice. I divided that into two so my first batch used 5 and 1/2 cups of juice.

I know I'm going to have 3/4 of a cup of sugar for each cup of juice so I measure that now and set aside.

I like using pectin in my jellies so I know it will set. I open a box of pectin add it to the juice in a big pot stir and add heat. bring to a full rolling boil (the kind of boil that can't be stirred down.

Now its time to add the sugar and bring back to a full rolling boil and boil hard for a couple of minutes.

Now you need to test for "jell" - will it set? Keep a metal spoon in ice water and  when the jelly is ready fill the cold spoon half full and let it come to room temperature. If the jelly is set it's time to put it in jars. If it hasn't you can add more pectin (1/4 or 1/2 of another box and bring it back to a boil.

Before you put the jelly in jars, if there is a lot of foam on the jelly it is a good idea to skim the foam off and put in a dish. Save that foamy jelly to be used first - its tastes great just isn't it pretty.

Now I use a tray to work on so I don't have grape stains on my counters - grab a hot jar out of the dishwasher, fill it with jelly leaving a half inch head space and put the lid on tightly. Continue until your jelly is all in the jars.

At this point some like to give them a hot water bath in a canner. I do that with all my other canning but not jelly. I just set the jars aside and you can hear them pop and seal. If you have a canner and want to do this step look on the internet for info.

If any of the jars don't seal I keep them in the fridge. All others when cool go into my pantry.

I did two batches. All my jars sealed and it is delicious. Toast a slice of bread and give it a try.

ENJOY!

My camera - Canon PowerShot A720IS