How To Make Southern Muscadine Jelly Food

WILD MUSCADINE JELLY

Steps:

• 1. For one batch of jelly, use about 3 quarts of grapes and 3 cups of water. Do not use too much water it will ruin the flavor. Place in a pot and bring to a boils until skins are tender. Remove from heat and put through a fruit juice masher and strainer. When cool enough place in the refrigerator until next morning.
• 2. Strain through 2 thickenesses of cheesecloth. The juice is ready. Place juice in a large pot. Mix pectin with juices and bring quickly to a hard boil, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar at once. Stir sugar until it dissolves and bring to full rolling boil (a boil that can not be stirred down). Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam using a metal spoon. Pour at once in sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• 3. Wipe jar edge with a damp towel and seal with new lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes about 8 half pint jars.

MUSCADINE JELLY

Steps:

• 1. Wash and remove stems from your grapes and cut in half, remove and discard seeds and skin Note:(Skip this step if using food mill)
• 2. add 2 1/2 cups water and grapes to pot and slowly bring to a simmer (be careful not to burn the grapes)
• 3. mash with potato masher and cool (Or run through food mill after cooled)
• 4. Pour into jelly bag and drain NOTE:(For Jam skip this step) While waiting for pulp to drain, get your jars ready...Put (8) half pint jars in the water bath to sterilize, and put lids in a small pot and simmer
• 5. Return juice to pot, bring to a boil, Add 1TBSP Lemon Juice, 7 cups sugar, and 2 Packages pectin and stir continuously to keep your pot from boiling over Keep at a rolling boil until 220 Degrees is met on Candy thermometer or a rolling boil is kept for 5 minutes
• 6. Remove from heat, skim off foam and fill jars with 1/4 inch head space...add lids, return to water bath pot and process for 15 minutes Allow to cool for 10 minutes, the remove jars and place on towel on counter, and leave for 12 hours...you should hear some pinging sounds as the jars seal. After 12 hours, push on lids to make sure they don't spring back to ensure they are sealed...store for a year, or enjoy as needed. Once opened, refrigerate .

BEST MUSCADINE JAM

Steps:

• Prepare grapes by cutting partway through the skin and popping the pulp/seed capsule out of the hull. Put pulp into one pot and the hulls into another.
• Simmer the pulp, covered, on low-medium until soft enough to press through sieve or food mill ~ 10 minutes. Add just a little water if necessary to prevent sticking.
• Meanwhile, chop hulls very finely in the food processor and return to their pot. Add just enough water to make it possible to simmer without sticking. Cook slowly, covered, 10 minutes or until hulls are softened.
• Peel lemon and chop peel finely. Use entire peel, including the white part, to ensure good jelling.
• Juice the lemon.
• Press pulp through a sieve or food mill to remove seeds. Stir sieved pulp into cooked hulls in a large pot.
• Add lemon juice and peel. Bring to a boil.
• Stir in sugar and return to a boil.
• Simmer, stirring frequently until the jellying point is reached ~ 1-2 hours. Timing is approximate and will vary depending on conditions and the amount of natural pectin in the fruit. Check frequently.
• Pack into hot, sterilized jars and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.