Small Batch Scuppernong Grape Jelly
Small Batch Scuppernong Grape Jelly is homemade jelly made easy! Make it a freezer jelly or use a water bath to make it shelf stable. Scuppernongs are basically golden muscadines so they can easily be swapped in this jelly recipe.
Servings: 4 half pints
Calories: 50kcal
Cost: 18
Equipment
- Stock pot, canning jar lifter, half-pint or pint jars
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Scuppernong or muscadine grapes about 6 cups grapes to yield 2 cups juice
- 1 cup water, plus 2 tablespoons
- 4 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 3 ounce pouch premium liquid fruit pectin I used Sure-Jell Certo
Instructions
- Wash Scuppernong grapes with cold running water. Remove stems. Cut grapes in half. This is optional, but helps prevent the grapes from bursting hot juice when mashed in the pot as they start to soften.
- Add grapes and 1 cup water to an 8-quart enamel coated or stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. As the grapes start to soften, mash with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. (Be careful! As you mash the grapes, they tend to burst open and splatter hot juice if left whole.)Reduce heat and let simmer 20 minutes, stirring often, or until the seeds and pulp has released from the skins. The skins will need to be very soft at this point.
- Line a large mesh strainer or colander with 3 layers of cheesecloth or use a jelly strainer bag on a stand (See my Amazon picks before the recipe). Place the strainer or jelly strainer bag over a wide rimmed bowl to catch the juice that drips.
- Carefully pour hot cooked grape mixture into the cheesecloth-lined strainer or jelly strainer bag on a stand. Let the mixture drip for at least 1 hour, occasionally stirring the mixture to help allow the liquid to drip out into the bowl to get 2 cups grape juice. Discard solids.
- Sterilize four half pint or 2 pint jars. Here are 3 Easy Ways to Sterilze Jars for Canning.
- In a large bowl, add the 2 cups strained grape juice. I like to heat the grape juice to warm-not hot to help dissolve the sugar.Measure 4 cups sugar (with dry measuring cups) into a bowl. All at once, add the sugar to the grape juice. Let stand (not on the heat) 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine liquid pectin and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Add to grape juice and sugar mixture; stir about 3 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Pour into prepared jars (or freezer containers if freezing), leaving 1/2-inch space at the top. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with lids and screw bands tightly.
- If planning to store on a shelf, process in a water bath for 5 minutes. For water bath, bring water to a boil in a deep stock pot. The pot must be deep enough to cover the jar tops. Place a canning rack in the bottom of the pot to lift the jars off the bottom. I use a small round cooling rack.Carefully place the jars in the boiling water and bring back to a rolling boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove the jars carefully with a canning jar lifter. Let cool on a towel or cooling rack on the counter 24 hours before storing.
- For freezer method, after filling jars or freezer containers with jelly, let stand on counter 24 hours. Then, jelly may be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Notes
How to substitute powdered Sure Jell original pectin for Certo liquid pectin in this scuppernong jelly recipe.
- Combine the powdered Sure Jell Original pectin with the 3/4 cup water those package directions call for in a small saucepan.
- Bring it up to a boil, stirring often, and boil 1 minute. At this point, it is the same as liquid pectin…just hot!
- Stir this mixture into the scuppernong jelly at the same step it calls for liquid pectin.
- Liquid Certo allows you to skip the step of cooking the powdered pectin.
- It is a small batch recipe that requires less time for the cooked fruit to drip in the cheesecloth
- Processing the jars in a water bath for 5 minutes is much faster and easier than pressure canning.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 50kcal