Grape Jelly

Grape jelly - it is a staple in my house.  Jonah will not eat any other kind - Grape is his favorite!  I figured since I was doing all of this canning and learning how to make jelly, I would learn how to make his favorite.

My Schmoop - Jonah!

I REALLY didn't want to get fresh grapes and run them through a sieve.............that sounded like too much work.  Instead, I did a little research and found that you can make grape jelly from grape juice!

Here are the ingredients:

Grape Juice - 2 quarts
Sugar - 3 cups(if you want your jelly sweeter, add more)
2 boxes pectin
1 teaspoon butter

Heat the grape juice and pectin until right before the boiling point.  Add the sugar and butter and boil vigorously for 1 minute.

At the same time, you need to start preparing the jars for canning.  Place the jars in your dishwasher and run the cycle.  This will sterilize the jars and heat them so that the grape jelly mixture will not crack the glass.

Put the lids and rims in a pot of boiling water. 

You will need a large stock pot of boiling water to process the grape jelly.

When the grape jelly mixture has boiled, use a funnel and put the mixture in the jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.  Wipe the rim of the jars and then put the rims and lids on.

Process the jars in a water bath (boiling water) for 15 minutes.  Remove the jars and let them cool.  As the jars cool, the jelly will set and the lids will seal.  You will know that the jars have sealed because you will hear "pop,"  "pop," "pop!"

If you are able to press on the lid and it gives, the jar did not seal properly.  Put that jar in the refrigerator and use it first.

This is very economical!  I made 7 little jelly jars and 6 1/2 pint jars.  Considering the average jar of jelly will cost over 2 dollars a piece - I'd say this is a bargain!

Smuckers has nothing on me!