Easy Grape Jam is the easiest grape jam recipe you’ll find – no peeling grapes here and no added pectin! With a taste that’s out of this world, this really is a jam recipe you have to try!
I 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. I decided this 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 realised 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.
More Grape Recipes
- 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
I’m sure you’ll love my Grape Jam, it’s actually my most popular recipe! Do tag @FabFood4All when you make it and leave a comment and star rating below! I love hearing from you!
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.
Notes
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.
Anon
Hello, how much jam does 1 full recipe as written makes? Or how much jam in 1 mason jar – your recipe doesn’t say. Only me here so I don’t want too much jam kicking around.
Camilla
Hi, in the notes I put that the jars are 0.5 ltr so this recipe makes 1.5 litres of jam in total. I wouldn’t worry about making too much as it will last for years in a cool dark place although I usually say it’s best eaten in the first year. You could also make it in smaller jars so that you have less to get through once you open and put in the fridge. Another option would be to give it to friends, family or neighbours. My neighbours love my jammy gifts:-)
Sofia
Hi,
I’m really excited to try this recipe. It’s really hard finding grape jam in Swedish stores, so this might be my PB&J solution! One question though: How come you don’t use pectin? I’m new to the jam making business, so I haven’t learned the do’s and don’ts yet. 🙂
Camilla
Hi Sofia, so pleased to hear that! I don’t use pectin in any of my jams or jellies but instead add lemon juice to the recipes that have low pectin fruit. Lemon juice aids the setting (there’s a more involved scientific explanation if you want to Google it):-) Do let me know what you think of the jam when you’ve made it and or share on social media tagging @FabFood4All
terri
would this work with grapes that has seeds?
Camilla
Hi Terri, if you read through the comments I have given ideas (which I haven’t tried) for seeded grapes to a few people.
Hayley
So I tried this recipe tonight as I had a punnet of red grapes sat in the fridge. I boiled the grapes sugar and lemon juice together in a normal pan. Boiled until soft, blitzed then added a few dollops onto cold plates from freezer. A tad runny but could see it getting thicker. I let it boil another 8 minutes on abit of a higher heat as throughout I just booked it on the lowest setting so it was simmering. I could see in the pan the jam starting to become thick and coming away from the sides. Sadly I realised I had my oven too high and poured the jam into the jar and it cracked at the side slightly! Still kept the jam in the jar and will leave out now for toast tomorrow morning ☺️ I’ll give the Verdict Tomorrow! Shame I can’t add a picture xx
Camilla
Hi Hayley, sorry to hear about your troubles, I always say that we learn by our mistakes and so they are always valuable lessons. Jam is like a science experiment so you really need to follow the instructions to the letter to get perfect results. You do need a really large pan so that you can get a rolling boil going for jam making unless you make something like my One Punnet Strawberry Jam which can be made in an ordinary sized pan. You can always tag @FabFood4All on any social media and I’ll be able to see a pic that you share. Hope you got to enjoy some jam the next day:-)
hayley kenyon
Hi Camilla, thank you for your reply. I’ve now bought another punnet of red grapes and I am now warming up the oven to 140 to warm the jars whilst the jam is bubbling! Definitely won’t have it hot today! I leave my jam to cool once out then put it in the fridge! Is this okay? I’ll post pictures later on Instagram x
Camilla
Hi Hayley, yes definitely wait to try it the next day. You can store it in a cool dark place (I keep mine in a cupboard in my garage) where it will last for years but at it’s best in first year and once open store it in the fridge.
Julie Findleton
Ra ra ra!! Nice one Camilla… excellent recipe. Worked perfectly the first time I tried it, now I make it at least once a week.. lol… I got a load of grapes today so guess what I’m making tomorrow? Can’t wait to get started!! Everyone should try this recipe!
Camilla
Awesome Julie, so glad this recipe is such a hit with you! It is an incredible tasting jam:-)