Easy Grape Jam is the easiest grape jam recipe – no peeling grapes here and no added pectin! With a taste out of this world, this is a jam recipe you must 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!
- 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
- Rhubarb & Ginger Jam
- Peach & Apricot Jam – 1st Prize Winning
- Blueberry & Lime Jam
- Quick & Easy Raspberry Jam
More Grape Recipes
If you still have more grapes left here are some more recipes to use them up!
- 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 as it’s my most popular jam recipe! It’s like grape jelly in flavour but fruitier.
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
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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.
Stephen luigi
hello am about to try this but my grapes from the garden are mainly with seeds..if I blitz or put them through a blender (I dont have a Moulie) then does this not affect the taste ?
as surely tiny amounts of the blitzed seeds will go through..thank you in advance
Camilla
Hi Stephen, I haven’t tried this so before attempting a large batch you could just try a small sample to see if it would work.
Ricky Adams
Unfortunately all Concord grapes aren’t seedless..learned that today. This jam tastes wonderful but I had to pick out as many seeds as I could. The Immersion blender cuts them up but not really fine enough.
Camilla
Thank you Ricky. If I was going to try this recipe with seeded grapes I would try blending the grapes and then put them through a sieve or use a moulie.
Kathleen owens
What if the grapes have seeds. Do you have to make jelly instead..
Camilla
I have only made this jam with seedless grapes but you could perhaps put a few grapes in a blender and see if sieving out the smashed up pips would be an option and then you could make the jam with the pulverised sieved juice. A moulie would be your best option if you had one.
Paulette
Hi, Camilla,
I have about a four-quart basket of Pinot Grigio green grapes that our visiting raccoon thought were tasty.
I picked them immediately the next morning to discourage further visits, but now, I am not sure of their ripeness.
Is there a risk in trying the jam with not-quite -ripe fruit?
Or should I let them mellow in front of a window until they are sweeter?
Paulette
Camilla
Hi Paulette, I have had a look on the internet and apparently once picked, grapes do not ripen further. So if I was you I’d do a really small batch of jam to test it out and then you’ll know if the flavour is ok or needs a little more sugar or is just a no go. There is perhaps hope as I saw mention of Sour Grape Jam in an article although the recipe it linked to didn’t mention unripe grapes.
Mona
Hi I was wondering what is the shelf life for the jam? Thank you!
Camilla
Hi, Mona, it’s best eaten in the first year for best colour and flavour but will be shelf stable for years if kept in a cool dark place.
Sarah Angliss
This looks absolutely wonderful!
Do you think I can lower the sugar in this recipe and it will still set up?
The grapes I have are sickly sweet. Hence the reason for making jam. 🙂
Thanks!!
Camilla
Hi, the grapes I used were very sweet, I wouldn’t lower the sugar quantity an more as I’d already reduced the quantity to allow for the sweetness of the grapes and any further reduction would impact on the keeping qualities and perhaps set.
Chas
Thank you for the recipe. I have a glut of small, homegrown grapes that have a nice tang but a bit of sweetness too, but they are very much NOT seedless so I can’t really use this recipe for those, sadly. I imagine my only option would be to strain them but then I would lose the skins and probably some of the pulp too. :/ Might just try using them for juice.
Camilla
Thank you Chas:-) Perhaps you could blend and then sieve them, that way the skins would be very fine so some skin would go through the sieve but leave the seeds behind.
Marion
Really looking forward to making this Jam again this year.
thankyou for the recipe.
Camilla
That’s wonderful Marion, it is a fabulous jam:-)
Marion
I live in Englaand and only brought to grape vine to cover an arch. little expecting to actuall have grapes. They are only small ones that were not very sweet, hence the search for a jam recipe. As they say waste not want not.
Camilla
Excellent, I saw a vine growing on a park railing recently with little round red grapes growing on it. I want a vine now:-)
Tracy
Very good recipe amazing flavour very yummy
Thank you
Camilla
Thank you Tracy, so glad you like it:-)
Janell
Help! I followed the recipe and boiled it as long as I was supposed to and even bolied it much longer because it wasn’t setting. I put it in the hot jars as directed and left it over night, but my jars lids never vacuum sealed and my jam never fully set, it isn’t liquid but not as solid as jam usually is. The flavor is amazing so I am definitely willing to try again, but need some pointers as to what I could have done wrong to prevent vacuum sealing or setting or if the two are even related. Maybe I did more than one thing wrong
Camilla
Hi Janell, the timings I give are a guide and you should keep boiling until you reach setting point as there are so many variables like water content of your grapes versus mine to take into account or even altitude. So you can tip your jam back into a pan and boil until you get it to pass the plate test and get a crinkle. Just re-sterilise the jars. The lids need to go on whilst the jam is still hot in order to form a vacuum as it cools. If you did that then perhaps your lids are worn out of faulty if they didn’t seal. Perhaps get some new lids before you re-boil the jam.
Janell
Thank you so very much! I will try again and get new lids.
Camilla
Good luck:-)
Jess
Camilla,
How new your grapes will definitely be a big factor. I just made a new batch but it was with all new grapes. It took what felt like forever (probably 45-50 minutes) to get the crinkle. It does eventually happen but it’s a slow process! So worth it as it’s our favorite grape jam recipe but don’t be alarmed if it takes much longer than listed here.
Camilla
Gosh that does seem a long time but perhaps altitude as well as the water content of the grapes themselves comes into play to make such a big difference. Glad you like the jam, it is one of my all time favourites:-)