Homemade Grape Jelly
We are lucky to have access to home grown Eastern Concord grapes.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pure Eastern Concord grape juice
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin (1 pouch Knox gelatine)
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (splenda worked well)
Hardware
- 1/2 pint or 1 pint widemouth mason jars
- screw-on lids
- canning funnel
Directions
Sterilize jars and lids.
Sprinkle gelatin in cold water. Let stand 1 minute. Microwave 30 seconds then stir 1 to 2 minutes until completely dissolved.
Stir in grape juice, sugar, and lemon juice in a pan. Bring to rapid boil then simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Jelly should be 220 degrees (8 deg above boiling).
Remove from heat. Skim off the foam. Ladle into sterilized 1/2 pint jars. I use a canning funnel. Cover and store in refrigerator.
It may take a day or so for the jelly to set.
Doug's Notes
Each pouch of Knox gelatine (2 1/2 tsp) will gell 2 cups liquid.
Grape jelly can be canned using a canner or water bath technique.
Do not use too large of jar to store jelly in or it will not set properly. 1/2 pints are the best but I have used 1 pint mason jars. I prefer widemouth jars because the jelly is easier to put in during processing and scoop out once set.
Fruit, acid, sugar, and pectin are all needed in the right combination for jelly to gel.
Replacing sugar with honey or corn syrup will change the jelly taste as it tends to mask it. Sugar helps preserve the jelly and is a necessity.
Overcooking will break down the pectin and prevent proper gelling.
Commercial juices are low in pectin. Natural grapes have enough pectin.
MY GELATINE LUMPS WHEN I TRY TO MIX IT WITH HOT WATER - WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? Unflavored gelatine granules must be separated before a hot liquid is added or you're guaranteed to have lumps. You can separate the granules by mixing the gelatine with either sugar or a cold liquid. Then add the hot liquid, stir and there will be no lumping!
