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 tsp powdered gelatin
- 1/2 cup 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
Mix grape juice, water, pectin and lemon juice in a pan. Bring to boil then simmer 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stir in sugar until completely dissolved.
Remove from heat. 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
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.