Concord Grape Jelly (pectin-free), has that deep, mystic, plum color, and a sweet grape flavor that goes well with a nice slice of toast, or better yet paired with delicious cheese on a platter, perfect for those up and coming parties.
Song of the day: Black - Pearl Jam
Before winter decided to surprise us and snow arrived to cover the beautiful Autumn colors with its pure white brightness, we were enjoying mild temperatures and outdoors activities. Proof is, that looking outside our backyard, everything seems to be frozen at summer time.
We did not have time to put everything away, pillows, bamboo table and chairs, some of the plants and statues. I guess we were living in denial that maybe this would be a long Autumn and a warm winter. But that wasn't the case. A heavy blanket of snow covers now everything.
We cannot complain about what Summer and Autumn have given us in terms of produce. Our kitchen has been bustling with canning and preserving for a while (no pickling for me, I just cannot stand vinegar). So many jars, mostly jams, jellies, and chutney, are standing tall and proud on our pantry shelves, and few of them are going to become -hopefully welcomed- Christmas presents.
Concord Grapes
My in-laws' garden has a tiny but very fruitful concord grape vine tree, that climbs alongside their backyard fence. They had received some seeds and Loreto's father was quick and curious to see if it would grow in this rather not so friendly grape growing climate. You see, my father in law Americo had a vineyard in Italy, producing 23,000 liters of wine that they sold and people came to buy. Growing grapes is in his blood, this time his craft was put to the test. Loreto said that when he asked his father if he thought they would grow he, in his usual calm and humorous way, said: "we will plant them and see what happens". Their garden faces south and for the longest time, he had them planted against the house, which produced a few grapes. Americo had an aha moment one day as he was playing in the garden and a bountiful one at that, and thought about another place that would be better for growing grapes, out came the shovel, and the vine was transplanted beside a fence where to date that vine has grown and spread its wings bringing us quite an abundance of grapes. I can see where Loreto gets his drive, just like his father he is quick to act on those aha moments.
It's funny every year we are all amazed at this miracle that makes a not so suitable climate provide an explosion of little dark bunches of juicy grapes. Last year we made some Concord grape syrup that we used on pancakes, waffles, yogurt and smoothies. This year, the production was even more luscious and we thought to make Concord Grape Jelly sans pectin.
From our garden to your table, Concord Grape Jelly (pectin free)
I asked our fellow Canadian bloggers for a good, trusted recipe for Concord grape jelly and one of our blogger friends, Jen, Mud on her Boots, sent me a recipe that she had used and felt it might help. It is a recipe from Bernardin, the Mason jar's maker. It is an easy recipe that only requires very few ingredients, a specific tool that makes your life easier and that we invested in buying, and a whole lot of patience.
First step
In order to make the jelly, first you need to make the juice.
The aroma that comes off the stove is amazing (and a bit intoxicating). That sweet floral grape scent reminds us of the winemaking season, which Loreto is in the process of doing these days. I stirred and crushed the grapes with a wooden spoon releasing all those luscious juices and I am really excited to make this Concord Grape jelly.
Second step
In order to get the juice, you need to strain the skin, pulp, and seeds.
Loreto purchased this Jelly strainer from Barb's Kitchen, a place in Edmonton where you can go to find anything to do with cooking, from utensils, pots, pans, dried goods and baking needs, plus a whole lot more. If you are a foodie and ever in Edmonton, check out Barb's Kitchen, you won't be disappointed. One thing I wanted to say is that this process is quite messy especially when the juice drops splash and droplets go everywhere, and grape juice is not the easiest to get out! Loreto came to the rescue and wrapped plastic wrap around the legs and bowl, and there you have it, messy problem solved.
Third step
When all the juice has dropped, the next phase is pretty easy. Add the Concorde grape juice, sugar, and lemon juice to a pot. We used a heavy cast pot which holds the heat nice and evenly. Bring this to a boil and what happens is this sheen starts to form on top and the bubbles get thicker and stronger and you know you are so close to the end. Look at that deep color, so rich looking and I bet it tastes incredible.
Finally, canning
Pour that amazing jelly into some sterilized jars, put the lids on and close nice and tight. Then, place into a canning pot just covering the jars with water and put a lid on the pot. Bring to boiling point, and the only thing left is to get them out using a jar tong that Loreto also bought at Barb's Kitchen, let them cool, and put them on the shelf, well not all of them. After all, we have to try it!
I love the texture very Jello-like and so shimmery and deep in color. I toasted a slice of bread and slathered it with the grape jelly. One bite in and I am in awe at the intense, sweet but not too sweet, flavor of the jelly. It is like silk to my tongue and bite after bite I am experiencing that wonderful flavor of the Concord grapes. The best part is we know where they were grown, we definitely know that they are organic, and the most amazing thing is they were grown in a place where grapes are unheard of growing in. There are some things that can't be explained, and so what! The fact remains this Concord Grape Jelly (Pectin Free) has amazing flavor and texture, and so it is!
Enjoy!
Concord Grape Jelly (pectin-free)
Concord Grape Jelly (pectin-free), has that deep, mystic, plum color, and a sweet grape flavor that goes well with a nice slice of toast, or better yet paired with delicious cheese on a platter, perfect for those up and coming parties.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 jars 1x
Ingredients
For the grape juice:
- 8 cups grapes
- 3-4 cups water (just enough to cover the grapes)
For the jelly:
- 3 cups grape juice
- 2 cups berry sugar
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
To make the juice:
- Remove the stems, and gently wash and drain the grapes.
- In a large stainless steel pot, add the grapes and just enough water to cover them.
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring and crushing the grapes occasionally, just until the grapes are softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer crushed grapes to a dampened jelly bag set over a bowl.
- Cover the sides with plastic wrap to avoid any splashing, and let drip for at least 2 hours or overnight to collect the juice.
To make the jelly:
- Wash jars and lids. Place jars in a big pot filled with water and heat to a simmer (180° F - 80° C). Place the lids after you turn off the water, when the water it's still hot but not simmering anymore.
- Keep them warm on a baking dish in a 250° F oven until ready to use.
- In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine the grape juice with the sugar and lemon juice.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Boil hard, stirring frequently, and skimming off the foam, for about 20-25 minutes, or until mixture begins to thicken and have that sheen on top.
- Quickly pour hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch space from the top.
- Wipe rim, put lid on and screw tight.
- Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water, place lid on.
- Bring to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes.
- Remove lid and let cool for 5 minutes before taking jars out of canner and storing.
Notes
Remember that there is added time as you let the grapes drain the juice into a bowl.
Anywhere from 2 hours to overnight.
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
kitchenfrau says
That looks amazing, Nicoletta! I can't believe those grapes are grown here in Edmonton! Now you have me inspired to try planting some, too. And you definitely have me inspired to try making jellies without pectin. I always thought you needed pectin to help the syrup jel, but you have the most beautiful and delicious proof that you don't!
Aren't they beautiful, Margaret? And that vine produced so many grapes, I cannot believe it! Yes, plant some and see! I never use pectin, nor in my jam, not in the jelly. And they both turn out great. Thank you so much!!
annika says
I have to keep this for next year. My father has been growing these, almost effortlessly for the past 30 years. They go underappreciated in our family but his Italian neighbours swear they are the best in the city and really appreciate his generosity!
So happy to be of any help, Annika! I love this type of grapes, so sweet, even the simple juice made from crushing them is amazing. But the jelly is really something else! This was my first time and I love it! Thanks for stopping by, always appreciate your comments!
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
I wasn't able to get any concord grapes this year! I wish they were around longer.. but next time I see them, I should totally do this!!! So yummy!!!
Thank you, Sarah! It is yummy, good at breakfast but also with cheese. A bit labor intensive but so worth it 😉 !
Steven says
I made it and it is so delicious!! Thank you for the recipe! Mine turned out quite thin though. Do you have any ideas why or what I can do different next time?
Hello! Thank you for making this jelly! Being pectin-free it is a little thinner. Sometimes it also depends on the grapes, they might have more water content. Try boiling it a little longer. It is delicious, though.
Corina says
What a lovely recipe - I love its deep colour. It makes it look really tasty and just begs to be spread on some warm buttered toast!
Thank you! The color is just gorgeous, I know! I had it spread on toast and it's delicious!
Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says
I haven't heard of berry sugar before! I love how simple this recipe is, and it looks so gorgeously vibrant in those jars. YUM!
Hi! Berry sugar is the finest granulated sugar, sorry I had to explain that. The jelly is so good spread on toast or biscuits! Thank you for your comment.
Gloria Duggan says
Yup you got me at "cheese on a platter". I was just planning the food for an upcoming party....and this would be the perfect addition....however, unfortunately it WILL NOT be YOUR delicious jam....but that would be AWESOME!!
Yes, Gloria the jelly would compliment a cheese platter so well! Plus, it looks gorgeous with that color ????. Thank you!
DONNA S WHITTEN says
What kind of cheese do you pair with jelly
I like it with a variety of less aged or more aged cheeses.
It goes woonderful with sharp cheeses like Savello di Roma, Montasio, Provolone, Piave Vecchio, Cheddar.
gingeredwhisk says
Lovely! I have kind of given up on grape jelly as being just so flavorless and boring - but I bet yours tastes great! The color is so vibrant!
Thanks so much! I wouldn't describe this jelly as flavorless, it has so much flavor and texture that makes your tongue tingles... ????
Leslie says
It's funny... I can't stand the grape jelly that you can buy in stores, but I LOVE homemade. I'm going to have to try this to make my weekend mornings more delicious 🙂
Hi Leslie! I have never tried store bought jelly, but I am in love with this one 😉 . Hope you try it, it does make the mornings more delicious.
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
this sounds like a very therapeutic activity for the weekend
It is, and it becomes better when you get to taste the fruit of your labour 😉 .
Amanda Mason says
First off...Pearl Jam...YES! Drop the mic..enough said. LOL...I'll continue though. Second - those grapes! How gorgeous!
What a fabulous post! I love the recipe and the post is so well done! Kuddos to such beautiful pics and a great blog post and recipe!! I really enjoyed reading this one!
Thank you so much Amanda! I am a Pearl jam fan ;-). And this jelly has me become a fan of it, as well. So good!
Stacey says
Well this is my weak spot, I love jams and jellies and anything grape! I haven't made jelly in such a long time, but I'm going to have to try this now! Thank you for the inspiration!!!
We've been enjoying it in the morning, and we've also had it with cheese. Any time, delicious! Thank you!
Julie says
What an amazing grape haul from your inlaws! How fun to make jelly from something grown by your very own family.
Thank you, Julie! Yes, every year the haul seems to grow bigger and better ????.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Jams and jellies are my fave! I want to try this asap!
Jam and jellies are part of my morning breakfast almost every day ????. Thank you for your comment!
Loralee says
So do you make the juice first and then use the juice for the jelly (dilute the grape juice with water?). Thank you!
Hello! Yes, you need to first make the juice, as in the recipe, then, you add lemon juice and sugar to the juice and let it boil hard for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently and skimming the foam until it becomes the jelly. Hope it helps!
Michelle M Rose says
What is Berry sugar? can you use regular granulated sugar?
Here they call berry sugar the finest granulated sugar, but regular granulated sugar works fine.
Heidi says
And sugars weigh the same. 🙂
Olga says
Thank you very much! I like this grape jelly! Wonderful combination of ingredients. It look so yummy!
Thank you! Cannot wait to make more. We absolutely love this jelly!
Alina says
Nicoletta, it looks so yummy! I love the step-by-step instructions, making it an easy recipe to follow!
Thank you! It is a wonderful jelly! We enjoy it on toast and also with cheese 🙂 .
Alyssa says
Nicoletta, what a gorgeous jelly! Your directions make this seem like such an easy approach, too. I would love to make this soon!
Thanks! It is not that hard to make and the jelly is amazing! Hope you try!
Shelly says
When I bought my house it came with fruit trees and grape vines. When inspecting the grapes a section smelled like Concords. The vines need some tending and the bunches were no where as lovely as yours. I sniped two large bowls full, followed your recipe and crossed my fingeres. What I ended up with was the most beautiful dark purple, tasty jelly. Thank you!
So beautiful to have the house with fruit trees and grape vines! We sold that house so no more gorgeous Concord grapes for us. I am so happy you like the jelly. It has an amazing color and it is delicious. Try it also with cheese. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Dave Newton says
Just made this resilient out wild grapes that grows on the fences along the road side tuned out perfect
Yes! So happy to hear that! We love this jelly. Too bad this year we didn't have any grapes. Thank you for your feedback!
Ann Coffey says
Thank you for the (commercial) pectin-free recipe, Nicoletta. I haven't tried it yet but judging from other recipes I've used I KNOW it's going to turn out well! I am not crazy about grape jelly but I have a very prolific wild (not concord) grape vine in my garden and if I don't pick the grapes the raccoons wreck the vine while scrumping the fruit. I generally make 30 to 40 pounds of grape jelly a year and give most of it away. Last year I decided to try something different and used about one cup of red wine to every three or four cups of the water + juice called for in the recipe. I found it so tasty that I didn't give quite so much of it away! I'm going to do it again with your recipe.
Wow, that's a lot of grape jelly you make! People must love you when you give them the 'purple jewel'. We miss our Concord grapes so much! My husband's parents house is now sold, we passed by the other day and everything is unkept including the beautiful vine. What a shame! Hope you'll love the jelly if you make it!
Ann Coffey says
I am half way through making it now!
You should try knocking on the door of your husband's parents' house and ask if you could pick them If they've not moved in yet, just go and scrump them. I'm sure that the last thing on the new owner's house at the moment is picking grapes and making jelly and if you don't pick them they'll go to waste! Now, if you lived in Ottawa I'd invite you over to pick the rest of my grapes... 🙂
That's such a great idea. Unfortunately they moved there already. Thank you for the invite, will take you up on that offer whenever we're in Ottawa 😉 .
Ann Coffey says
I'd just go and ask them then. They can only say no and I bet they'd be more likely to say yes!
Ann says
Great recipe! Definitely one to be saved and used again.
Thank you so much! Try it with cheese, it's incredibly delicious!
Lara says
I don’t have canning equipment and have always done freezer jam/jelly. I was just given some Concord grapes, do you know if this recipe would work for the freezer method?
Joan says
What size jars do you use?.
I think it was an 8 oz.
Susan Halladay says
Can this be frozen instead of boiled in the jars?
That I have never tried, sorry. I am guessing you need some different jars, or the glass will shatter in the freezer? Also, maybe you need to fill the jars only for 3/4. Please, look around on the internet, as I have not tried it. Thank you.
Debra White says
I am getting ready to try this recipe...I would like to know if I can double double or triple it?
I would say yes. I have never had enough grapes to double it, let alone triple it 😉 but I'd say yes.
Francesca says
Hello, this sounds great!!! So I purchased a case of wine grapes and it’s been out overnight and half a day then I put juice into fridge. I have 32 cups of juice. It’s rosemary lemon. Where do I start please.
Hi! Do you want to make all jelly with the 32 cups of juice? That is more than 10 times the recipe... I made three 8oz jars with this recipe you'll be making more than 30 jars. Anyway, if you already have the juice ready, that means you would have to start from the point where I say: make the jelly: sterilize the jars, combine juice, sugar, (lemon I think you said you have it in there already) and let it boil, stirring until it thickens. I do not know if you can process 30 cups of juice and 20 cups of sugar all at once. Hope that helps...
Lynn says
Hi Nicoletta. I used 10 cups of concord grapes and just covered them with water in a pot. I then crushed them and followed your instructions. I strained the juice and ended up with 7 cups. Other recipes I read called for only 1/2 cup of water. I'm worried that the jelly will be too diluted and lack flavour.
Hi! I hope not! It depends on the quality of the grapes, too. Some grapes can contain more water than others. I would suggest tasting the juice, you should really taste the essence of the concorde grapes in it. I do it like this all the time and many people did it and we all ended up with a rich and flavorful jelly. If you have 7 cups of juice, you would have to use up 4 1/8 cups of sugar and 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice. Let us know how it goes!
Taryn says
I tried to double the recipe but my jelly did not set great. I want to try and recook it to see if can get it right, do you have any suggestions?
Sorry to hear that! You can try cook it some more, it should also get more firm when it sets.
Krystine says
Hello! My husband and I tried this recipe and we cannot get the jelly to set! The taste is amazing, but we have tried 3 times already. Each time it’s boiling down more and we have boiled to temp of 220 which most recipes call for but still no luck. We have tons of jars of grape syrup mostly! Any tips?? Should I just keep boiling?
Hi! Sorry to hear that! But it can't be grape juice, it has to be at least grape syrup. The issue might be in the water content either in the grapes, or too much water added, or didn't boil it long enough. Also, I've noticed that usually big quantities do not perform well. Even when I make jam, and I have more than 4-6 cups of fruit, I end up doing it in two batches so as to respect the exact proportions. At this point, you might try boiling it for longer adding a little more sugar and lemon (taste it). Or you could add liquid pectin to firm it up. Hopefully it will turn out. Let us know.
Sara says
Do you have any tips for jelly that doesnt set? I've made jelly same way in years past with no issue! I followed your recipe except I used a steam juicer to make the juice. I used Fresh picked concord grapes and regular lemons for the juice. This year I have made two small batches so far but both came out as syrup. I like syrup but would like jelly to send to friends. I have a gallon of juice left. Do you have any tips?
The steam juicer might be the issue, it may have created more moisture. When you boil the grapes the steam escapes and evaporate while steaming it stays inside. At this point, with the rest of the juice, you can boil it again to reduce it a bit more, or add some pectin. Hope that helps!
Tracie says
Can you use regular seedless black grapes for this recipe?
I havent' tried but I would imagine that the process would be the same.
Kalani says
I made this yesterday and it tastes amazing!! Thanks so much🧡
We are happy to hear that. Thank you for the feedback!
Paula says
We have made this 3 times now. The first time we used a juicer, after simmering on the stove, and boiled it until ~220 degrees. It tastes wonderful but is thicker, more like jam without the chunks. The second and third time we simmered on the stove for at least 20 minutes and strained it through a fine metal strainer, refrigerated overnight, strained again then let it boil with the sugar on the stove until 218 degrees (that is the temp for our elevation that has worked wonderfully for seedless raspberry jelly) and it came out amazing...more jelly-like or as you stated jello-like. It took more than an hour to cook down but is way worth it for homemade pectin free jelly! NOTE: When boiling down we noticed the bubbles got much smaller and it rose in the pan almost double. You know you are close when that happens. We made large batches too, starting with 10 - 14Cups of juice. Thanks!
Thank you so much for your detailed comment! It's always helpful, to me and to others, to know how people made the recipe. Im' so happy you loved it, it is a great jelly.
Mellie says
Thank you for a grape jelly recipe not requiring extra pectin! It turned out beautifully! I used green grapes from our garden.
Thank you very much for your feedback. We are happy to hear that it turned out beautifully.
susan says
what is berry sugar?
Berry sugar is usually one that is used for Jams, in coffee to sprinkle on fruit etc.. It is a very fine sugar finer than granulated sugar.
Beatrice says
Recipe doesn’t work. Followed directions to a T and like others started it never set.
I am sorry to see that the recipe did not work for you. It's frustrating when something doesn't turn out the way we expect. Anyway, the recipe does work for me and others that commented before you and on Pinterest.
Reid says
I made 4x the recipe with no issues. The cook time is basically 4x also... so 1 hour 40 minutes. Hope this helps everyone who has trouble making larger quantities.
Thank you for sharing, you are right on point with the time factor! Thanks for trying this recipe.