Concord Grape Jam with Vanilla

4.58 from 14 reviews

Concord Grape Jam with Vanilla

Homemade Concord Grape jam made with the pulp and skins for real fruit texture, a hint of vanilla, and no pectin needed. Includes instructions for canning and long-term storage. This recipe makes 3 pints.

Prep Time: 1

Bake Time: 15

Water Bath Prep & Processing: 1

Total Time: 2 15

96 servings

Start Cooking

Ingredients
US Customary - Metric

2 ½ lbs Concord grapes (weight after stemming)
4 oz water (½ cup)
¼ vanilla bean (split)
2 ½ lbs granulated sugar (5 cups)

Instructions

Put a small plate or bowl in the freezer to chill while you prepare the jam. You'll use this to test if the jam is gelled.
Separate the skins and pulp from 2 ½ lbs Concord grapes, reserving both. In a food processor or blender, pulse the grape skins with 4 oz water until you have a chunky puree.
In a large pan, cook the pulp with ¼ vanilla bean over medium heat until soft, about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the vanilla bean pod and run the grape pulp through a food mill or strainer to remove the seeds
Scrape the the seeds from vanilla bean and add them to the pulp. Combine the strained pulp with the skins and 2 ½ lbs granulated sugar in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook about 15-20 minutes until it begins to thicken.
To check if the jam is ready, take the plate from the freezer and put a small dollop of jam onto the cold plate. Let it cool a bit then push on the jam from the side. If it wrinkles it's ready. If it's still runny cook it a few more minutes.
Pour the hot jam into sterilized canning jars. Use a wet paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars to make sure they're clean. Any bits of fruit can prevent the lids from sealing properly. Cover and process the jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Remove the jars from the water and allow to cool at room temperature. You should hear the lids "pop" to let you know the jars are sealed.