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!
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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.
S
I am looking for a cranberry grape jam or jelly recipe that uses real fruit and lasts once bottled. Do you have any suggestions for that?
Camilla
Hi, I’m afraid I only have a Cranberry Curd recipe: https://www.fabfood4all.co.uk/easy-cranberry-curd/
Voormila
Hi Camilla,
Thank you for your recipe. How long do they last?
I’m planning to make a smaller batch, but i don’t have that specific type of jar available in my area (I’m from Malaysia, people here just opt for store bought jams as they are cheaper). Would a normal jar work? (For the jam to last less than a week)
Camilla
Hi Voormila, you can use any type of jar with lid. As long as you put the lid on tightly when the jam is still hot you will get a vacuum/seal. The jam is then shelf stable for years but best in first year. Once open just store in the fridge where it will lasts many months.
Thea
Camilla,
Yours was the first recipe I checked and plan to make grape jam with it!! My daughter has lots of grapes on the small side with seeds. There is no way I’ll spend the time to remove them, do you think I could use a sieve to remove at the end? They are very sweet, do you think I could use a little less sugar or will it not turn out? Thank you so much! We are in California, fun to get a recipe from you!
Camilla
Hi Thea, in that case I think I’d be tempted to put the grapes in a blender (but don’t over blend as you don’t want the pips to do gritty) and then sieve at the beginning as sieving hot jam is not practical with such a large amount. My grapes were very sweet so I wouldn’t be worried about reducing the sugar.
Linda L Polk
I’ve made lots of jams and preserves over the years and this sounds like an easy & delicious recipe. Will try when I hae an abundance of grapes available. My question is: what is the cookie or flat bread in the picture with the peanut butter & jam?!! Looks delicious! Is the recipe available here?
Camilla
Thanks Linda, I’m sure you’ll love the grape jam. That was a shop bought cracker, I can’t remember what sort but I do have a similar cracker recipe https://www.fabfood4all.co.uk/chia-sesame-seed-crackers/
Alison
I didn’t quite have enough grapes, so added some pears and a few raspberries. Sieved at the end to get rig of raspberry pips (otherwise my 6yr old won’t touch it!)
Fabulous jam. Perfect for using up excess grapes, thank you
Camilla
Awesome, bet that tastes amazing:-)
Carol Pickle
You don’t need to give them a hit water bath?
Camilla
No we don’t water bath jam in Europe.
Cris B.
Hi Camilla.
Thank you for your recipe that I will use it tonight.
About the water bath … I live in London and of course we do it to seal the jars securely.
All my best.
Camilla
Hi Cris, if that’s the way you’ve been brought up to do it then great but it’s usually done to avoid botulism in the US so it’s not a process you’ll find in any British jam making books as it’s not a problem we get in jam and the last case was in a tin of pate about 100 yrs ago from memory.
fariya
what if i have grapes with seeds? ;/
Camilla
You’d need to remove them.
Jess B
My family LOVES this jam! Truly awesome and keeps so well in the fridge. This is our final “keeper” recipe for grape jam.
Camilla
Thank you Jess, that’s so lovely to hear, we love this Grape Jam too:-)
Hazel Murphy
Best recipe for grapes since the Romans’ made wine ! Luscious jam with minimum effort.
Camilla
Thank you so much Hazel, great comment:-)
Deirdre SAXBY
wow what a great recipe first time making jam fully enjoyed
making thank you
Camilla
Excellent Deirdre, I hope you’ll make some more of my jams now:-)
Katrina
Wow, I had 5 punnets of grapes in the fridge that I wanted to jam and found your recipe! It’s delicious, that’s from the plate yesterday also the bottom of the pot….6 jars made and cooling. Thank you.
Camilla
Thank you Katrina, that’s so lovely to hear! This grape jam really is something special – enjoy:-)