Easy Homemade Concord Grape Jelly

By Foodiewife

I've always wanted to make homemade grape jelly, but was a little put off by having to crush the fruit and using a "jelly bag" waiting for all the juice to drip, before cooking it into a jelly. I found 100% pure grape juice, and experimented to see if this would work as well. It did! I did use my Ball Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker, but you can use a regular pot as well. From start to finish, I had four half-pint jars of Organic Concord Grape Jelly in 45 minutes! For a pictorial how I made this, by clicking on the recipe source link to my food blog "A Feast for the Eyes". I also share tips on water canning, too, and have written the recipe directions for those who do not own an Automatic Jam/Jelly Maker.

Ingredients

• 3 cups store bought, unsweetened Concord Grape juice (I found it at Trader Joe's. Do NOT use grape juice concentrate)
• 4 tablespoons Ball® RealFruit® Classic Pectin
• 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine
• 3 1/3 cups granulated sugar

Preparation

Step 1

It is really important to read the label on your fruit juice. Make sure it says 100% juice. Don't use juice from concentrate or any with added ingredients, like high fructose corn syrup.

Measure 3 cups grape juice in a 4-cup or larger liquid measuring cup.

Gradually whisk pectin into juice until fully incorporated. (Pectin will not be completely dissolved at this time.)

Pour juice mixture into the clean Pot fitted with the Stirrer.

Cook the grape juice pectin mixture until comes to a boil.

Add butter/margarine to help reduce foaming.

PRESS jelly button – the cook time will automatically default to 25 minutes. Press enter.

WAIT 4 minutes for appliance to sound 4 short beeps indicating that it is time to add sugar. Add sugar gradually while Stirrer continues running.

THE APPLIANCE will continue to automatically stir your ingredients while it cooks. Stay within earshot of the Jam & Jelly Maker, the appliance will beep again at the end of the process signaling jelly cooking is complete. Press cancel and unplug the appliance.


REMOVE Stirrer using a pot holder. Skim foam, if necessary, from top of jelly.

FOR THE CONVENTIONAL/STOVETOP WAY: Add the sugar and let it come to a hard boil for one minute. You can test the mixture by freezing a spoon, and dipping it into the mixture. If it thickens up, it's ready. If not, bring it to a boil for another minute.

PRESERVE jelly immediately. I use the water canning method, so I can enjoy this all year-long.