Making Concord Grape Jelly
Grapes aren't just good for juicing! There are a variety of ways to implement grapes into your diet–jams and jellies being some of the most popular. Have you ever tried to make your own? In this video Eryn shows us exactly how to make delicious grape jelly at home with a few special Washington-grown tricks. When creating jelly, pectin is an important ingredient. Did you know that apple cores and seeds have a natural pectin to hold your jelly together? Using an apple instead of adding additional preservatives allows for a much more natural and delicious tasting jelly.
All you have to do is add about four pounds of grapes along with a whole apple, sliced up. Throw that into a pot on low and mash it up well. Then turn up the heat to a rapid boil to let the fruits boil down for about ten minutes.
Allow your concoction to simmer and thicken and then remove from heat, letting it sit overnight to cool. Then strain it through a cheesecloth in a colander, letting it sit about an hour allowing all the juices to drain out.
Allow your fruit juice mixture to then sit in the fridge for another twelve hours, then strain once more. Measure out four cups of your juice into a saucepan, along with three cups of sugar, and place on high heat to create a rapid boil for 10 minutes.
The natural pectin from the apples, combined with the heat will allow for the mixture to thicken. Fill your jars with the juice, seal them with lids and then put them in boiling water in a water bath canner for 5 minutes. Let them cool on your counter for about 12 hours. After you can your jelly it is shelf stable for months, and it’s a great gift to share with friends…or to keep all for yourself!
Benefits of Grapes
Grapes are not only delicious and juicy, but can typically be found year round at your local grocery store. Depending on what kind of taste you want, you can often special order certain grape varieties from your local produce section. This easily accessible fruit makes it a simple way to sneak in some vitamins and nutrients into your diet. Along with vitamins, grapes also provide helpful antioxidants, and helps your body to protect against neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally grapes are known to help promote better sleep because they contain melatonin.
Cooking with Grapes
You can also add grapes to your yogurt parfait or your smoothies. You can even put them in the freezer for a yummy frozen treat! Grapes are an amazingly versatile fruit that fits into both sweet and savory dishes. And, of course, if you love wine or grape juice they’re an excellent choice of Washington-grown beverage!
