The heady scent of wild grapes permeates the late summer air. This sends my foraging instincts into high gear. It’s the New England way: If the good Lord puts food in front of you, take it and be grateful. Or, as Yankees are fond of saying, “You can’t beat free.” You can certainly eat these grapes out of hand, but they are not bursts of sweetness. These distant kin to commercially sold grapes have a wine-like taste. I like to make jelly with them.
Making jelly from these grapes offers a less tricky introduction to canning because 1) the grapes contain enough natural pectin that you don’t need to add store-bought pectin, and 2) the processing part takes only five minutes in boiling water. Yet, be forewarned, making preserves is a drawn-out business, one that should be saved for when you have a mind to play in the kitchen for about four hours. It requires a relaxed attitude and abundant patience. It will certainly give you a deep appreciation for your ancestors who canned routinely in the summer and fall to prepare for the long winter.
Wild grape jelly
6 8-ounce canning jars
4 pounds wild grapes
2 cups water
4 cups sugar
Wash jars, lids and bands in hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Sterilize jars by boiling them for 10 minutes. Leave them in the boiling water while you make the jelly. Remove just before you are ready to fill. Do not boil lids; just dip them in the hot water for a few minutes. Place on a clean towel.
Pick over the grapes, remove stems and wash before putting them in a large pot. Add water and heat to the boiling point. Mash the grapes and boil for 30 minutes, covered. Strain through a coarse strainer or cheese cloth. Measure liquid, return to pot and boil 5 minutes more, uncovered. Add 2/3 cup of sugar for every cup of juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved; then boil rapidly, uncovered, to jelly stage. The mixture is at jelly stage when it thickly coats the spoon and two drops hang from it. Skim, fill jars, wipe edges clean, seal, cool, label and store. It’s important to make sure the rims of the jars are clean before you seal them because food residue can affect the seal.
As the jars cool, you should hear the lids popping. This is a good sign. It means you have created a tight seal. Properly sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. If the jars are not sealed tightly, bacteria can grow, spoiling the food. Test the jars after they have cooled completely by pressing a finger on the lid. If the lid buckles, the jar isn’t sealed properly, and you cannot safely store the jelly for long. Refrigerate and eat the jelly within a month.
