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| Grape jelly made with the Southern Muscadine and Scuppernong grape. |
Muscadine and Scuppernong Jelly
It's muscadine time! Muscadines are the native Southern grape, ripening here in the South during the late summer and early fall months. You'll find both muscadine and scuppernong grapes right now and through about October at U-pick farms, local farmer's markets and produce stands and many local grocery markets in the South.They aren't anything like the typical California table grape you see in the grocery store, growing in much smaller bunches than what we're all accustomed to seeing. They are rather large grapes, nearly the size of a golf ball, and so dark purple in color that they are almost black, containing very large seeds and tough skins.
The skins, though tough, are edible, and loaded with nutritional benefits, but to eat out of hand, most folks simply bite into it a bit, then squeeze the pulp of the fruit into their mouth, spitting out the large seeds and discarding the skin.
The muscadine grape has a somewhat sweet and tart, earthy, almost musky taste and fragrance when raw, but they do have a powerful, intense grape flavor, making them a marvelous choice for a tasty jelly or jam, and for sauces and syrups, pies and cobblers, and even wine... if you're so inclined.
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| Photo Credit |
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| Photo Credit |
Jam making requires a multi-step process beginning with peeling the grapes. The skins and pulp are first cooked separately, seeds strained out, then combined back together, cooked further, and frankly is just a little bit too much work for me. I rather like the process of jelly making for these grapes though, and for this recipe, you'll need about 3 quarts of muscadine grapes, or roughly 4-1/2 pounds, for a yield of about 5-1/2 cups of juice, or what will give you about 8 half pints of jelly.
I've seen this same ratio of 5 cups of juice with 7 cups of sugar made both with and without lemon juice, and using both liquid and powdered pectin. I've used both and I prefer the way the powdered version sets. Some recipes also add just a bit of butter, which is supposed to help counter the foaming. Several recipes I've seen don't even process the jelly, but I feel much safer processing it myself.
Most of you know I'm fairly new to the whole canning experience, and I have read that it's best to allow jellies and jams to sit for at least 4 weeks before using them so that they fully develop their flavor. I'll do that with the ones I'm gifting this Christmas of course, but who can resist breaking into one of them right away? Not me, and as you see from my photo at the top, I didn't even take the time to make a proper biscuit before I dug in, though I certainly made some soon after!
My recipe is based on the one from the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center - better known as LSUAgCenter. Here's how to make it.
First things first is to make the juice. Remove any stems and discard blemished fruit from the muscadines, then add them to a large 8 to 10 quart pot. Run through several cycles of water until the water runs clear. Add 2 cups of fresh water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for for 20 minutes, using a pastry cutter or potato masher to crush the grapes periodically as they cook.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then gently work the pulp through a fine sieve, pressing out and retaining all of the juices. For the most clear jelly, and if you have the patience, line a large sieve with several layers of cheesecloth and allow the mixture to drip through on it's own, at least an hour or longer.
If you're not that picky about how clear your jelly is, just don't be too strenuous with working it through the sieve to avoid getting pulp in your jelly, and run it through a few times to remove as much of pulp as possible You should get at least 5-1/2 to 6 cups of juice - you'll need 5 cups for a batch of jelly. Discard or compost the solids. The juice may be refrigerated or frozen at this point for later use. You may also sweeten it to taste for a drinking juice.
To prepare jelly, return 5 cups of the juice to the pot and add the lemon juice. Stir in the pectin, and stirring occasionally, bring to a rolling boil - meaning one that cannot be stirred down. Add in all of the sugar, all at once, stirring to dissolve.
Bring back up to a rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then skim any foam off the top.
Ladle into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims and process in a hot water boiling canner for 10 minutes. You should have about 8 half pint jars.
As always, with all canning recipes that you find here on my site, I have to add my caveat. Before proceeding with any recipe for canning or preserving on Deep South Dish, I advise you to always consult a professional canning resource for complete details on how to safely can foods, from start to finish, to make them pantry stable.
Let's go make some!
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Recipe: Muscadine and Scuppernong Jelly
©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 25 min | Yield: About 8 half pints
Ingredients
For the Juice:
For the Jelly:
- 3 quarts of muscadine or scuppernong grapes
- 2 cups of water
Instructions
- 5 cups of the strained juice
- 1 (1.75 ounce) box of powdered pectin (like Sure-Jell)
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
- 7 cups granulated sugar
For the juice, remove any stems and discard blemished fruit from the muscadines. Add to a large 8 to 10 quart pot and run through several cycles of water until water runs clear. Add 2 cups of fresh water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for for 20 minutes. Use a potato masher to crush the grapes periodically as they cook.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Line a large sieve with several layers of cheesecloth and allow the mixture to drip through naturally on it's own, stirring occasionally and adding more of the pulp, for at least an hour or longer, for the most clear juice. Otherwise, work mixture gently through the sieve, straining several times. You should get at least 5 to 6 cups of juice. Discard or compost the solids. The juice may be refrigerated or frozen at this point for later use. You may also sweeten it to taste for a drinking juice.
To prepare jelly, return 5 cups of the juice to the pot and add the lemon juice. Stir in the pectin, and stirring occasionally, bring to a rolling boil, that is, one that cannot be stirred down. Add in all of the sugar, all at once, stirring to dissolve. Bring back up to a rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then skim foam off the top. Ladle into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims and process in a hot water boiling canner for 10 minutes. Makes about 8 half pint jars.
Cook's Notes: I am not a professional canning expert. Please consult a professional canning resource for details on water bath canning before attempting to home can. Three quarts of muscadine grapes are about 4-1/2 pounds and should yield at least 5-1/2 to 6 cups juice. Use a pot that is large enough for the rolling bowl. Generally speaking the juice should fill only about 1/3 of the pot.
To Freeze Juice: Pour into freezer containers leaving 1/2 inch of headspace; 1 inch if storing in glass jars, to allow for expansion.
To Can Juice: Pour into hot, sterilized pint or quart jars and process for 10 minutes in water bath canner.
Source: http://deepsouthdish.com
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