{"id":6119,"date":"2016-09-17T07:00:50","date_gmt":"2016-09-17T11:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/growagoodlife.com\/?p=6119"},"modified":"2023-12-03T13:59:01","modified_gmt":"2023-12-03T17:59:01","slug":"concord-grape-jelly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/growagoodlife.com\/concord-grape-jelly\/","title":{"rendered":"Honey Sweetened Concord Grape Jelly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Make and preserve your own homemade Concord grape jelly! Concord grapes have a slightly tart, musky flavor but can be transformed into a delicious grape jelly with a little sweetening. This old-time favorite is sweetened with honey in this recipe.<\/p>\n

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Concord grapes are behind the flavor of grape jelly traditionally used in peanut butter and jelly sandwich that many of us grew up eating. Ephraim Wales Bull originally developed the Concord grape in 1849 at his farm in Concord, Massachusetts. The variety was cultivated from native grape species that thrive in the cold climate of New England. The vines are so hearty that it isn’t unusual to find them growing wild on old homesteads, in the woods, and along streambeds.<\/p>\n

Our Concord grape vines were overgrown when we purchased our property, and they continue to be a work in progress. Last year, we hacked the vines that escaped the trellis and wound their way up the nearby pine trees. We were unforgiving and cut the mature grape vines back about 90% almost to their trunk.<\/p>\n

It doesn’t take long for vigorous grape vines to become unruly, and ideally they should be pruned every year when vines are dormant. It had been several years since we had pruned the vines, and the grape production dwindled a little each year because the plants’ energy was diverted into too many directions. It was time to reel it in.<\/p>\n

Grapes bear fruit on one-year-old canes, so we had to wait patiently a few years until the vines produced. We didn’t have a large harvest of grapes this year, but it was enough for a small batch of Concord grape jelly.<\/p>\n

Tips for Making Concord Grape Jelly<\/h2>\n

This jelly recipe uses Concord grapes, but feel free to try it with other grape varieties. The flavor will be different, but still delicious. You can also make this jelly with purchased frozen or bottled grape juice if you don’t have fresh fruit.<\/p>\n

Harvest the Grapes at Peak Sweetness<\/h3>\n

The best way to tell if the grapes are ready to harvest is by tasting them and checking the seed color. As the fruit ripens, it will become sweet and the seeds will change from green to brown.<\/p>\n

Make Small Batches of Grape Jelly<\/h3>\n

I know it may be tempting, especially if you have lots of grapes, but don’t double this recipe. Small batches are much easier to manage ingredients, heat, and get the jelly to gel successfully. If you have a lot of grapes, consider freezing or canning grape juice<\/a> for later.<\/p>\n

Use Pomona’s Universal Pectin<\/h3>\n

This recipe for grape jelly uses Pomona’s Universal Pectin<\/a>. It is a citrus pectin that lets you use less sugar and other sweetening alternatives than your typical boxed pectin. It works differently than regular pectin in that it uses calcium powder to gel instead of lots of sugar. This allows the fruit flavor to shine in your jellies and jams rather than the sweetness of the sugar. You can find Pomona’s Universal Pecti<\/a>n in stores with the canning supplies or online.<\/p>\n

Allow Plenty of Time<\/h3>\n

When making jelly from fresh fruit, you will need a couple of days to extract the juice and allow the sediment to settle.<\/p>\n

Concord grapes have a lot of sediment and can form tartrate crystals. Allowing the juice to rest overnight in the refrigerator will let the residue separate from the juice and settle on the bottom of the container.<\/p>\n

Use a Mild Flavored Honey<\/h3>\n

Depending on where the honeybees gather nectar, the flavor of honey can range from mild to bold. You will want to choose a mild honey to sweeten jelly so the honey flavor won’t overwhelm the grapes. Generally, light-colored honey made from alfalfa or clover is milder in taste.<\/p>\n

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How to Make Grape Jelly<\/h2>\n

This homemade grape jelly is made by extracting the juice from homegrown Concord grapes, sweetening with honey, thickened with Pomona\u2019s Universal Pectin, and processed in a boiling water bath canner for shelf stable jars.<\/p>\n

Don’t have access to fresh Concord grapes?<\/strong> You can also make jelly with frozen or bottled grape juice that can be purchased at the grocery store. You will need 4 cups of juice for this recipe.<\/p>\n

If you are new to canning or haven’t canned in a while, it may be helpful to review this article on water bath canning<\/a> at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.<\/p>\n

A more detailed and printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this post, but these are the general steps for making Concord Grape Jelly from fresh fruit.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Gather Your Canning Equipment<\/h3>\n