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Grow a Good Life

journey to a self sufficient life

in Canning & Preserving

Honey Sweetened Concord Grape Jelly

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Make and preserve your own homemade Concord grape jelly! Concord grapes have a slightly tart, musky flavor but can be transformed into a delicious grape jelly with a little sweetening. This old-time favorite is sweetened with honey in this recipe.

jars of grape jelly on a table

Concord grapes are behind the flavor of grape jelly traditionally used in peanut butter and jelly sandwich that many of us grew up eating. Ephraim Wales Bull originally developed the Concord grape in 1849 at his farm in Concord, Massachusetts. The variety was cultivated from native grape species that thrive in the cold climate of New England. The vines are so hearty that it isn’t unusual to find them growing wild on old homesteads, in the woods, and along streambeds.

Our Concord grape vines were overgrown when we purchased our property, and they continue to be a work in progress. Last year, we hacked the vines that escaped the trellis and wound their way up the nearby pine trees. We were unforgiving and cut the mature grape vines back about 90% almost to their trunk.

It doesn’t take long for vigorous Concord grape vines to become unruly, and ideally they should be pruned every year when vines are dormant. It had been several years since we had pruned the vines, and the grape production dwindled a little each year because the plants’ energy was diverted into too many directions. It was time to reel it in.

Grapes bear fruit on one-year-old canes, so we had to wait patiently a few years until the vines produced. We didn’t have a large harvest of Concord grapes this year, but it was enough for a small batch of Concord grape jelly.

Tips for Making Concord Grape Jelly

This jelly recipe uses Concord grapes, but feel free to try it with other grape varieties. The flavor will be different, but still delicious. You can also make this jelly with purchased frozen or bottled grape juice if you don’t have fresh fruit.

Harvest the Grapes at Peak Sweetness

The best way to tell if the grapes are ready to harvest is by tasting them and checking the seed color. As the fruit ripens, it will become sweet and the seeds will change from green to brown.

Make Small Batches of Grape Jelly

I know it may be tempting, especially if you have lots of grapes, but don’t double this recipe. Small batches are much easier to manage ingredients, heat, and get the jelly to gel successfully. If you have a lot of grapes, consider freezing or canning grape juice for later.

  • Home Canned Concord Grape Juice

Use Pomona’s Universal Pectin

Pomona’s Universal Pectin is a citrus pectin that lets you use less sugar and other sweetening alternatives than your typical boxed pectin. It works differently than regular pectin in that it uses calcium powder to gel instead of lots of sugar. This allows the fruit flavor to shine in your jellies and jams rather than the sweetness of the sugar.

You can find Pomona’s Universal Pectin in stores with the canning supplies or online.

Allow Plenty of Time

When making jelly from fresh fruit, you will need a couple of days to extract the juice and allow the sediment to settle.

Concord grapes have a lot of sediment and can form tartrate crystals. Allowing the juice to rest overnight in the refrigerator will let the residue separate from the juice and settle on the bottom of the container.

Use a Mild Flavored Honey

Depending on where the honeybees gather nectar, the flavor of honey can range from mild to bold. You will want to choose a mild honey to sweeten jelly so the honey flavor won’t overwhelm the grapes. Generally, light-colored honey made from alfalfa or clover is milder in taste.

concord grapes in a basket

How to Make Concord Grape Jelly

This grape jelly is made by extracting the juice from homegrown Concord grapes, sweetening with honey, thickened with Pomona’s Universal Pectin, and processed in a water bath canner for shelf stable jars.

Don’t have access to fresh Concord grapes? You can also make Concord grape jelly using frozen or bottled Concord grape juice that can be purchased at the grocery store. You will need 4 cups of juice for this recipe.

If you are new to canning or haven’t canned in a while, it may be helpful to review this article on water bath canning at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.

A more detailed and printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this post, but these are the general steps for making Concord Grape Jelly from fresh fruit.

Step 1: Gather Your Canning Equipment

  • Water bath canner with a canning rack
  • 5 half-pint canning jars
  • Canning lids and bands
  • Canning tools: lid lifter, jar lifter, canning ladle, funnel, and bubble popper
  • Jelly strainer or cheese cloth
  • Plus basic kitchen supplies such as a large bowls, large sauce pot, small pot, spoons, towels, potato masher, and measuring spoons and cups.

Step 2: Prepare the Grapes

Harvest the grapes at peak sweetness. Pluck the grapes from the stems and rinse well in plain water to remove bugs, dust, and debris. You’ll need about 4 pounds of grapes to make 4 cups of juice.

Step 3: Extract the Juice from the Fruit

Extract the juice by combining the grapes and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce to a simmer. Gently mash the grapes with a potato masher to release their juices and continue simmering over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Strain the juice through a damp jelly bag or double layers of cheesecloth. Let the fruit strain for several hours. If you want clear jelly, do not squeeze the bag. I care more for flavor rather than appearance, so I often give the bag a squeeze to press out all the flavorful juice. Discard the solids.

mashing grapes and straining juice from fruit

Step 4: Refrigerate the Grape Juice

Place the juice into the refrigerator to sit for 24-48 hours. During this time, tartaric acid crystals will form, and the sediment will settle to the bottom.

Step 5: Prepare the Canning Equipment

When you are ready to make the jelly, wash the canning jars, lids, and tools in hot, soapy water and rinse well.

Position the canning jar rack into water bath canner, set the jars in the canner, add water, and boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize. Warm your lids in a small pot over low heat. Keep everything warm until you are ready to can your jam.

Step 6: Mix the Calcium Water

Pomona’s Universal Pectin uses calcium water to get the jelly to thicken and gel. Make this by combining 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder (from the small packet in the Pomona’s pectin box) with 1/2 cup water in a glass jar with a lid. Shake well and set aside. You will need 4 teaspoons of calcium water for this recipe. Store extra in the refrigerator for other canning recipes.

Step 7: Make the Grape Jelly

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the honey with the pectin powder. Set aside.

Remove the grape juice from the refrigerator without disturbing the settlement at the bottom. Strain the juice again through a jelly bag or double layers of cheesecloth to remove the crystals. Stop when you see the sediment reach the lip of the container. The jelly bag or cheesecloth will catch the crystals.

Measure out 4 cups of the juice into a large saucepan. Add the lemon juice, calcium water, and stir to mix well. Bring juice to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the pectin-honey mixture and stir to dissolve. Continue stirring until the jelly comes back to a boil. Once it boils, remove from heat and skim off foam.

Step 8: Can the Jelly

Remove the warm jars from the canner, drain, and line up on a kitchen towel.

Ladle the grape jam into the jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims with a clean kitchen towel, add the lids and rings, and process in a water bath canner.

Let the jars cool, test the seals, label, date, and store the grape jam in a cool, dark location for up to a year. Refrigerate the jars once opened and consume within 3 weeks.

jars of grape jelly on a white table

5 from 1 vote
jars of grape jelly on a table
Print
Honey Sweetened Concord Grape Jelly
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
15 mins
Resting Time
12 hrs
Total Time
13 hrs 15 mins
 

Make and preserve your own homemade Concord grape jelly! Concord grapes have a slightly tart, musky flavor but can be transformed into a delicious grape jelly with a little sweetening. This old-time favorite is sweetened with honey in this recipe.

Course: Pantry
Cuisine: American
Keyword: concord grape jelly
Servings: 1 teaspoon
Calories: 20 kcal
Author: Grow a Good Life
Ingredients
  • 4 pounds Concord grapes
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup honey (or 3/4 cupsugar)
  • 4 teaspoons Pomona’s Universal Pectin (included in the Pomona box)
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
  • 4 teaspoons calcium water (included in the Pomona box-see instructions)
Instructions
Extract the Grape Juice
  1. Remove the grapes from the stems and wash in plain water.

  2. Extract the juice by combining the fruit and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce to a simmer over low heat.

  3. Gently mash the grapes with the back of a spoon or potato masher to release their juices and continue simmering over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Strain the fruit through a damp jelly bag or double layers of cheesecloth for several hours. Don't squeeze the bag if you want clear jelly.

  5. Discard the solids and refrigerate the juice overnight to allow the sediment and crystals to settle.

Mix the Calcium Water
  1. Prepare your calcium water by combining 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder (from the small packet in the Pomona's pectin box) with 1/2 cup water in a jar with a lid. Shake well to combine. Set aside.

  2. You will only need 4 teaspoons of calcium water for this recipe. Store extra in the refrigerator for other canning projects.

Prepare the Canning Equipment
  1. Prepare your jars and lids by washing in warm, soapy water and rinsing thoroughly.

  2. Place jar rack into water bath canner, set jars in the canner, add water, and boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize.

  3. Warm your lids in a small pot over low heat. Keep jars and lids warm until ready to use.

Make the Jelly
  1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the honey with the pectin powder. Set aside.

  2. Remove the grape juice from the refrigerator without disturbing the settlement at the bottom.

  3. Strain the juice again through a jelly bag or double layers of cheesecloth to remove the crystals.

  4. Carefully pour the grape juice through the cheesecloth and into a bowl. Stop when you see the sediment reach the lip of the container. The jelly bag or cheesecloth will catch the crystals.

  5. Measure out 4 cups of the juice into a large sauce pan. Add lemon juice, calcium water, and stir to mix well. Bring juice to a boil over medium-high heat.

  6. Add the pectin-honey mixture and stir to dissolve. Continue stirring until the jelly comes back to a boil. Once it boils, remove from heat and skim off foam.

Can the Grape Jelly
  1. Spread kitchen towel on the counter. Use your jar lifter to remove warm jars from canner, drain, and line up on the towel.

  2. Use your canning ladle and funnel and add the jelly to warm jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rims.

  3. Use your magnetic lid lifter to lift lids out of the warm water, center lid on the jar, and screw on band until it is fingertip tight.

  4. Using jar lifter, place jars carefully into canner leaving space in between them. Once jars are all in canner, adjust the water level so it is at least one inch above the jar tops.

  5. Add more boiling water if needed so the water level is at least one inch above the jar tops. When adding water, use the hot water from the small pot your lids were in. Pour the water around the jars and not directly onto them.

  6. Cover the canner and bring to boil over high heat. Once water boils vigorously, continue boiling for 10 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. (adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary).

  7. When processing time is complete, turn off heat and allow the canner to cool down and settle for about 10 minutes.

  8. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter; remove the cover by tilting lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face. Use a jar lifter to lift jars carefully from canner and place on the towel. Allow the jars to cool for 12 to 24-hours. You should hear the satisfactory “ping” of the jar lids sealing.

  9. After 12 to 24-hours, check to be sure jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center of the lid. The lid should not pop up. If the lid flexes up and down, it did not seal. Refrigerate the jar and use up within a few weeks.

  10. Remove the screw on bands and wash the jars. Label and date the jars. Store your jars in a cool, dark place and use within 12 months. Refrigerate once opened and consume within 3 weeks. Yields about 4-5 pint jars.

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Preserving with Pomona's Pectin by Allison Carroll Duffy.

 

This article was originally published on September 17, 2016. It has been reviewed and updated on July 11, 2020.

More Articles for Preserving Fruit:

  • Homemade Crabapple Jelly with No Added Pectin
  • Small Batch Chokecherry Jelly
  • Spiced Apple Jelly with No Added Pectin
  • Cherry Sweet and Sour Sauce
  • Homemade Blueberry Syrup with Honey

Good planning is key to a successful vegetable garden

Whether you are new to growing your own food or have been growing a vegetable garden for years, you will benefit from some planning each year. You will find everything you need to organize and plan your vegetable garden in my PDF eBook, Grow a Good Life Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden.

Grow a Good Life Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden

 

jars of concord grape jelly on a table

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna Blankenship says

    August 14, 2020 at 10:19 am

    5 stars
    Can I use suregel instead of pomonas pectin and calcium water?

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      August 14, 2020 at 12:26 pm

      Yes, you can use suregel to make grape jelly, but that will be a different recipe. Be sure to follow the suregel recipe instead of this one.

      Reply
  2. Brandi Schepers says

    August 16, 2018 at 7:12 pm

    How much water do I add to grapes when putting in large pot to boil?

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      August 17, 2018 at 1:22 pm

      Brandi, About 1/2 cup of water just to help prevent the grapes from sticking. Once the grapes heat up, they will release juice.

      Reply
  3. Julia Richardson says

    March 25, 2018 at 10:24 pm

    If using Juice instead of Grapes, how much Juice should I use? Thanks!

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      March 26, 2018 at 8:02 am

      4 cups of grape juice.

      Reply

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