chris629
Cook
We just moved into our house last Sept and we had a huge harvest of grapes, BUT my jelly turned out runny. I followed directions but it still. So I am looking for a good grape jelly recipe.
Please!
Please!
How do you make your grape jelly?
- Thread starter chris629
- Start date
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I haven't tried either of these, but I kept the links to try later. One of them might be what you want.
http://www.kraftfoods.com/recipes/JamsJelliesPreserves/BerryCherryGrape/CERTOGrapeJelly.html
http://www.cybergrass.com/Recipes/Jelly/foolproofgrapejelly.html
http://www.kraftfoods.com/recipes/JamsJelliesPreserves/BerryCherryGrape/CERTOGrapeJelly.html
http://www.cybergrass.com/Recipes/Jelly/foolproofgrapejelly.html
No problem amber. I would love to hear how it turned out. I have been too busy to do any canning yet, but that is on my "To Do" list so I will be waiting to hear your results.
Well crap. That totally sucks amber. I don't know why it wouldn't set up. Maybe not enough pectin? Was your Certo old?
Ok - let's try something else ....
For 3.5 lbs of grapes .... (will make about 4 half-pints of jelly)
JUICE: crush the grapes in a pan, add 1 chopped apple (skin, core, seeds, and all) and 1/2 cup water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 10-15 minutes. Strain through a wet jelly bag or cheesecloth. You should wind up with 4-cups of juice.
NOTE: The apple will supply your pectin. If you use 1/4 firm ripe and 3/4 fully ripe Concord grapes you probably could get away without the apple ... but humor me and use it. I don't know what kind of grape you're using.
JELLY: Measure your juice - it should be 4 cups. The amount of sugar that you need is 3/4-cup sugar for each 1-cup of juice. So, for 4-cups juice you need 3-cups sugar.
Get your jars and canner ready and place a salad plate or saucer in the freezer, get a glass or cup of COLD water and a metal tablespoon ready (put the spoon in the cold water to chill it).
NOTE: the next part can take anywhere for 10-30 minutes, or so.
Put the juice in a large saucepan, add the sugar, stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the mixture is to the gelling temperature (about 9-10 F above the boiling point of water where you live) - generally about 220-222 F at sea level.
Temperature doesn't always guarantee you are at the gelling stage. Dip a cold tablespoon into the jelly and check to see how it comes off the edge of the spoon when you pour it out. When the jelly has reached the gelling stage it will pour off the spoon in a wide sheet, instead of individual drops. When you reach that stage - remove the pot from the heat - take the plate out of the freezer and pour a tablespoon of jelly on it and stick it back in the freezer for a minute or two (to bring it quickly down to about room temp). If it sets up - your ready to proceed with canning it. If not - cook it a little more until it is done.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS:
1. Liquid and Powdered pectins are NOT interchangeable.
2. Sugar substitutes are NOT interchangeable for sugar.
3. FOLLOW THE RECIPE you are using EXACTLY!
Hope this helps.
Michael
For 3.5 lbs of grapes .... (will make about 4 half-pints of jelly)
JUICE: crush the grapes in a pan, add 1 chopped apple (skin, core, seeds, and all) and 1/2 cup water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 10-15 minutes. Strain through a wet jelly bag or cheesecloth. You should wind up with 4-cups of juice.
NOTE: The apple will supply your pectin. If you use 1/4 firm ripe and 3/4 fully ripe Concord grapes you probably could get away without the apple ... but humor me and use it. I don't know what kind of grape you're using.
JELLY: Measure your juice - it should be 4 cups. The amount of sugar that you need is 3/4-cup sugar for each 1-cup of juice. So, for 4-cups juice you need 3-cups sugar.
Get your jars and canner ready and place a salad plate or saucer in the freezer, get a glass or cup of COLD water and a metal tablespoon ready (put the spoon in the cold water to chill it).
NOTE: the next part can take anywhere for 10-30 minutes, or so.
Put the juice in a large saucepan, add the sugar, stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the mixture is to the gelling temperature (about 9-10 F above the boiling point of water where you live) - generally about 220-222 F at sea level.
Temperature doesn't always guarantee you are at the gelling stage. Dip a cold tablespoon into the jelly and check to see how it comes off the edge of the spoon when you pour it out. When the jelly has reached the gelling stage it will pour off the spoon in a wide sheet, instead of individual drops. When you reach that stage - remove the pot from the heat - take the plate out of the freezer and pour a tablespoon of jelly on it and stick it back in the freezer for a minute or two (to bring it quickly down to about room temp). If it sets up - your ready to proceed with canning it. If not - cook it a little more until it is done.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS:
1. Liquid and Powdered pectins are NOT interchangeable.
2. Sugar substitutes are NOT interchangeable for sugar.
3. FOLLOW THE RECIPE you are using EXACTLY!
Hope this helps.
Michael
Alix said:
The recipe I used called for one pouch of pectin, which I bought that same day. I guess the fact that I cut the recipe in half made some difference. OH DUH, is too much pectin maybe the reason? I didnt cut the pectin in half
I'll have to try it again. 
Dove
DC Grandma
If my memory serves me right...you should never cut the recipe in half.
Dove
Dove
Michael,
You gave me alot of good tips! First of all I never thought of adding an apple, rather than pectin. Second of all, I never thought of "testing" with the chilled spoon, and third, your ratio of sugar to juice was very helpful. As I mentioned above to Alix, I cut the recipe in half, but neglected to cut the amount of pectin (powder) in half. Maybe that is the reason it did not set up? The good thing about my failure is that my husband like it over vanilla ice cream. I'm not sure if the pectin is the problem or the fact that I cut the recipe in half, because as you mentioned, it's best to follow the exact recipe. I am not sure if these grapes were actually concord grapes, the sign above them said "black grapes" which looked dark purple and were the size of a big toe hehe. I guess I have some experimenting to do with the exact recipe, and your version with the apple. Thanks!
You gave me alot of good tips! First of all I never thought of adding an apple, rather than pectin. Second of all, I never thought of "testing" with the chilled spoon, and third, your ratio of sugar to juice was very helpful. As I mentioned above to Alix, I cut the recipe in half, but neglected to cut the amount of pectin (powder) in half. Maybe that is the reason it did not set up? The good thing about my failure is that my husband like it over vanilla ice cream. I'm not sure if the pectin is the problem or the fact that I cut the recipe in half, because as you mentioned, it's best to follow the exact recipe. I am not sure if these grapes were actually concord grapes, the sign above them said "black grapes" which looked dark purple and were the size of a big toe hehe. I guess I have some experimenting to do with the exact recipe, and your version with the apple. Thanks!
You're really making me think on this one Amber! 
If I understand what Harold McGee said correctly - it takes a balance of heat, time, acid, sugar and pectin to get jelly to gel. Trying to figure this out ... if you followed all of the directions exactly except for cutting everything in half except for the pectin ... then it might be that there wasn't enough acid and sugar for the pectin to properly react with. I honestly can't say for sure - but that's my best guess.
Concord grapes seem to be the only ones that can be jellied without either liquid or powdered pectins (don't know - every grape jelly recipe I've run across specifies Concord grapes), and some other fruits and berries also require added acid (lemon juice).
One thing I noticed going over various recipes is that if liquid/powdered pectin is used the recipe always calls for more sugar (as much as double) than if made without it. The exception would be that there is a powdered pectin that is designed for low/artificial sugar jams ... and it contains Xanthan and another kind of gum to do the thickening.
Last observation ... several sources state that even when cooked to the proper gelling stage - jelly may sometimes take a couple of days to fully set up. They didn't mention if these were with or without liquid/powdered pectins.
I hope I've helped more than confused.
If I understand what Harold McGee said correctly - it takes a balance of heat, time, acid, sugar and pectin to get jelly to gel. Trying to figure this out ... if you followed all of the directions exactly except for cutting everything in half except for the pectin ... then it might be that there wasn't enough acid and sugar for the pectin to properly react with. I honestly can't say for sure - but that's my best guess.
Concord grapes seem to be the only ones that can be jellied without either liquid or powdered pectins (don't know - every grape jelly recipe I've run across specifies Concord grapes), and some other fruits and berries also require added acid (lemon juice).
One thing I noticed going over various recipes is that if liquid/powdered pectin is used the recipe always calls for more sugar (as much as double) than if made without it. The exception would be that there is a powdered pectin that is designed for low/artificial sugar jams ... and it contains Xanthan and another kind of gum to do the thickening.
Last observation ... several sources state that even when cooked to the proper gelling stage - jelly may sometimes take a couple of days to fully set up. They didn't mention if these were with or without liquid/powdered pectins.
I hope I've helped more than confused.
