The Grape Jelly Post.

Afternoon snack. Boymade scones, homemade butter and grape jelly.



This one is stupefyingly easy.

2 cans frozen concentrate Concord Grape Juice.
( reconstituted according to package directions.)
3 packets sure-jell liquid pectin.
10 cups white sugar.( I know, I know, but it's jelly, not health food.)


Bring the grape juice and sugar to a roiling boil.
Boil 3-5 minutes.
Reduce to simmer.
Add liquid pectin.
Return to boil for one minute.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars.**
Wipe rims with a clean towel.
Cap and adjust ring to finger tight.


Process jars in hot water bath for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and listen for the pings. Any jar that doesn't ping goes in the refrigerator and is used first.

**If you run out of jars ( or just can't be bothered.) Pour hot jelly into clean plastic containers and freeze or refrigerate. I ran out of jars about halfway through. I had no idea how much this would make. Consequently I have 10 clean glass pints of jelly in the cupboard and four or five misc plastic containers ( small dairy tubs are great). So far it's been especially popular on buttermilk scones and pizza crusts.

If you have never done any canning, jelly or jam is a great start. If it doesn't jell, you call it pancake syrup. It's almost always tasty and sweet. This really took very little time, the kitchen smelled great and it is much less expensive. Like the butter, it is also sort of magic.

This does not count as local and green. I used commercially packaged juice and standard pectin. I hope to try it again this summer when we can get local grapes. I don't think I can bear to make our cherries into juice and then jelly, but I'd like to try it with local grapes and local peaches.
I have heard great things about Pomona's Citrus Pectin and plan to pick some up next time I am at the co-op.