I need a good muscadine jelly recipe; I know the outdoor board is the best board for this venture. I got 5 pounds of muscadines for 10 bucks.

I only make jelly every other year and ive been reducing the sugar each time to see how far I can take it. So far it's still plenty sweet.

Looking at last year's notes, I made 16.5 cups of juice, mixed with 16.5 cups of sugar, 1/6 cup of lemon juice, and 4 packs of liquid gel. This filled 11 small and 7 large jars.

I never measure the fruit. Clean, fill pot with water even with top of fruit, boil it hard and mash it all up. Strain out all the seeds and skin. Ive blended the grapes prior to boiling and it seemed to release more of the tart flavor from the skin.

Do not turn your back to the pot once you add the sugar. Can make a hell of a mess if it boils over.

Man, that's a lot of sugar. I normally use 1/2 the volume or weight of sugar for the amount of fruit and that's still pretty sweet to me.

CS78 said:

---

I only make jelly every other year and ive been reducing the sugar each time to see how far I can take it. So far it's still plenty sweet.

Looking at last year's notes, I made 16.5 cups of juice, mixed with 16.5 cups of sugar, 1/6 cup of lemon juice, and 4 packs of liquid gel. This filled 11 small and 7 large jars.

I never measure the fruit. Clean, fill pot with water even with top of fruit, boil it hard and mash it all up. Strain out all the seeds and skin. Ive blended the grapes prior to boiling and it seemed to release more of the tart flavor from the skin.

Do not turn your back to the pot once you add the sugar. Can make a hell of a mess if it boils over.

---

Grape skins are loaded with tannins, so blending the grapes would certainly release more tannins.

Here's a recipe:
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/make-jam-jelly/jellies/muscadine-or-scuppernong-jelly-without-pectin/

I don't know. I just started with the generic "grape jelly" recipe which is dang near 2/1 sugar and have been reducing it each time.

Most of the recipes in the canning books are too sweet for me. I go by cups of juice instead of pounds of grapes. For jelly, 2 cups of juice to 1 of sugar is about right. Sounds like a lot but that straight juice is pretty strong. This year I only canned straight juice in pints. For grape juice, a pint of juice to a pint of water and a 1/2 cup of sugar is very stimulating and has a taste I have never encountered.

If you take your sugar down too low, you increase risk of spoilage issues, but wild grapes may be acidic enough to stave that off.

I get mustang grapes, not muscodine, but I use the Low Sugar Sure Jell in the pink box and use the recipe thats in the box. 5-1/2 cups grape, 3-1/2 cups sugar, 2 cups water and one box of pectin. I run the grapes through a food mill to separate the fruit and juice from the skins and seeds. I usually use all juice (or just enough water to make it up to the 7-1/2 cups if I'm a little short) and about an extra 1/4-1/3 box of pectin to make it really set up. I've found that sometimes I end up a little syrupy if I don't use extra pectin.

CS78 said:

---

Looking at last year's notes, I made 16.5 cups of juice, mixed with 16.5 cups of sugar, 1/6 cup of lemon juice, and 4 packs of liquid gel.

---

You probably had a good grandma that taught you right. Lemon juice makes a big difference. It makes the flavor pop out.

GottaRide said:

---

CS78 said:

---

Looking at last year's notes, I made 16.5 cups of juice, mixed with 16.5 cups of sugar, 1/6 cup of lemon juice, and 4 packs of liquid gel.

---

You probably had a good grandma that taught you right. Lemon juice makes a big difference. It makes the flavor pop out.

---

I'm going to use this ratio. I only have 4 pounds of muscadines, but can figure out the ratio (former math teacher).

If you take your sugar down too low, you increase risk of spoilage issues, but wild grapes may be acidic enough to stave that off.

I have heard this about reducing sugar but have never been able to find the reason behind it. Sugar shouldn't affect pH unless maybe it just dilutes the solution. If I have any question about pH, particularly with tomatoes, I just add some citric acid to the jar before going into the water bath; it has never affected flavor that I can tell.

GottaRide said:

---

You probably had a good grandma that taught you right. Lemon juice makes a big difference. It makes the flavor pop out.

---

Yes, but being from Orange, TX we mostly made the nectar of the gods jelly. Mayhaw! As kids, my brother and I would join the men and head into the Sabine bottom to to do battle with the moccasins for the best mayhaw holes. Then back to grandmas kitchen to make jelly.

Ive planted some mayhaws in the navasota bottom They're doing surprisingly well, despite the crazy floods and droughts of the last few years. Be a long time til they produce though.

Speaking of jelly, I made some prckly pear jelly a few years ago that was not too bad. At the same time I was making strawberry jelly. When I got done I had half jar of pear and half jar of strawberry left in the pan. Logically, I just blended them in one jar. The prckly pear / strawberry jelly was a big hit with the kids. Probably make some more soon.

Ended up really good! Put the butter in as well. Used 6 cups of juice, about the same amount of sugar, and 1.5 packs of pectin.

I'm making *****ly pear jelly tomorrow. Found the darkest, fattest tunas ever this year. It should make some really nice jelly.

4 cups juice
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 pkg No sugar-needed pectin

We use this recipe for Mesquite Bean, *****ly Pear, Dewberry and Agarita. Want to try elderberry (not sure where to get them). I hear it's great.

oklaunion said:

---

If you take your sugar down too low, you increase risk of spoilage issues, but wild grapes may be acidic enough to stave that off.

I have heard this about reducing sugar but have never been able to find the reason behind it. Sugar shouldn't affect pH unless maybe it just dilutes the solution. If I have any question about pH, particularly with tomatoes, I just add some citric acid to the jar before going into the water bath; it has never affected flavor that I can tell.

---

Sugar is hygroscopic, and binds with the water, keeping bacteria from accessing it. That along with the low pH make it inhospitable for bacteria.

My grandmother always made mustang grape jelly but she would trade her jelly with Mrs BC Carter and get her mayhaw jelly.

I agree, mayhaw was my favorite but its been a minute since i have had the chance to enjoy

Anyone make fig preserves?

My grandmother used to make it. In fact, that was the only jam/preserve she ever made, and she made untold volumes of it to the point I hated it as a kid. I got sick of eating it. But nowadays, I miss my grandmother's fig preserves.

tcc66 said:

---

I'm making *****ly pear jelly tomorrow. Found the darkest, fattest tunas ever this year. It should make some really nice jelly.

4 cups juice
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 pkg No sugar-needed pectin

We use this recipe for Mesquite Bean, *****ly Pear, Dewberry and Agarita. Want to try elderberry (not sure where to get them). I hear it's great.

---

The tint from the orange Home Depot bucket makes these look kind of pink