This weekend I decided that I wanted to make Concord Grape Jam after reading the tutorial on it over at The Hungry Moose Blog. As detailed as their recipe was with all the visuals… I still managed to mess this one up. Mine came out way too runny and only managed to make half the amount :(… Though it was still delicious, I may need to invest in a better strainer (this was the part I found to be the most difficult)… or possibly a food mill.
Concord Grape Jam
makes 4 pints
3 lbs. concord grapes
3 cups sugar
2 Tbls. lemon juice
1. Skin the Grapes
2. Puree the Grape Skins
Put skins and 1 cup of sugar in the food processor and process them on high for a minute or two.
3. Cook the Concord Grape Jam
Put the pureed skins, peeled grapes, lemon juice and the remaining 2 cups of sugar in a medium pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Stir occasionally.
Once it reaches boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
After 20 minutes, your jam will have thickened and reduced.
4. Strain the Jam
Before you start, grab a plate and put it in the freezer. You’ll need it to test the jam in a few minutes.
With a spatula, push the jam through a strainer in a large, heat-proof bowl. You should be left with seedy pulp…
5. Run the Plate Test
6. Jar your Jam!
Ladle your warm jam into clean, sterilized jars. Let them cool to room temperature, then cover them and pop them in the fridge.