Italian Grape Jam (No Pectin)

Homemade grape jam is a delicious way to use a large number of grapes before the end of the season. I have a gorgeous Concord grapes (Uva fragola) pergola that produces more grapes than I can handle. In September, I make large quantities of strawberry grape jam and jelly with only two ingredients grapes and sugar. Its intense ruby color and delicate strawberry flavor make this jam the perfect edible gift to serve in the morning with bread and butter or to bake into crostata.

Grape jam is not easy to find in the shops, as it is labor-intensive to make. Removing all the seeds and the skin from each grain can be time-consuming.

So I found an easier way to make it using a manual or electrical vegetable strainer. Each method has its advantage and disadvantages, but they are better than doing it one by one by hand.

I use strawberry or Concord grapes as their skin is easily removed. They are called skin-slip varieties.

If you want to try other recipes using this grape, you can check out Concord Grape Jelly or Concord Grape Wine Fragolino.

Jump to:

• Difference between Jam and jelly
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• How to use it
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
• 📋Italian Grape Jam (No Pectin)

Difference between Jam and jelly

The main difference between jam and jelly is that while jam is made using grape pulps, jelly uses only grape juices.

As such, their consistency is very different.

The jam is firm and opaque with lumps of fruit, while the jelly is gooey and clear.

The jelly is much easier to make as it doesn't require deseed.

Due to their different consistency and texture, the jam can be used as a pastry filling like crostata, and the jelly more as a coating or to serve with wild meat like duck or foie gras.

Ingredients

To make this jam, I only use two ingredients:

• Concord grape Uva Fragola
• Sugar

Hint: if you want to reduce its cooking time, you can add pectin.

See recipe card for quantities.

I use Concord strawberry grapes to make this jam. The skin is thicker than the regular grape and easier to remove.

To eat it, you just need to squeeze the grape, and the pulp comes out of the skin.

Its skin has an intense blue color that changes into ruby red once cooked.

Instructions

Before you start, make sure you sterilize the jars. You can place them in the dishwasher at high heat or boil them in water.

Mashing the grapes

This is how to proceed:

You now need to remove the seeds and the skin from the pulp. You can either:

Hint: the vegetable strainer will separate the skins and the seeds from the pulp. While the pulp will filter through the strainer, the seeds and the skin is pushed out through the cone. The seeds are not as small as the tomato's, so they tend to block the strainer cone. You will have to clean and unblock it regularly.

Boiling the jam

Checking if the jam is ready

Hint: Do not cook the jam for too long otherwise, it will crystallize

Canning the jam

Pasteurizing the jars

3. Let the jars in the water overnight, so they cool down completely. Remove once cold

How to use it

You can eat this jam for breakfast over bread and butter. You can also use it to fill crostata or cakes.

This jam will taste like mild strawberries mixed with sweet grapes with very low acidity. A unique taste.

Substitutions

If you cannot find Concord grape, you can use regular grape, white or red, depending on your preferred final color.

It may be easier to use seedless grapes, which you can find in the store.

Do not substitute regular sugar with brown sugar. If you do, you will have to use the jam within two to three months of the preparation.

You can use a sweetener for a sugar-free jam, but ensure they are suitable for canning.

Variations

If you want to reduce your cooking time, you can add pectin after cooking the jam for 40 minutes.

Although, pectin does not replace the sugar quantity as the sugar is needed to preserve the jam.

If you want to reduce the sugar, you may have to freeze the jam instead of canning it.

Check the National center of home food preservation for the minimum required sugar quantities.

Equipment

I use the KitchenAid vegetable strainer attachment, which makes the recipe extremely easy as it automatically separates the flesh from the skin.

You can also use an electrical or manual vegetable strainer used to make the tomato sauce, as they also separate the skin from the flesh.

If you don't have one, but you would like to make more fruit and vegetable preserved, I would suggest investing in one.

Additional equipment you will need are:

• Vegetable washer to rinse the grapes
• Colander Strainer Spoon to remove the foam
• Glass jars for canning (quarter pint 150 ml)
• Fire Gloves BBQ to hold the hot jar
• Ladle with a spout to pour the jam into the jars
• Large Saucepan to boil the jam and pasteurize the jars

Storage

Store the jars in a dark, fresh, and dry place, they will keep for several months. Once the jar is opened, store it in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

If you are making this Italian grape jam, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.