Grape jelly is a simple and delicious recipe that almost exclusively calls for grapes, sugar and fruit pectin. However, it will also take you a long time, as the process of turning grapes into a uniform jelly can take time if you are inexperienced. By learning how to boil grapes to make juice, turn the juice into jelly and store it properly, you will be able to make a jelly that will last for about a year.
Ingrediants
- 2 kg of fresh grapes
- 120 ml of water
- 8 tablespoons (1 pack) of fruit pectin
- 1, 5 kg of sugar
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Cook the Grapes
Step 1. Start with about 2 kg of grapes
The better the quality of the grapes, the better the gelatine will be at the end of the process. The most common varieties for making jelly are red and Concord (or strawberry), but you can use whichever you prefer. Choose a grape that you like and that you can get plenty of.
- You can use grapes with or without seeds, as well as green, white or red grapes. This choice affects the look and taste of the jelly, which will still be delicious.
- If you don't have the option to buy fresh grapes or if you don't want to make the juice yourself, you can use grape juice and skip to part 2. Make sure the juice you choose is fresh and does not contain added sugar.
Step 2. Detach the grapes from the bunches and wash them
Take all the beans carefully before placing them in a large bowl. Once you have them all off, wash them with cold water to remove all dirt and other unwanted elements.
If you are particularly concerned about the cleanliness of the berries, or if you notice bugs on the fruit when you remove it from the bunches, gently press the beans over the bowl to separate the fruit from the peel. This allows you to check if the inside of the grape is good and to easily remove the skin
Step 3. Put the grapes in a large pot and add 120ml of water
Place a large, thick-bottomed saucepan over a stove and pour the grapes in. Add about 120ml of water to the pot. It should be enough to prevent the berries from burning, without watering down the juice too much.
Depending on the size of the pot, you may need to add more water to prevent the grapes from burning. It's not a problem. It is much better to make a tasteless jelly than one that tastes burnt
Step 4. Gently crush the grapes
This way the fruit will release some of the juice and speed up cooking. Use a potato masher or a large wooden spoon to squeeze the beans into the bottom of the pot, squeezing them lightly. Repeat until you have squeezed all the berries.
If you don't want to mash the berries and cook them to remove the juice, you can put them in an extractor. It will take longer, but you will get 100% pure grape juice to turn into jelly
Step 5. Boil the grapes, then lower the heat
Turn on the stove to medium-high intensity and boil the berries, stirring occasionally to prevent them from burning or sticking to the pot. When the juice comes to a boil, turn the heat down to simmer the grapes.
It may take time to boil the grapes the first time. Be patient and let the berries cook to extract the juice
Step 6. Simmer the grapes for about 10 minutes
Once the heat is lowered, cover the pot and leave it on the stove for about 10 minutes. From time to time, remove the lid and stir the fruit with a large wooden spoon to move and shake it.
It is at this stage of cooking that the juice you will use to make the jelly is extracted from the grapes. Keep the temperature low and let the beans cook
Step 7. Drain the grapes to get at least 4 cups of juice
Once you have allowed it to simmer sufficiently and it has produced a lot of liquid, you need to drain it. Place a colander with gauze over a large bowl, or use a gelatin filter to separate the juice from the pulp. Slowly and carefully pour the juice through the colander, being careful not to waste any.
- If you don't want to strain the juice, you can also blend it together with the pulp in a blender or mixer, until you get a smooth puree. This process changes the consistency of the jelly slightly, but is simpler than using the strainer.
- It may take some time for the juice to pass through the cloth strainers. You can use a tool to crush the berries and speed up the operation, or wait overnight.
- This wait gives you the perfect opportunity to start preparing the jars you will use to store the jelly.
Part 2 of 3: Turn Grape Juice into Jelly
Step 1. Pour 1 liter of grape juice into a large pot
Once you have homemade or store-bought grape juice available, measure 1 liter to pour into a large, thick-bottomed pot. Make sure there is enough space inside for the sugar, pectin and easy mixing.
If you wish, you can clean the pot you used to make the juice and reuse it for the jelly
Step 2. Add 1 packet (8 tablespoons) of fruit pectin and boil the juice
Pectin is a natural ingredient that contributes to gelatin formation when it cools, and you should find it in the supermarket. Turn on the stove under the juice pot over medium-high heat, then pour in the pectin. Stir vigorously to blend the ingredients and boil the juice.
- To prevent the pectin from clumping and to make mixing easier, try mixing it with 100 g of sugar before pouring it into the pot. This will make it easier for you to incorporate it into the juice.
- If you want to limit sugar, use a low-sugar pectin. With this recipe the required sugar drops from 1.5 kg to 800 g.
Step 3. Add 1.5 kg of granulated white sugar
Weigh the sugar exactly and pour it into the juice as soon as it starts to boil. It may seem like an excessive amount, but it is necessary to turn the juice into jelly. Stir with a wooden spoon until it is completely dissolved.
When you add sugar and boil the juice, foam may appear. You can eliminate it with a slotted spoon, or you can add half a tablespoon of butter to the juice to prevent it from forming
Step 4. Boil the mixture for 1 minute
Adding sugar causes the juice to cool slightly, so you'll need to boil it again. Stir it from time to time until it comes to a boil, then set a timer to exactly 1 minute and start stirring constantly. After 1 minute, turn the heat down as low as possible to prevent the juice from burning.
- Be very careful when handling the juice after this point. It will mainly consist of melted sugar, which is very hot. Make sure you don't splash it as you mix it, or you could burn yourself.
- To make sure the jelly has enough time to cook and rest, dip a metal ice cream spoon into the pot after boiling. Let the gelatin cool around the spoon and check that it solidifies to the desired consistency. If it's not thick enough, boil the juice for another minute to thicken.
Part 3 of 3: Storing the Gelatin
Step 1. Sterilize 8-12 glass preserving jars
To preserve as much jelly as possible, you need to use sterilized glass jars designed for preserves. Boil a large pot full of water and soak all the jars for 10 minutes. Use kitchen tongs to take the jars out of the pot and place them upside down on a cloth until it's time to use them.
- If you have a pot large enough to boil all the jars together, you can leave them in the water until it's time to use them.
- By boiling the jars you sterilize them and remove everything inside them that could rot or spoil the jelly. If you don't sterilize them, the jelly will only last for about a week.
Step 2. Dip jar lids and seals into hot water
Put everything in a large heat-resistant bowl filled with hot water. Make sure they are fully submerged and leave them in the water until ready to use.
- As with the jars, the lids and seals must also be sterilized to preserve the gelatin.
- Do not use boiling water to sterilize lids and seals, which can break the sealant and prevent the jars from closing properly.
Step 3. Pour the gelatin into the jars, leaving 0.5cm of empty space at the top
Scoop up the hot jelly with a ladle or small glass measuring cup, being careful not to touch it with your hands. Place a funnel over the mouth of the jar and pour the gelatin inside, leaving about 0.5-1cm of space at the top.
- If you spill gelatin on the rim or sides of the jar, wipe it off immediately with a clean, damp cloth. The jelly may prevent the jar from closing properly and shorten the shelf life.
- Make sure the jars are hot or at least lukewarm when you pour the jelly inside. If the temperature difference is too great, the jars can break.
- The space of 0.5 cm at the top is important to ensure the correct closure of the jar.
Step 4. Close the jars with lids
Carefully take them out of the water, shake them to dry, then close them with the lid. Repeat the operation with the gasket, screwing it tightly to hold the lid in place.
If the jars are too hot to handle, use a cloth to avoid burning yourself when you close them
Step 5. Put the sealed jellies back into the boiling water for 10 minutes
Once all the jars are filled and closed, boil the pot of water you used to sterilize them again. Put the filled jars in the water, letting them cook for 10 minutes. In this way the air they contain is expelled, extending the shelf life, thanks to a more effective closure.
Each jar must remain completely immersed in water for a long time
Step 6. Let the jars cool overnight
Use the kitchen tongs to take the jars from the boiling water and set them aside to let them cool. It takes about 12 hours for the gelatin to come to room temperature, so it's best to wait a whole night.
The jars may crackle as they cool. Do not worry! This is a great sign that they are vacuum sealed and will keep for a long time
Step 7. Remove the sealing ring and check that the jars are sealed
When they have cooled down, you will need to remove the gasket and make sure all are sealed properly. Press the center of the lid and notice if the jar pops or clicks. If the lid moves or makes a noise, it has not sealed properly. If it stays put, the jar is sealed and the jelly will last a very long time.
- You can also check if the jars are sealed by trying to lift them by grabbing them by the lid. If the jar is sealed well, it must be vacuum-sealed, so it will stand up easily.
- If the jelly is not well sealed, you can take it out of the jar and try to repeat the operation. Sterilize the jar again, put a second seal and another lid in the boiling water, then boil the jelly. Repeat the operation described above and seal the jar again.
- If you want to leave the seals on the jars for safety, be sure to loosen them a bit before storing them. Otherwise, the lid may rust and not come off when you want to reopen the jar!
Step 8. Store the jelly for up to 12 months
If the jars are properly sealed, they can be stored for 12 months. Keep them in the pantry or give them to friends.
- If you don't seal the jars, the jelly will only last for about a week in the refrigerator before going bad.
- After 6-8 months, the jelly will become darker and more liquid. You can still eat it, but it will be less good. For best results, consume it within 6 months of preparation.
Advice
- Be sure to check the jars for cracks before using them.
- You can reuse the jars and toppings, but you must always use new lids. The soft sealing substances that hold the lid in place deteriorate after the first use, so they will no longer work a second time.
- If your dishwasher has a sterilizing cycle, you can use it to sterilize jars.
