Summer’s here and fruit is ripening on the vine or tree or bush. We have a bumper crop of grapes this year at our place, and that means it’s time to make jelly. I’ve always loved looking at a shelf full of colorful jellies and jams. To me, they look like jars of gemstones.
Several years ago, we planted 12 Champanel grape (Vitis labrusca) vines, and they are now producing like crazy. If you want to grow a good garden grape, I heartily recommend this variety. It is easy to grow and has a natural resistance to insects and diseases. It also makes a beautiful arbor. When we ordered our plants, the description said that Champanel grapes were good for eating out of hand, but whoever wrote that must like to pucker. They make terrific preserves, though.
The first time I tried making jelly with them, I messed up big time, and I’m admitting this sorry fact as a public service so the same thing doesn’t happen to you. I didn’t know then that a natural byproduct of grape juice is something called potassium bitartrate crystals. In Europe, winemakers call these little granules “wine diamonds.” If you do any baking, you probably have a pulverized version of them in your spice rack under the name “cream of tartar.” Tartrate crystals help stabilize egg whites for such things as lemon meringue pie, which is a good thing. Tartrate crystals make grape jelly crunchy — as in break-your-teeth crunchy — which is a bad thing. Really bad.
The trick is to make the grape juice and let it sit overnight, allowing the wine diamonds to separate from the liquid, so that you can strain them out the next morning before making jelly. This step is crucial in keeping your dental bills in check.
Grape Jelly
Cheesecloth
4 cups grape juice**
4½ cups sugar
1 package pectin
8 half-pint jelly jars with lids
Pot for making jelly
Pot large enough to process all jars in a water bath. Water should cover jars by 1 inch or so.
**How to make the grape juice
Put 3 lbs. (approximately) of grapes in a large pot and add about 1½ cups water. As mixture simmers, crush the grapes with a potato masher. Cook for about 15 minutes. Roughly strain and allow juice to sit overnight. The next day, strain the juice through cheesecloth to make sure that no tartrate crystals remain — these will spoil the jelly.
How to make the jelly
Stir the contents of one box of pectin into the fruit juice in a pot. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred). Remove from heat and skim off any foam. Add sugar quickly and return to full rolling boil. Continue boiling for exactly one minute (any longer than that and you’ll have grape taffy. And, yes, I have done this also). Ladle quickly into prepared jars and tighten the lids. Put jars in the large pot. Bring water to a gentle boil (it helps to have the water hot already) and process for 5 minutes. Remove jars and allow them to cool. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store unopened jars in a cool, dark place.
