Concord Grape Conserve Recipes

CONCORD GRAPE JAM RECIPE

Steps:

• If you are going to preserve the jam, prepare the jars and lids: place six half-pint jars on a rack in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the jars, and bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and allow jars to rest in the hot water. Meanwhile, put bands and lids in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat over medium heat until the water is simmering, then remove pan from heat and allow the bands and lids to rest in hot water until ready to use.
• Separate the grape skins from the pulp by squeezing the grapes between your fingers. Put the skins in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Transfer them to a large heavy-bottomed pot and add 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the skins have softened a bit, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the grape pulp in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the grapes lose their shape, about 10 minutes. Pour the grape pulp through a fine-mesh sieve or food mill into a large bowl. Force out as much pulp as you can and discard the seeds.
• Add grape pulp to the pot with grape skins and stir to combine. Add sugar, butter, and lemon juice and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until jam has reduced and thickened and reached the gel stage, about 45 minutes. To test the jam, put a small plate in the freezer. When it is chilled, spoon a bit of jam onto the plate and return it to the freezer for one minute. Drag your fingertip through the jam and tilt the plate from side to side. If the jam stays put and doesn't run, it's set. If not, simmer the jam for a few minutes more.
• Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars, cover with lids, and screw bands on until just barely tight. Place jars on rack in pot and cover completely with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, uncover pot, and allow jars to rest in water for 5 minutes. Remove jars from pot and allow them to rest undisturbed on countertop for 6 hours or overnight.

CONCORD GRAPE JAM

Steps:

• Sterilize jars:
• Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw bands. Put jars on a rack in canner or deep pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, leaving jars in water. Heat lids in water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until thermometer registers 180°F (do not let boil). Remove from heat, leaving lids in water. Keep the jars and lids submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.
• Cook jam:
• Chill 2 small plates (for testing jam).
• Slip skins from grapes and purée skins with 1 cup sugar in a food processor, then transfer to a 4- to 6-quart wide heavy pot. Stir in lemon juice, peeled grapes, and remaining 4 cups sugar and boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently and skimming foam, until pulp is broken down, about 20 minutes. Force jam through food mill set over a large bowl. Discard remaining solids. Return jam to pot and cook at a slow boil, skimming foam occasionally and stirring frequently as mixture thickens to prevent scorching, 35 minutes, then test for doneness.
• To test jam, remove from heat, then drop a teaspoonful on a chilled plate and chill 1 minute. Tilt plate: Jam should remain in a mound and not run. If jam runs, continue cooking at a slow boil, testing every 5 minutes, until done, up to 25 minutes more.
• Seal, process, and store jars:
• Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert. Ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top. Wipe off rims of filled jars with a clean damp kitchen towel, then top with lids and firmly screw on screw bands. Put sealed jars on rack in canner or pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. With tongs, transfer jars to a towel-lined surface to cool.
• Jars will seal; if you hear a ping, it signals that vacuum formed at the top of cooling preserves has made lid concave. Remember that you may or may not be around to hear that ping (some jars make the sound after you remove them from water, and others in same batch may take a few hours); the important thing is for jars to eventually have concave lids. Preserves will thicken as they cool.
• After jars have cooled 12 to 24 hours, press center of each lid to check that it's concave, then remove screw band and try to lift off lid with your fingertips. If you can't, lid has a good seal. Replace screw band. Put any jars that haven't sealed properly in the refrigerator and use them first.

CONCORD GRAPE JELLY

Steps:

• Sort and wash grapes, and remove stems. Place them into a large kettle and crush them. Add water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and extract juice. Allow the juice to stand in a cool place overnight to prevent the formation of crystals in the jelly.
• Strain the juice through a double thickness of damp cheesecloth. Measure 4 cups of the juice into a large pot. Stir in the sugar. Quickly bring to a full rolling boil. Stir in pectin, and allow to boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and skim off foam. Pour into hot sterile jars, and process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.