Jelly from Wild Grapes

[journey11]

I couldn't get my hands on any concord grapes this year, but I did get enough wild grapes to give it a try. It's really good! I blogged about it if you want to see.... http://journey11.wordpress.com/2010/10/02/jelly-from-wild-grapes/ Such a pretty color too! :happy_flower

 

[hoodat]

Boy that brings back memories. I can remember as a little tyke sitting there watching grandmas jelly bag dripping away for hours. She made hers from an old muslin flour sack.what great jelly it was.

 

[lesa]

Those grapes are huge compared to the ones growing in my yard. I actually have quite a few, but they are very bitter. What did those taste like? It certainly looks beautiful! Very nice job!

 

[hoodat]

There are several varieties of wild grapes, some tastier than others. In Upstate NY I'd look for the fox grapes which have a sweet/sour taste with a slightly musky after taste. They make excellent jelly and the musky taste disappears in the cooking.

 

[bid]

Very good tips about what not to do journey. Thank you!

 

[journey11]

Picked fresh, they taste almost wine-like. It's a very potent grape flavor. Adding the sugar for jelly really brings out the best in them. There's also a touch of a green taste (from the seeds, I guess) when you make the juice, but once it's made into jelly you don't notice it after that. I can see why people like to make wine from them too, but I would have to water it down quite a bit to drink it just as juice.

I was really surprised that the BBB didn't mention not to squeeze the juice bag. And I read about settling out the crystals online a couple years ago. I am an impatient person sometimes and I squeezed the tar out of it the first time I made grape jelly. That makes it very cloudy! My MIL told me not to touch it and she was right. You get beautiful, crystal clear jelly.

I liked it so well I put it in my avatar. Then I realized it was the exact same color as the hollyhock avatar I had before. I must just be drawn to that fabulous color! :rainbow-sun