Easy Grape Jam
Easy Grape JamI can’t tell you how excited I am about this Easy Grape Jam recipe that I developed this week. My local supermarket was selling boxes of multi-coloured grapes and obviously bought in too many! Hence I found myself picking up a couple of boxes reduced to 90 p each from £3 (which was already a bargain for a kilo of grapes).
When I got home I washed one of the boxes of grapes and soon realised that we wouldn’t be able to eat them all before they started to perish. So what was I going to do with the rest? Well hello, Crazy Jam Lady here, of course I decided to make jam; it’s what gluts of fruit were made for!
So I started researching recipes for grape jam and the majority were American. Some suggested peeling the grapes, “hello, I don’t do faff” I thought to myself. Peeling near on 2 boxes of grapes would have taken an age! Then there was a more sensible solution I came across where you used a stick blender to pulverise the skins so no need to peel. That sounded far more sensible I thought.
I didn’t find one recipe that told me all I needed to know, many used pectin and none said how long to boil the jam for, it was either “use a jam thermometer” or “boil until it looks right” and many recipes added water which I decided wasn’t necessary as grapes are basically water in a skin! I’m a pedant for detail when it comes to writing jam recipes so I love it when I can put out a recipe that is missing from the internet!
I plotted out my Easy Grape Jam recipe and used my Simple Blueberry Jam recipe as a guide because blueberries and grapes are quite similar after all. Grapes just have tougher skins which is why the blending is necessary.
Well blow me down the recipe worked to perfection! I’d also bought 3 Mason jars I’d found going cheap (79 p each can you believe) and the Easy Grape Jam filled the 3 jars exactly, I couldn’t believe it! It was like this jam was just meant to be.
I waited until the next day to try the jam and having heard so much about peanut butter and jelly I decided to give the family a cracker each with peanut butter and my Easy Grape Jam. They all loved it and hubby who had doubted that grape jam was even a thing was gushing with compliments!
I do love it when I’m right about something, don’t you? He kept saying he’d never had grape jam before and how wonderful it was. Well I’ve never had it either and I have to say it is fabulous!
As I realise this recipe will have wider global appeal I did think about converting it to cup measurements as I’ve been getting quite a few requests from across the pond for these lately. However on testing out an online conversion chart which said 100 g of whole grapes was equal to 1 cup I found that it was in fact 142 g and I’m sure depending on the size of the grapes one could get many differing results.
So don’t think me mean when I don’t rush off to do the conversion for you, I just don’t want to be responsible for misinformation which could lead to inaccurate results. Not all cooking is a precise science but jam making really is. So instead I have converted the recipe to pounds and ounces and suggest if you want to achieve perfect results then a set of electronic scales really is the way forward.
I really hope you try my Easy Grape Jam recipe as I’m sure you’ll be blown away by it just like we were! For more grape recipe inspiration you might also like the following:
Pork in Grapes
Chicken Fiesta
Coronation Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad for One
Grape & Red Onion Chicken Drumsticks
Seared Paprika Salmon with Rosemary Grapes
Grilled Pork Chops with Orange & Grape Salsa
Spinach, Grape & Blue Cheese Salad
Fried Halloumi Salad with Baked Pomegranate Grapes
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lentils & Grapes
Red Grape & Rosemary Focaccia
Fat Free Greek Yogurt Fruit Brulee
Frozen Grapes on a Stick (Easiest-Ever Grape Popsicles)
2 Ingredient Instant Frozen Yogurt(vegan)
Lemon Panna Cotta with Grapes 2 Ways
Why not pin for later?
Easy Grape Jam - just 3 ingredients and no pectin!
Ingredients
- 1.7 kg / 3 lb 12 oz seedless grapes I used equal quantities or red, black & green grapes
- 1 kg / 2 lb 3 oz granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Place grapes, sugar and lemon juice into a preserving pan or similar.
- Using a gentle heat dissolve the sugar slowly, stirring frequently.
- As the mixture heats up break up some of the grapes with your wooden spoon or use a potato masher in order the release the grapes’ juices.
- Once all the sugar has dissolved fully (around 20 minutes) take the mixture off the heat and use a stick blender to blend the grapes to a juice like consistency.
- Put pan back on the heat, bring to a rolling boil and then time for 25 minutes, stirring continuously. (You could start with 23 minutes as depending on freshness and variety of grapes the setting time can vary a little).
- Take the pan off the heat and test for set by placing a few drops of the jam on a chilled saucer and place in fridge for a minute.
- The jam should form a crinkle when you push your finger through it.
- If not then boil for another 2 minutes and re-test until set is achieved.
- Pot up in hot jars and place lids on immediately.
- Store in a cool dry place and once opened keep in fridge.
Recipe Notes
Before you start:
Put 2 - 3 saucers in the freezer.
Sterilise 3 x 0.5 ltr jars by washing in hot soapy water (or take straight from dishwasher), fill with boiling water, empty and then place in oven for 20 minutes at 140°C where you leave them until the jam is ready. Washed lids should be sterilised with boiling water and then left to drain.
I. G.
12/08/2019 at 2:24 amI don’t understand the term “pot up”. Do I just fill hot jam in hot jars, and cover with lids? Is that shelf stable? Or do I need to water bath can the full jars? To make them room temperature safe, without refrigeration until opened.
Camilla
12/08/2019 at 2:59 pmHi I G, this is a UK recipe so as in the rest of Europe we just put the hot jam into hot jars, place lid on immediately and store in a cool, dark place until it’s needed. Once opened it’s best to store in the fridge. If you are more comfortable canning as they do across the pond then feel free to adapt the recipe, however as I’ve never canned anything I’m unable to give any advice on that.
Dawn
10/08/2019 at 5:10 pmHi.
I’m from the uk and I grow my own grapes. They’re much smaller and are tangy rather than really sweet like shop bought ones. They also have pips
This year I have a ridiculous amount of them…absolutely ridiculous! There’s no way I can eat that many, likewise giving them away … I don’t have enough friends! So I thought, what about jam?! I found your recipe. Bearing in mind that the grapes are tangy and have pips (which I can remove), do you think I will need to alter your recipe or do you feel it will be ok as is?
Camilla
10/08/2019 at 10:02 pmHi Dawn, I would just make up a really small test batch and then you can go from there, just bear in mind that the smaller the batch the shorter the setting time. You can do a 1:1 ration of fruit to sugar which is the standard ratio for jam so if your grapes are tangy you can go up to that ratio. Also if you have too many grapes you might like to give them away on the Olio app which you can read about in this recipe: https://www.fabfood4all.co.uk/rhubarb-ginger-jam-no-pectin/
Dawn
11/08/2019 at 5:12 pmHi, thanks for your quick reply.
Test batch….hadn’t thought of that, thanks.
I’ll have a look at this olio link too, never heard of it.
D
Camilla
11/08/2019 at 6:14 pmGood luck:-)
Molly
09/08/2019 at 8:35 amHello,
Thank you for your recipe! I was looking for a simple recipe to process the large number of grapes we have coming in soon from our yard. I didn’t realize that grape jam was uncommon in the UK.
I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
If you have not yet tried grape jam made from Concord grapes, I highly recommend it. That is the type of grape typically used in grape products in the US. They have the flavor we all associate with grape (jam, juice, soda, bubble gum, etc.). It is a different flavor than what we call table grapes (the kind shown in your photo). I’ve never had grape jam from table grapes but will have to give that a try now too.
Thank you again!
Camilla
09/08/2019 at 10:49 pmHi Molly, thanks for sharing. Sadly we can’t get Concord grapes in the UK but I think I have had Concord grape juice so can imagine the flavour:-) This jam is out of this world good so I won’t fret too much but if I ever come across any I’ll make a bee line for them!
steak
10/07/2019 at 5:03 pmI had no idea that can make grape jam, it looks good. Thanks.
Camilla
10/07/2019 at 10:05 pmThanks, I’m sure you’ll love it!
Abby
27/06/2019 at 1:42 pmHello! Excited about this Jam – just potted mine and it’s looking good . Quick question – how long does it last in the fridge?
Camilla
27/06/2019 at 3:25 pmHi Abby, in a cool dark place it is best in the first year but can last years. Once opened, keep it in the fridge where it will last a good 3 months and often much longer – just use a clean spoon each time to keep out contamination.
vee
19/05/2019 at 4:05 pmI made this recipe the jelly has a great taste however it still has not firmed up in 4 days its still looks like soup so what’s wrong, i’m a good cook and makeall types of jams and jellies but this one did not thickennken up a
Camilla
19/05/2019 at 7:22 pmHi Vee, I can’t understand that if you followed the instructions and potted up after the jam formed a crinkle why it would be like soup? Did you get a crinkle?
Albert DE SOUZA
08/04/2019 at 7:24 amFantastic
Camilla
08/04/2019 at 11:58 pmThank you:-)
Sue
30/03/2019 at 4:37 pmWhen I read you had never had peanut butter and jelly I thought you must be from the moon but I did take some tips here thanks
Camilla
30/03/2019 at 5:33 pmWell the UK at least, it’s just never been sold here but I think it’s now available in the speciality aisle. I’d also never had grape jam as again it’s just not sold here, which is a shame as it’s so darn good! Glad you managed to pick up some tips:-)
Tiffany Taylor
10/02/2019 at 1:35 amWhat if I don’t have a stick blender. What else can I use instead.
Camilla
10/02/2019 at 12:50 pmHi Tiffany, you can use a stand blender, you’d just have to make sure the mixture was cool enough and perhaps do it in batches.
Jane
08/01/2019 at 11:57 amCan I use seedless grapes.
Camilla
08/01/2019 at 10:23 pmHi Jane, it says in the ingredients “seedless grapes”:-)