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.
How this Grape Jam Recipe come about!
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!
Why this Grape Jam recipe isn’t written using Cup measurements!
As I realised this recipe would 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.
Also the cups you buy in the UK do not measure the same as US cups.
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.
How long will Grape Jam keep for?
Grape Jam is shelf stable so will keep for years. However it will be in peak condition (for colour & flavour) in the first 12 months if stored in cool, dark, dry place. I keep mine in a cupboard in my garage.
Once opened, store Grape Jam in the fridge where it will last many months provided you always use a clean spoon to serve it.
More summer jam recipes you should try!
I have so many more wonderful jam recipes for you to enjoy, here are just a few of them!
Watermelon Jam
- Fig Jam
- Watermelon Jam – 2 Ways
- Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam – 1st Prize Winning
- Easy Seedless Blackberry Jam
- Easy Blackberry & Apple Jam
- Rhubarb & Gin Jam
- Peach & Apricot Jam – 1st Prize Winning
- Blueberry & Lime Jam
- Quick & Easy Raspberry Jam
More Grape Recipes
Chicken Fiesta
- 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 seedless 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!
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Easy Grape Jam - just 3 ingredients and no pectin!
Equipment
- 1 Digital scales
- 1 Set of measuring spoons
- 1 preserving pan or similar large pan
- 1 stick blender
- 1 long wooden spoon
- 1 jam funnel
- 3 Saucers or small plates
- 3 500 ml jam jars with lids
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.
Video
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.
Anna
I am new to canning. Looking forward to trying your recipe! How long will jam keep in refrigerator?
Camilla
Hi Anna, this question is answered in the text above the recipe:-)
Liza
I have loads of grapes in my garden, but they’re seeded. Would I need to deseed them, or would the blender and boiling break them down a bit? I don’t mind a bit of texture, but don’t want mouthfuls of seeds!
Camilla
Hi Liza, you can either use a mouli to extract the seeds or I have seen one reader who just did what you suggested.Takw a look at the comments.
Aadil Desai
I just finished deseeding four punnets (two kilogrammes) of seeded red grapes. I cut them each into half with a knife and removed the four seeds in them with the pointed edge of the knife. A pretty time consuming task but did it in about an hour.
Colleen
Can you use frozen grapes for this recipe? I made it last year and my family loved it. I have a pile of frozen grapes and want to try it again. Any changes using frozen grapes? Any help will be appreciated.
Camilla
Hi Colleen, yes frozen fruit can be used as an alternative to fresh in any jam recipe. I think I would allow the grapes to thaw in the pan (maybe overnight with a lid on) and then proceed from there.
Anna
Excited to try this! I see you note the jam is shelf stable but I have to ask: Does the recipe require a water bath? Or is it enough to hot pack?
Camilla
Hi Anna, no, no water bathing required. The recipe is complete as is. However, I respect that others may wish to process differently and if that’s what they’re more comfortable with then great, I just have no knowledge about water bathing as it’s not something we do to jams in the UK and much of Europe.
Fred Wallace
Just looked up your recipe. I have a huge amount of Sauvignon wine grapes and thought why not use for Jam. Picked the grapes off the stem, cooked them up. There are NO seeds in these grapes. First taste after initial boil was “these are unbelievable”. So, no sugar added, and cooked down to 1/2 volume. Into the jars. Ended up with more of a compote than a jam. Amazing. On toast, on ice cream. Now to figure what to do with the other 200 pounds of these.
Camilla
Hi Fred, if you want the jars to be shelf stable and the jam to set then you would need to add the sugar.
Donalane
Thank you so much! I grow grapes in my back garden and always have more than enough to eat and even share with the birds! I can’t wait to try this recipe… just going to get some mason jars!!
Camilla
Excellent Donalane, do let me know how you get on:-)
Brian
Hi camilla
I have a grape vine which produces small black grapes I have tried making jam with them but I can’t get it to set can you help brian
Camilla
Hi Brian, get yourself a digital thermometer suitable for jam making (I use Thermapen) and boil the jam until you reach a temperature of 105C and then start testing on a chilled plate. Sounds like you just didn’t boil the jam for long enough. You can tell if the jam is ready to be tested by how quickly it drips off a wooden spoon, the last drip should just hang on to the spoon when setting point reached. So if after the full time in the recipe your jam is just pouring off the spoon then you know you need much longer to get to setting point. Your grapes are different from the ones in the recipe so will take a different amount of time to set. Hope that helps. If you’ve potted up that runny jam then simply put it back in a pan and boil until it does reach setting point. Been there with my Greengage Jam once.
Rosemary Hennessy
Hi Camilla, I made grape jam last year, was wondering gave you ever tried strawberries and grape together? Would it be 50/50 split, I would like to try this as it would be a little sweeter for my grandchildren. Thank you .
Camilla
Hi Rosemary, it’s not a flavour combination I would think to do. If you want to try it a digital thermometer would be useful for knowing when setting point is (105C).
Rosemary Hennessy
Thank you I will try it let you know how it ends up.
Camilla
Yes, please do, I’d be interested to know how it turns out.
Susan
I have a TON of Concord grapes. Would they work with this recipe?
Camilla
Concord grapes aren’t readily available in the UK but if you take a look at the comments I seem to remember people using them.
Barb
I just did this recipe with concord grapes and it is wonderful. First time making jelly/jam too. I weighed my ingredients but only ended up with 2 and 1/2 pint jars though.
Camilla
Hi Barb, so happy to hear that. I think Concorde grapes are quite small so there’s more skin to flesh ratio which would probably account for the lower yield.
Karen
Did you leave the seeds in when using the Concord grapes? If not, what is the best way to take out grape seeds? I got a bunch of Concord grapes today from a friend and would love me some seedless concord jam.
Avi
Hi Camilla,
I just made the grape jam for the first time. We had extra grapes in the fridge which would have gone bad in a few days. I only had 1/3 (about 20 oz.) the weight of grapes, so I simply thirded (and I think I also just coined a new verb!) the recipe. It made 2 jam jars worth. So easy, so delicious!
Thank you!
Camilla
Wonderful Avi, so glad you like the recipe and put those spare grapes to good use:–)
Dragana
Hi Camilla,
Loved your plum and apple jam! Now, I would like to try the grape one, but my grapes from the garden has pips! Is there a way to get ridd of pips and still make a jam? Grapes are small white with lots of pips and nobody likes to eat them , so need to do something withe them. Please help
Camilla
Hi Dragana, so glad you like the plum and apple jam:-) You could try using a mouli to strain the juice or liquidise and then sieve out of the pips or have a look at the comments as others have had their own workarounds like just blitzing them into the jam.