This is a two part post. Wild Grape Jam first requires a harvest which in and of itself is a number of steps before actually making the jam. So here is step one: how to harvest wild grapes.
We live in the Finger Lakes which many of you might know is known for its wines. There is something about the lakes and the soil quality that makes it ideal for growing grapes. As a result, well, grapes literally grow like weeds. We have them all over our property. In fact, in one area, they have completely choked out the wild black raspberries that once grew in that spot.
Wild grapes are tiny and have seeds. That means you need a lot of them to get enough juice to make wild grape jam. But oh, it is so worth the work.
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Harvest Wild Grapes
So, the first step is heading out into the woods or wherever to find those wild grapes. I usually take a 5 gallon bucket and a pair of kitchen scissors.
Make sure that what you are picking is growing in bunches and has grape leaves. We have another purplish berry that grows in these parts that truly is a weed since the berries are poisonous. However, they are pretty easy to spot if you know what to look for: their stems are greenish and the berries do not grow in bunches, but rather individually at the end of stems. Grape stems will be brown this time of year and they have a very distinctive leaf.
Preparation
Once you fill your bucket, wash the grapes and pick through them.
Put them in a heavy bottom pot to cook down. You can add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, so they don’t burn. As the grapes heat up, they will burst and they juices will start to emerge. Let the grapes cook until it comes to a boil.
Preparing the Pulp
Working in batches, use a food mill to push the grape juice, pulp and skins through the sieve while leaving the seeds behind. Be careful not to grind the seeds into your mixture. You will hear and feel as the seed begin to crack. That is when you will know it is time to scrape the seeds out and work another batch.
Once you are done moving all the grapes through the food mill, you will have a thick juice. Be sure to use a rubber scraper to remove all the pulp that remains on the bottom side of the food mill. You will need 4 cups of pulp, so if you are close (like 3.5 or more), you can add a little water to round it out. If you are really short, you might need to head back to the picking stage. Alternatively, you can add some commercial grape juice (make sure it is 100% juice, organic is preferable).
At this point, you can move on to making Wild Grape Jam or you can freeze it for a canning blitz day. Be sure to join me next week, for my recipe for Wild Grape Jam. It is probably my favorite of all jams and jellies because wild grapes are tart which makes this jam a sweet-tart delight.
If you can’t wait until next week to get the recipe for Wild Grape Jam or you just love preserving the harvest, check out my other Jam and Canning Recipes here.
