Anybody make Jelly? Got wild grapes behind house

I've eaten these wild grapes (not muscadines...grapes) for years and they are sweet as can be. I decided this year to try my hand at making jelly out of them. The vines are loaded each year and look like government issue Concord grapes. They are delicious and should make a good jam/jelly.

I am clueless about the process. I figure I'll need a food mill to process the raw product. I see Target has these. Something to cook it up with on the stove, jars etc.

Can someone school me on what I need to do?

You'll want to squeeze the seeds out before processing them. I make wine out of the wild muscadines... when I can reach them. They tend to grow way up in the tree tops.

Ordered a strainer from the local hdwe store today. Be here next week. Now just need jars, lids, sure jell, etc. Ready for the grapes to turn...

godogs57 said:

I've eaten these wild grapes (not muscadines...grapes) for years and they are sweet as can be. I decided this year to try my hand at making jelly out of them. The vines are loaded each year and look like government issue Concord grapes. They are delicious and should make a good jam/jelly.

I am clueless about the process. I figure I'll need a food mill to process the raw product. I see Target has these. Something to cook it up with on the stove, jars etc.

Can someone school me on what I need to do?

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YouTube

Here is how I learned to make jelly from my grandma and mom, and it has been working well for me for nearly forty years:

Wash the grapes good and pick out any bad ones. Put the grapes in a big pot, add enough water to just cover them, and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and let them simmer. When the liquid starts turning purple, start mashing the crap out of them. When you think the juice is mostly extracted, pour through a double or triple layer of cheesecloth in a strainer, into a big bowl.

When it cools down, you have your grape juice. (This process also works for raspberries, blackberries, mayhaws, elderberries, or anything else you want to make jelly out of.) You can do this ahead of time and stick the juice in the fridge or freezer if you want.

Get you some Sure-jell, and follow the instructions for amounts of juice and sugar for a run exactly. Don't try to double or half a run. It won't work.

Have your jars sterilized and in the oven on about 175*. Have the flip lids and rings in a pot of simmering water. Get everything ready-funnel, jar lifter, etc- and in place before you add the sugar and boil for the specified time.

Pour the hot jelly into the jars, leaving a little bit of head space. It will still be quite liquid-y. You need to work fast, because it will start setting up. Then put the hot lids and rings on and tighten to barely hand tight. I do one jar at a time, usually with my wife either pouring or lidding. Put the jars together and cover them with a towel until they seal. You will hear them pop as they seal.

Here is last year's delicious muscadine jelly:

Same as Hillbilly but we don't use sure jel , we use what I know as a limber twig apple in it's place ....

Nugefan said:

Same as Hillbilly but we don't use sure jel , we use what I know as a limber twig apple in it's place ....

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Grandma used to do that, too. Sure-jell is made from apple pectin, I think. Still have an old limber twig tree up at the head of the holler.

NCHillbilly,

Seeing this makes me miss my Grand Ma. She used to make jelly out of muscadine and scupadine grapes. She would use sure jell also. She had 90 acres and we would pick buckets full of the grapes. She also made pear preserves that was out of this world. It is nice that you learned how to do that from your grandma and mom.

NCHillbilly said:

Grandma used to do that, too. Sure-jell is made from apple pectin, I think. Still have an old limber twig tree up at the head of the holler.

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I have a cousin in his 80's and for Blackberry he just picks a few handfuls of red berries , he makes the best blackberry in the family ....

Hillbilly, that is exactly how my momma does it. I asked her to teach me a few years ago since I never had tried it. We made strawberry out of my garden and wild blueberry I gathered from the wood behind the house. They both were great, but took some time to gather enough of those little blueberries.

Have any of yall ever tried jalapeno jelly? Man if you haven't it's worth a go. Mom makes me some every year. Put some cream cheese in a bowl, cover with jalapeno jelly, and spread on crackers. You'll thank me later.