How to Make Grape Jelly
Choose your grapes, aiming for fresh, sweet, and flavorful berries., Pick the grapes off the bunch and wash them off., Put the grapes in a large pot and cover with 2-1/2 cups of water., Bring the berries and water to a boil for 10 minutes, stirring...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose your grapes
The better the grapes, the better the jelly.
It doesn't matter if they are seeded or seedless, green, white or red.
That said, seeded grapes usually have a stronger flavor, and the majority of jellies are made with red or Concord grapes.You can also use 5 cups of grape juice in a pinch. , You should have roughly five lbs of grapes to work with.
If you plan on canning all the jelly yourself, start preparing the cans now. , If you need a little extra to make sure that you have the berries covered, use it. , Raise the heat and put the cover on, letting the berries boil for ten minutes.
Every few minutes give everything a nice big stir. , Put about 2 cups at a time into the bag and let the juice drain.
The jelly bag will collect the pulp, skin, and any seeds while the juice that you will use for the jelly drains out.
You should have about 5 cups of juice at the end of this process.
Squeeze the juice through the bag with clean hands or by pressing it gently with a spoon.
Empty and discard the pulp periodically if the juice is draining too slowly.
Rinse the bag if needed.
If you don't have a jelly bag, try forcing it through a mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth., Get a vigorous, rolling boiling going for about a minute before moving on to the next step.. , Keep the boil going for a quick, hard minute, stirring constantly. , Move quickly here
-- you want the jelly to chill in the jars, not in the pot.
Get the foam off with a slotted spoon and move on.
For a little different flavor, consider adding 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice here, giving your final jelly a bit of tangy-ness., This is why preparing the jars ahead of time is so essential.
By letting the mixture cool out in the open, you open the possibility that the jelly will crystallize and turn to a chunky, unappetizing mixture.
Leave roughly 1/4 of an inch between the top of the jar and your fill line., Canning requires you to heat the jars (after the are filled with jelly) to sterilize them and preserve the fruit.
You should have your hot water bath boiling at the same time as you jelly.The following method will help you if you do not have dedicated canning equipment.
However, getting a canning set is almost always easier than using a homemade water bath. -
Step 2: aiming for fresh
This allows you to work efficiently, as opposed to rushing around as the jelly finishes.
If you don't have a dishwasher with a sterilize setting, wash them with soap and water.
Then boil the jars for 10 minutes, leaving them in the water until you're ready to use them.
The lids should be kept in hot (but not boiling) water for 5-10 minutes.
The jars need to be hot when you pour in the jelly, otherwise they may crack. , Canning jars have a lid and a ring.
The lid needs to have an unbroken rubber seal along the outside edge, and these can only be used once for canning.
The rims screw on top of the lid to close the jar completely. , If you live above 1,000 feet above sea level, let them cook for the full ten minutes.
Try to keep at least two inches of water above the top of the cans to speed up the process.
Also, make sure that you have a tool capable of safely remove the hot cans from the boiling water before you begin.
If you live above 6,000ft above sea level, you should let the jars boil for closer to 15 minutes., Place the jars in a cool place (not the refrigerator
-- that's too cold) and let them cool back to room temperature.
After 1-2 hours, when they don't burn you when touched, loosen the rims on the jars a half turn or so to prevent it from rusting or sticking onto the jar. , It shouldn't easily pop up and down, and shouldn't make a noise when pushed.
If it does then you don't have the jar completely sealed, and the preserves will quickly spoil if you're not careful.
Properly preserved jelly should last up to 12 months. -
Step 3: and flavorful berries.
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Step 4: Pick the grapes off the bunch and wash them off.
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Step 5: Put the grapes in a large pot and cover with 2-1/2 cups of water.
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Step 6: Bring the berries and water to a boil for 10 minutes
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Step 7: stirring regularly
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Step 8: covered.
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Step 9: Place the grapes into a jelly bag so that the juice drains out into a jar or pot below.Don't add water.
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Step 10: Add the pectin and bring the juice to a full boil once more.
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Step 11: Add the 2-1/2 cups of sugar
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Step 12: bringing the juice back to a boil.
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Step 13: Once the sugar is all dissolved
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Step 14: cut the heat and skim any foam off the top.
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Step 15: Pour the hot liquid immediately into the hot canning jars.
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Step 16: Start boiling a large pot of water
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Step 17: enough to completely cover your cans.
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Step 18: Sterilize your jars and lids before you begin cooking.
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Step 19: Fill the jars with jelly and put the clean lids and rings on.
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Step 20: Gently place the closed jars in the boiling water for 5- 10 minutes.
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Step 21: Let the jars cool overnight
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Step 22: and serve when done.
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Step 23: Check that they jelly was properly preserved by pushing the top down.
Detailed Guide
The better the grapes, the better the jelly.
It doesn't matter if they are seeded or seedless, green, white or red.
That said, seeded grapes usually have a stronger flavor, and the majority of jellies are made with red or Concord grapes.You can also use 5 cups of grape juice in a pinch. , You should have roughly five lbs of grapes to work with.
If you plan on canning all the jelly yourself, start preparing the cans now. , If you need a little extra to make sure that you have the berries covered, use it. , Raise the heat and put the cover on, letting the berries boil for ten minutes.
Every few minutes give everything a nice big stir. , Put about 2 cups at a time into the bag and let the juice drain.
The jelly bag will collect the pulp, skin, and any seeds while the juice that you will use for the jelly drains out.
You should have about 5 cups of juice at the end of this process.
Squeeze the juice through the bag with clean hands or by pressing it gently with a spoon.
Empty and discard the pulp periodically if the juice is draining too slowly.
Rinse the bag if needed.
If you don't have a jelly bag, try forcing it through a mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth., Get a vigorous, rolling boiling going for about a minute before moving on to the next step.. , Keep the boil going for a quick, hard minute, stirring constantly. , Move quickly here
-- you want the jelly to chill in the jars, not in the pot.
Get the foam off with a slotted spoon and move on.
For a little different flavor, consider adding 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice here, giving your final jelly a bit of tangy-ness., This is why preparing the jars ahead of time is so essential.
By letting the mixture cool out in the open, you open the possibility that the jelly will crystallize and turn to a chunky, unappetizing mixture.
Leave roughly 1/4 of an inch between the top of the jar and your fill line., Canning requires you to heat the jars (after the are filled with jelly) to sterilize them and preserve the fruit.
You should have your hot water bath boiling at the same time as you jelly.The following method will help you if you do not have dedicated canning equipment.
However, getting a canning set is almost always easier than using a homemade water bath.
This allows you to work efficiently, as opposed to rushing around as the jelly finishes.
If you don't have a dishwasher with a sterilize setting, wash them with soap and water.
Then boil the jars for 10 minutes, leaving them in the water until you're ready to use them.
The lids should be kept in hot (but not boiling) water for 5-10 minutes.
The jars need to be hot when you pour in the jelly, otherwise they may crack. , Canning jars have a lid and a ring.
The lid needs to have an unbroken rubber seal along the outside edge, and these can only be used once for canning.
The rims screw on top of the lid to close the jar completely. , If you live above 1,000 feet above sea level, let them cook for the full ten minutes.
Try to keep at least two inches of water above the top of the cans to speed up the process.
Also, make sure that you have a tool capable of safely remove the hot cans from the boiling water before you begin.
If you live above 6,000ft above sea level, you should let the jars boil for closer to 15 minutes., Place the jars in a cool place (not the refrigerator
-- that's too cold) and let them cool back to room temperature.
After 1-2 hours, when they don't burn you when touched, loosen the rims on the jars a half turn or so to prevent it from rusting or sticking onto the jar. , It shouldn't easily pop up and down, and shouldn't make a noise when pushed.
If it does then you don't have the jar completely sealed, and the preserves will quickly spoil if you're not careful.
Properly preserved jelly should last up to 12 months.
About the Author
Justin Anderson
Justin Anderson has dedicated 10 years to mastering lifestyle and practical guides. As a content creator, Justin focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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