Grape Jelly

4.49 from 39 votes

Classic homemade grape jelly that's smooth, spreadable, and bursting with real grape flavor. Use fresh grapes or store-bought juice for this easy water bath canning recipe that stocks your pantry with jars that last all year.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Inactive time (juicing & setting)1

Total Time1 35

Course: Canning

Cuisine: Preserves

Servings: Servings (About 5 to 6 Half Pint (8 oz) Jars)

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Ingredients

For Extracting Juice (if using fresh grapes):

3 1/2 lbs grapes any variety: Concord, wine grapes, wild grapes, or table grapes
1/2 cup water

For Making Jelly:

4 cups grape juice
4 cups sugar
1 box Powdered Pectin 1.75 oz, such as Sure-Jell, 6 Tbsp. if using bulk pectin

Instructions

Extracting Grape Juice (skip if using bottled juice):

Stem the grapes into a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add ½ cup water to prevent scorching.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, mashing the grapes with a potato masher as they heat. Continue cooking until grapes completely fall apart, about 10 minutes.
Pour through a jelly bag or double layer of cheesecloth set over a large bowl. Let juice drain for at least 2 hours, or overnight for clearest results. Do not squeeze the bag.
Refrigerate the strained juice overnight to allow tartrate crystals to settle to the bottom.
Carefully pour the cold juice through cheesecloth again into a clean container, leaving any sediment at the bottom undisturbed. Measure out 4 cups for making jelly.

Making Grape Jelly:

Add 4 cups grape juice to a large, heavy-bottomed pot (at least 8-quart capacity). The pot should be no more than ⅓ full as the mixture will foam dramatically.
Sprinkle powdered pectin over the juice and whisk to dissolve completely. Do NOT add sugar yet.
Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Boil hard for exactly 1 minute.
Add sugar all at once and stir to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for exactly 1 minute.
Remove from heat immediately. Skim any foam from the surface if desired.
Ladle hot jelly into prepared, sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean.

Canning:

Apply lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tightness.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet in elevation). Times are for both half pint and pint jars.
Remove jars and let cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Check seals.
Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for 12-18 months. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within 3-4 weeks.

Notes

Low-Sugar Option: Use low-sugar pectin (Sure-Jell pink box) and reduce sugar to ½ to 3½ cups following package directions.

Using Liquid Pectin: Increase sugar to 7 cups. Add juice and sugar to pot first, bring to a boil for 1 minute, THEN add liquid pectin. Boil 1 more minute before filling jars.

Preventing Tartrate Crystals: Always refrigerate extracted grape juice overnight before making jelly. Carefully strain the cold juice through cheesecloth, leaving sediment at the bottom undisturbed.

Setting Time: Pectin takes 12-48 hours to fully set. Some batches may take up to 2 weeks. Don't declare it a failure until you've waited at least 48 hours.

Don't Double: Make multiple small batches back-to-back rather than doubling. Larger batches often don't set properly.

Nutrition