Georgia’s Kitchen: Grapes

Georgia Diehm

What a hot, dry summer we have had! Much of my garden vegetables did not fare too well, but my concord grapes thrived!

I heard somewhere that grapes love hot, dry weather. Anyway the vines were loaded with clusters of beautiful purple grapes. Needless to say, I have been canning grapes. I looked to see what Mom had for recipes for preserving grapes and I wasn’t disappointed.

Here are some of the recipes I found…

Grape Juice

concord grapes
water
sugar
colander
jelly bag
sterilized bottles
seals for bottles

Wash concord grapes and pick them from the stems. Barely cover with water. Boil until skins are broken and seeds are separated. Strain through a colander and then through a jelly bag. Measure the juice. Allow 1 cup sugar to each 4 cups of juice. Boil the juice and the sugar for 15 minutes. Pour into sterilized bottles. Cool and seal bottles.

Uncooked Grape Juice

concord grapes
sugar
boiling water
quart fruit jars
Seals

Wash concord grapes and remove them from their stems. Place 2 cupfuls in a quart fruit jar. Add 1 cup sugar* and cover with boiling water. Seal and allow to stand several weeks before using. When ready to use, strain the contents of the jar. These grapes are good to eat.

* Note: I try to cut down on the amount of sugar. Sweeten to your taste. As I have mentioned before, Stevia or a natural sweetener is an excellent alternative to refined table sugar.

Grape Jelly

concord grapes
preserving kettle
Masher
jelly bag
sugar
sterilized glasses
melted paraffin

Select concord grapes that are not fully ripe. Wash and drain. Place in a preserving kettle. Mash well and heat until the juices flow freely. Strain through a jelly bag and add to the juice 3/4 cup sugar for each cup of juice . Boil until sugar sheets from edge of spoon, about 10 to 20 minutes. Pour into sterilized glasses. When cool, cover with hot melted paraffin. 2 pounds of grapes makes 3 to 4 glasses of jelly.

Grape Catsup

5 pounds grapes-cleaned and stemmed
2 pounds sugar
1 pint vinegar
1 Tablespoon cloves
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
sieve

Boil grapes in enough water to keep from burning. When soft, strain through a sieve. Add remaining ingredients. Boil until catsup thickens. Makes about 6 pints.

Grape Conserve

4 pounds grapes
1 pound seeded raisins
2 oranges
3 pounds sugar
sieve

Cook the grapes until soft and sieve. Add raisins, the pulp of the oranges and the skin cut fine, and the sugar. Cook until thickened, stirring to prevent burning. Nutmeats may be added if desired. Makes about 6 half-pint jars.