Making Concord Grape Jam Recipes

CONCORD GRAPE JELLY

Steps:

• Sort and wash grapes, and remove stems. Place them into a large kettle and crush them. Add water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and extract juice. Allow the juice to stand in a cool place overnight to prevent the formation of crystals in the jelly.
• Strain the juice through a double thickness of damp cheesecloth. Measure 4 cups of the juice into a large pot. Stir in the sugar. Quickly bring to a full rolling boil. Stir in pectin, and allow to boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and skim off foam. Pour into hot sterile jars, and process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

OLD FASHIONED GRAPE JAM (NO PECTIN ADDED)

Steps:

• Seed grapes as discussed above by squeezing the grape flesh out of the skin and then cooking the pulp down. Put the pulp through a fine mesh strainer and then re-combine the filtered pulp with the grape skins.
• Add the skins and pulp into a saucepan along with the sugar and cook the mixture until it reaches gel stage, about 10-15 minutes. Experienced jam makers can watch for when the type of bubbles change and take on a glossy look. To be sure, test the consistency on a plate that's kept in the freezer or with a candy thermometer.
• Pour the jam into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Store in the refrigerator for immediate use, or process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the jars to sit in the canner for an additional 5 minutes before removing them to cool on a towel on the counter.
• Allow the jars to rest for 24 to 48 hours to completely gel.

GRAPE JAM USING GRAPE MASH (GRAPE MUST)

Steps:

• Put a couple of spoons in the freezer. You'll use these later to test the jam for gelling.
• Prepare a water bath canner by filling it about 2/3 of the way full with water.
• Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water. Keep the jars hot until you need them.
• Mix the grape mash, sugar, and lemon juice together in a stainless steel stock pot. Bring the jam to a boil and then cook over medium heat until it gels. If you have a lot of liquid in the grape mash it will take a while.
• Stir the mixture often to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan, as the liquid evaporates its more likely that the jam will stick.
• To test the jam to see if it's going to gel when it cools, get one of the spoons you put in the freezer earlier. Dip the back of the spoon into the jam. Give it just a moment and then touch the jam, if it has gelled on the spoon it will gel in the jar when it cools off. If it's still runny, it needs to cook down more.
• When the jam is cooked down and ready to be jarred, put the jars on a kitchen towel on the counter and ladle the hot grape jam into the hot jars. When the jars are full, wipe the rims with a damp cloth, and add the lids and bands.
• There's no need to put the bands on super duper tight, just put it on like you would put a lid on the mayonnaise before putting it in the refrigerator.
• Put the filled jars in the water bath canner and turn the heat up. Once the water starts to boil, set the timer for 10 minutes adjusting for altitude - this is the processing time.
• When the jars are finished processing, remove them from the water bath canner and put them on a kitchen towel on the counter. Let them cool.
• After 12 hours or overnight, remove the the bands from the jars and test the seals. If any jar failed to seal, put it in the refrigerator and use first. Store the sealed jars in the pantry.

CLASSIC CONCORD GRAPE JAM

Steps:

• Instructions for preparing the grapes
• Add the sugar to the grape mixture and stir until dissolved; add lemon juice
• Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer; stir constantly (skim foam, if necessary)
• Jam should be set in about 15 minutes
• Fill jars with hot mixture, leaving ¼ inch heasdpace
• Wipe the rim clean, centre lid on jar and screw to fingertips tight; do not over tighten
• Store in fridge for up to three months, or process
• Scale all ingredients into TM bowl on R(reverse); set time for 25 minutes, temperature to 100F and speed to 2
• Place teatowel over machine to avoid any splatter; check for set after 20 minutes (cook 5 minutes longer, if needed)
• When set, fill jars with hot mixture, leaving ¼ inch heasdpace
• Wipe the rim clean, centre lid on jar and screw to fingertips tight; do not over tighten
• Store in fridge for up to three months, or process
• Fill canner 2/3 full; bring water to a boil
• Use canning tongs to place jars into hot water; cover canner and bring to a boil for 10 minutes (start counting the 10 minutes when the water starts to boil)
• Turn off heat, remove lid, let the jars sit in water for 5 minutes before removing
• Place jars on a heat-proof surface with canning tongs undisturbed for 24 hours
• Check seals to ensure jars have sealed properly; store in a cool, dark place
• Temperature: apply enough heat to the fruit and sugar to raise the temperature over the boiling point of 212 degrees and alter the structure of the sugar; jam reaches its ideal set point at 220 degrees (a beeping thermometer is great!)
• Sugar: if you reduce the amount of sugar in your recipe too drastically, you may not be able to get your jam to the set point
• Plate Test: take an ice-cube tray (or a frozen plate ready for this test) from the freezer); place a small dollop of jam on it
• After a minute, gently prod the puddle of jam with your finger; if a surface skin seems to be developing a certain solidity, it is done (If it is runny, keep cooking a bit longer)
• Sheet Test: (This is the one Grandma Maude taught me.) Using a wooden spoon, stir the jam and lift it up side ways, or horizontally over the jam and watch the jam drip off of the spoon
• If the drips come together in a fall of the spoon separately, the jam needs to be cooked longer; if the drips join together in a "sheet" or a thick wide drop, the jam is finished

SURE.JELL CONCORD GRAPE JAM

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Slip skins from grapes. Finely chop or grind skins; set aside. Mix grape pulp and water in saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 min. Press through sieve to remove seeds. Combine skins and pulp. Measure exactly 6 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
• Stir in pectin. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

CONCORD GRAPE JAM

Steps:

• Sterilize jars:
• Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw bands. Put jars on a rack in canner or deep pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, leaving jars in water. Heat lids in water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until thermometer registers 180°F (do not let boil). Remove from heat, leaving lids in water. Keep the jars and lids submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.
• Cook jam:
• Chill 2 small plates (for testing jam).
• Slip skins from grapes and purée skins with 1 cup sugar in a food processor, then transfer to a 4- to 6-quart wide heavy pot. Stir in lemon juice, peeled grapes, and remaining 4 cups sugar and boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently and skimming foam, until pulp is broken down, about 20 minutes. Force jam through food mill set over a large bowl. Discard remaining solids. Return jam to pot and cook at a slow boil, skimming foam occasionally and stirring frequently as mixture thickens to prevent scorching, 35 minutes, then test for doneness.
• To test jam, remove from heat, then drop a teaspoonful on a chilled plate and chill 1 minute. Tilt plate: Jam should remain in a mound and not run. If jam runs, continue cooking at a slow boil, testing every 5 minutes, until done, up to 25 minutes more.
• Seal, process, and store jars:
• Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert. Ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top. Wipe off rims of filled jars with a clean damp kitchen towel, then top with lids and firmly screw on screw bands. Put sealed jars on rack in canner or pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. With tongs, transfer jars to a towel-lined surface to cool.
• Jars will seal; if you hear a ping, it signals that vacuum formed at the top of cooling preserves has made lid concave. Remember that you may or may not be around to hear that ping (some jars make the sound after you remove them from water, and others in same batch may take a few hours); the important thing is for jars to eventually have concave lids. Preserves will thicken as they cool.
• After jars have cooled 12 to 24 hours, press center of each lid to check that it's concave, then remove screw band and try to lift off lid with your fingertips. If you can't, lid has a good seal. Replace screw band. Put any jars that haven't sealed properly in the refrigerator and use them first.