Making Grape Jelly Part 2- The Jelly

We already have made our grape juice, so let's jump right in to making the jelly :)

Prepare Jars (sterilize, and have your canning area set up, lids ready to pour boiling water over, etc...before you start cooking preserves)

Once jars are ready, I measure the juice into the big pot...

Ratios

Grapes also have natural pectin, so we can add some, or we can bring it to the gel point and reduce. Check your altitude for the correct gel temperature. Here at 9000 ft it is 200* F.

I prefer to add pectin, because grapes can be fickle. You never know how much pectin they have until you are waiting, reducing, waiting, reducing...doing gel checks...then reducing some more.

For this recipe, we will need 1 C grape juice to 3/4 C sugar. And if you choose to add it, 1 T pectin per C juice.

I have 9 C juice, so will add 6 3/4 C sugar and 9 T pectin, all at once over medium low heat. (and I add my pad of butter ;) Do not add butter if you are not adding pectin. If you do you will end up with good grape syrup.

I also add in about 1/4 t lemon juice. I like to cut the sweet flavor slightly. (you can cut the sugar in half or eliminate it by adding in Pear or Apple juice instead)

Once the sugar is melted in, turn the heat up to med high, and stay nearby to stir and check the temp...

We do not use ice, so never have any... Instead I stick my spoon rest in the freezer, then I dip a small spoon in the jelly and set it on the frozen rest... You can hopefully see, the jelly is almost at gel stage. Once it is, as soon as it cools on the spoon it will be gelled when I put my finger in it.

Just keep the jelly on the heat a while longer...let it reduce a bit, then gel test again. Using pectin I generally only need to gel check twice. At lower altitudes it seems to gel better, but it worked here with a little coaxing.

Once it gels well, then fill the jars, wipe rims, add warmed lids and bands...

Process

Jelly is a water bath...so check your times. It is 30 minutes at our altitude for 1/2 pint jars.

When they come out of the water bath, let them sit for at least 12 hours. Then they should all have gelled and lids should be popped.

Thank you for reading :)...I hope you enjoyed!

Part 1 can be found here

#fruit #preserving #food #cooking #grapejelly #canning