Home-Canned Grape juice is a refreshing way to take all those homegrown grapes and cook them down into their flavorful essence. Learn how to can grape juice.
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It is easy to get excited when your home vineyard or grapevines are producing. At the beginning of the ripening season, we are eating grapes like crazy! I find the kids out there every morning after I’ve “closed the kitchen” foraging for themselves in the grapevine. Their favorite is a Thompson Seedless/Concord Grape Cross…it’s delicious!
If you haven’t got a grapevine on your homestead, I highly suggest planting at least one vine. We put in a home vineyard two years ago, so when the grapes are ripe, they are ripe! We do love to make homemade wine, but for the kids it is fun to put up some home canned grape juice for them to enjoy, long after the grapevine has died back. Here’s how I do it.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE HOME-CANNED GRAPE JUICE
BOILING WATER BATH CANNER
A boiling water canner heats jars to 212 degrees F, enough to kill microorganisms found in high acid foods. The rack allows water to flow beneath the jars. for even heating. It also has handles that allow you to lower and lift jars easily into the hot water. Canners come in different sizes and finishes.
2 QUART JARS & LIDS
The perfect size for juice be sure to have these ready before getting started.
JAR LIFTER
This tool lifts jars firmly and securely in and out of hot water. Use two hands and squeeze firmly. In a pinch, you can use kitchen tongs instead, but they are not as secure and safe.
MAGNETIC WAND LIFTER
Trust me on this one, I went years without this handy dandy tool. The magnetic want enables you to drop the lids and rings into the hot water of the canner (no need to heat them in a separate pan) to sterilize and soften them and then easily lift them out from among jars and racks.
MEASURING SPOONS
Most sets have 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, and 1/4 teaspoon. Quality metal spoons cost just a bit more and like metal measuring cups better release finely ground foods that might otherwise cling to plastic measuring spoons.
LADLES
Canning involves transferring liquids from one container to another, and a ladle does that quickly and precisely. Metal is ideal because it won’t melt if left too close to a burner.
MEASURING CUPS
Use measuring cups for dry goods, such as sugar. (Use glass ones for liquids; they measure differently.) Metal is more durable and finely ground food slides out of it more easily with no static cling. Most come in sets of 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 up, and 1/4 cup.
CLEAN DRY KITCHEN TOWELS
These have many uses when canning, besides drying wet utensils. Use to wipe rims of jars. Lay a dry towel on the counter to set hot jars on (never directly on the counter, they may crack) or set on a wire rack. And of course, use them to wipe up spills.
TIMER
I use the timer on my oven, but in case you want to leave the kitchen set one on your phone or bring some type of portable timer with you to remember what you’ve got processing on the stove.
HOT PADS
One pair is essential, but two is better so that you always have a clean, dry pair (wet hot pads conduct heat, resulting in burns).
COLANDER
Useful for washing the grapes. Line it with cheesecloth and set over a bowl to finely strain juices or canned juice or jellies.
LARGE SIEVE
Use this to press grapes through a sieve; discard seeds and cooked skins.
CHEESECLOTH
This Step is absolutely essential when making grape juice to collect any pulp or sediment.
PERMANENT MARKER
Use to write labels on the tops of your jars indicating what is inside…trust me you’ll thank yourself later! I like to include the date so I know when to use up the food, as well.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HOME-CANNED GRAPE JUICE
- 7 to 8 pounds Concord Grapes
- 1/2 to 1 cup sugar (optional)
HOW TO MAKE HOME-CANNED GRAPE JUICE
- Wash grapes; remove from stems.
- Measure 17 cups grapes.
- In a 6-quart kettle or pot combine grapes and 2 1/2 cups water: cover.
- Bring just to a simmer.
- Cover: simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until grapes are softened, occasionally stirring gently.
- Remove from heat; strain through a colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth, pressing on grapes gently to extract juice.
- Transfer juice to a large clean pitcher.
- Cover; refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Without stirring, pour off and reserve clear liquid; discard sediment that collects at the bottom of the pitcher. If desired for clearer juice, pour juice through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
- In a large pot or kettle combine grape juice and, if using, sugar.
- Heat just to simmering, stirring to dissolve sugar.
- Skim any foam that collects on surface of juice.
- Ladle hot juice into clean, hot quart canning jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace.
- Wipe jar rims; adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5-minutes (start timing when water returns to boil). *
- Remove jars from canner, cool on wire racks. Chill them thoroughly before serving.
*The processing time for this recipe is based on conditions at 1,000 feet or less below sea level. When processing at high altitudes adjust processing times.
WAYS TO ENJOY HOME CANNED GRAPE JUICE
DRINK FRESH!
Serve over ice and drink up!
MAKE GRAPE POPSICLES OR ICE CUBES
Eating homemade popsicles, especially during the summer is one of my kid’s favorite snack! I opt to make ours homemade to avoid all of those icky artificial ingredients. Making homemade grape popsicles, from the home canned juice from the grapes that you harvested on your homestead could not be more locally sourced!
MAKE MULLED GRAPE JUICE
Fall is here, what would be more delicious than to serve a mulled grape juice after an afternoon at the pumpkin patch?
OTHER POSTS YOU MAY ENJOY
How to Make Healthy Grape Popsicles
Ideas for What to Have on a Homestead | Homestead Planning
How to Get Started Canning for Beginners
Home-Canned Grape Juice
Home Canned Grape juice is a refreshing way to take all those homegrown grapes and cook them down into their flavorful essence.
Ingredients
- 7 to 8 pounds Concord Grapes
- 1/2 to 1 cup sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Wash grapes; remove from stems.
- Measure 17 cups grapes.
- In a 6-quart kettle or pot combine grapes and 2 1/2 cups water; cover.
- Bring just to a simmer.
- Cover; simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until grapes are softened, occasionally stirring gently.
- Remove from heart; strain through a colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth, pressing on grapes gently to extract juice.
- Transfer juice to a large clean pitcher.
- Cover; refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Without stirring, pour off and reserve clear liquid; discard sediment that collects at the bottom of the pitcher. If desired for clearer juice, pour juice through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
- In a large pot or kettle combine grape juice and, if using, sugar.
- Heat just to simmering, stirring to dissolve sugar.
- Skim any foam that collects on surface of juice.
- Ladle hot juice into clean, hot quart canning jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace.
- Wipe jar rims; adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5-minutes (start timing when water returns to boil). *
- Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Chill them thoroughly before serving.
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