I’m a jam lover, I prefer jam over jelly any day, and this one is the best we’ve made so far!

Wash the grapes really well and weight the grapes. For every pound of grapes you have, you will need 1 cup of sugar.   I ended up with 7.5 lbs.

Separate the grape pulps from the hulls.

Place the jars in the oven on 250 degrees, you will average needing 2 jars per 1 lb of grapes. Begin boiling water for lids.

Cook the grape pulps over medium heat for 5 minutes until it’s at a good steady boil.

Then remove from heat and using a wooden spoon press the pulp through a strainer to separate the seeds.  Discard the seeds.

Add the grape hulls to the grape pulp and cook over medium heat until the grape mixture is at steady boil.  At this point the grape hulls will begin to break down.  Slowly begin adding in the sugar a cup at a time.  Cook the jam until it’s the consistency you prefer.

You can test the consistency of the jam three different ways, temperature, spoon or refrigerator.

Refrigerator Test – My favorite. I place a plate in the freezer and remove it when I’m ready to test my jam. I pour a sample of the boiling jam on this plate and let it sit in the fridge for just a few seconds. If the jam gels, it’s done. If it’s runny and it doesn’t have any form to it, then continue to cook the jam for few more minutes until it gels after a few seconds in the fridge.

Temperature – Using a candy thermometer, place it vertically in the jam and make sure not to touch the bottom of the pot.  If the temperature reads 220ºF (or 104ºC), then the Jam is done.

Spoon Test – Dip a cool metal spoon into the boiling Jam mixture. When you lift the spoon, if the Jam runs off the spoon like a syrup, then the Jam needs more cooking time. But if it is heavier and drops like a sheet off the spoon instead of dripping then the Jam is done.

Once you test the jam and it’s ready to jar up, put the jam in hot jars leaving 1/2 in head space.  Place the hot lid and ring on, tighten.  Water bath for 10 minutes.