Store-bought grape jelly is fine, but a grape jelly recipe from fresh grapes is something else entirely. It tastes intensely of grapes, almost like biting into a ripe Concord, with a deep purple color you just can’t get from a squeeze bottle. It is also easier than it sounds: make the juice, boil it with pectin and sugar, and jar it.
Quick answer: simmer 3 1/2 lb crushed Concord grapes with 1 1/2 cups water for 10 minutes and strain to get 5 cups of juice. Bring the juice and one box of powdered pectin to a hard boil, add 7 cups sugar, boil for exactly 1 minute, then jar and process for 5 minutes in a water bath.
RECIPE
Homemade Grape Jelly from Fresh Grapes
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 lb Concord grapes about 1.6 kg, or other slip-skin grapes
- 1 1/2 cups water 360 ml
- 5 cups prepared grape juice from above
- 1 box (1.75 oz) powdered fruit pectin such as Sure-Jell
- 1/2 teaspoon butter optional, to reduce foam
- 7 cups granulated sugar 1.4 kg, measured exactly
Method
- Wash the grapes and pull them off the stems. Put them in a large pot, crush them well with a potato masher, and add the water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Pour into a damp jelly bag or a colander lined with several layers of damp cheesecloth set over a bowl. Let it drip until you have at least 5 cups of juice. For the clearest jelly, don’t squeeze. Optional: refrigerate the juice overnight, then pour it off carefully, leaving any sediment and crystals behind.
- Prepare a boiling water canner. Wash jars and lids, and sterilize the jars by boiling them for 10 minutes. Keep them hot.
- Measure exactly 5 cups of juice into a large, deep pot. Stir in the pectin and butter. Bring to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop when stirred) over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add all the sugar at once and stir. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam.
- Ladle quickly into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, add lids and bands, and process in the boiling water bath for 5 minutes (adjust for altitude).
- Let the jars cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Check the seals, then store in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Which Grapes Make the Best Jelly?
Concord grapes are the classic choice. They are the grape behind that familiar “grape” flavor, with a thick, dark skin that gives jelly its color. Other slip-skin grapes, such as Niagara (for a pale golden jelly) or wild grapes, also work. Seedless table grapes from the supermarket make a much milder jelly, since they have less flavor and acidity.
Concords are in season from late August to early October in the US and Canada. Look for them at farmers markets and roadside stands.
How to Make Grape Juice for Jelly
You can use a steam juicer if you have one, but a pot and a jelly bag work perfectly. Crush the grapes to break the skins, simmer them briefly with a little water, then let the juice drip through a damp jelly bag. Squeezing gives you more juice but makes the jelly cloudy.
Concord juice often contains tartrate crystals, tiny, sandy crystals that form naturally from the grapes. They are harmless but gritty. To avoid them, refrigerate the juice for 24 to 48 hours and strain it again before making jelly, as recommended by Penn State Extension.
Pectin or No Pectin?
Grapes contain some natural pectin, but not always enough for a reliable set, especially when fully ripe. Powdered pectin makes the process quick and predictable, and it gives a bright, fresh flavor because the jelly only boils for a minute. If you prefer a no-pectin jelly, mix in about a quarter slightly under-ripe grapes and boil the juice and sugar to the gel point, 220°F (104°C), like our crabapple jelly.
Tips for Perfect Grape Jelly
- Measure exactly. Pectin jelly depends on the right ratio of juice, sugar and pectin. Don’t reduce the sugar unless you use a low-sugar pectin.
- Don’t double the batch. Larger batches often fail to set. Make two batches instead.
- Use a big pot. Jelly foams up a lot when it boils.
- Get a true rolling boil, one that keeps bubbling hard even while you stir.
Troubleshooting
- Jelly didn’t set: wait 48 hours. If it is still runny, it can be remade with more pectin following the pectin maker’s instructions.
- Gritty jelly: tartrate crystals. Next time, chill and re-strain the juice.
- Cloudy jelly: the bag was squeezed or the jelly was poured too slowly.
Storing Grape Jelly Safely
Processing the jars in a boiling water bath gives you a shelf-stable seal. Follow the altitude guidance from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Sealed jars keep for about a year in a cool, dark cupboard. Once opened, refrigerate and use within about a month.
Grape Jelly FAQs
How many grapes do I need? About 3 1/2 pounds of Concord grapes gives the 5 cups of juice needed.
Can I use bottled grape juice? Yes. Use 100% unsweetened grape juice and follow the same method.
Can I freeze the juice? Yes. Freeze it for up to a year and make jelly whenever you like.
What can I make with grape jelly? Classic PB&J, of course, plus thumbprint cookies, a glaze for meatballs, or stirred into yogurt.
For more homemade spreads and fall preserves, browse our jams and preserves.
