Ingredients and Equipment
Grapes!
Spoons and Ladles
Sugar (optional) 0-3 cups depending on taste
Strainers - a jelly strainer and/or cheesecloth are needed.
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
At least 1 large pot
1 Water Bath Canner (a huge pot to sanitize the jars after filling
Ball Jars
Lids
Rings
Directions:
1. Pick your grapes (or buy them from a store, farmers market, etc.)
2. An average of 25 pounds of grapes is needed per canner load of 7 quarts of grape juice. Or to make 9 pints of juice, you'll need an average of 16 pounds of grapes.
3. Wash the jars and lids. You can just stick them in the dishwasher to be cleaned. Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water for about 5 minutes.
4. Wash the grapes! Put the grapes in a large bowl and run cool water over them. Remove the grapes from the stems and pick out any stems and leaves that became mixed in!
5. Crush or chop the grapes (optional) You can cook the grapes with out first chopping or crushing them, but I find it speeds up the process. If you have a electric juicer, you can simply juice the fruit, then skip to step 8 to heat the juice to boiling.
6. Heat the grapes on the stove. Put the grapes in a pot and cover with just enough water to cover the grapes. Put the crushed grapes in a big pot on the stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning) for until it starts to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. We just want to soften the skins to help release the juice and break down some of the fruit to help it pass through our juice strainer.
7. Sieve the cooked grapes. You can either put the soft cooked grapes through a juice strainer (about $9.00, see ordering at right) which results in the most clear juice and is easiest to use, or pour them through cheesecloth in a colander. Or if you don't mind chunky juice, just let the juice stand for 20 minutes, and decant (pour off) the clear liquid to use and leave the solids behind.
8. Step 7 - Polishing and filtering
If you read the USDA's guide, they have steps to polish the juice so it is crystal clear. I don't bother with these as it adds a day or two to the process and most people like the natural look, anyway!
But if you do want the polished look, here what to do:
Refrigerate juice from step 6 for 24 to 48 hours.
Without mixing, shaking or disturbing it, carefully pour off clear liquid and save; discard the sediment.
If desired, you may now strain through a paper coffee filter for a clearer juice.
Continue to step 9.
9. Get the lids warming in hot (but not boiling) water.
10. Sweeten (if desired) and bring to a boil. Add any sugar you may want and then bring the juice to a boil.
11. Fill the jars to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled juice off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling water canner!
12. Process the jars in a boiling water bath. Make sure the jars are covered with at least two inches of water. Boil them for 5 to 10 minutes.
13. Remove and cool the jars.
