Get some delicious jelly in your belly when you make this smooth and appetizing Grape Jelly! It’s easier than you think!
Author:Norann Oleson
Prep Time:10 minutes
Additional Time:12 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time:25 minutes
Total Time:12 hours 45 minutes
Yield:Makes about 4 pints1x
Category:Breakfast
Ingredients
Scale
Grapes for juice
3/4 cup sugar for every cup of grape juice
Optional: 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Wash and de-stem the grapes. Put into a heavy-bottom saucepan, mash down, and cook slowly for about 10 minutes, until the juice flows freely. Water may be added a little at a time if necessary to prevent scorching or sticking.
Strain through a jelly bag, strainer, or cheesecloth. Leave the strained juice overnight in the refrigerator to allow the white crystals that sometimes form to settle. In the morning, pour off the juice carefully, discarding the sediment, if any, at the bottom.
Measure out 4 cups (leave the rest for another batch). Heat the sugar in a double boiler; with 4 cups of juice, you’ll need 3 cups of sugar. Bring the juice to a full rolling boil, then add the heated sugar and bring the mixture back to a full rolling boil.
Boil quickly, stirring, until the candy thermometer reads 8 degrees above the boiling point (about 220 degrees F) or until the jelly sheets off the spoon (“sheeting” happens when the jelly separates from the spoon in sheet formations). Skim and pour into hot, sterilized jars. Process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes
Notes
The jelly needs to be cooked until it’s fairly thick so make sure you cook it long enough. You can add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the batch while it’s coming up to temperature.
