Mixed grape jam is a mixture of fruit, sugar, and pectin, a very sugary preserve made from these bunches of mixed white and black grapes gathered from a vineyard.
Delicious and fragrant, it is perfect for spreading on a slice of bread for a hearty breakfast or snack, great also for filling pastries like biscuits, pies, and cakes, or to accompany cheese.
It’s a simple recipe to make at home to have a healthy and genuine jar in the pantry to enjoy when needed.
You can prepare it with either black or white grapes or a mix, the choice is yours based on your tastes or what you have available.
For the preparation of this jam, I used one packet of pectin to thicken well due to the liquid nature of the crushed grapes.
It’s a recipe I made with the Kenwood Cooking Chef but can also be done with a Thermomix or in a pot on the stove.
Now follow me through the steps to prepare this autumn preserve to enjoy this winter.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 jars
- Cooking methods: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn
Ingredients for Mixed Grape Jam
- 6.6 lbs mixed grapes
- 2.1 cups Sugar
- 1 Lemon Juice
- 1 packet Pectin
Tools
- 1 Food Mill
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Pot
- Jars
Preparation for Mixed Grape Jam
To prepare the jam, start by sterilizing the jars, boil them with hot water for about 10 minutes or sterilize them in the oven at 266°F for about 30 minutes or in the dishwasher at high temperatures and keep them ready for jarring.
Detach the grapes one by one from the stem, wash them well, and pass them through the food mill to extract the juice.
I did this procedure by mounting the Kenwood electric food mill with small holes.Once you have obtained the juice, which from 6.6 lbs of grapes will be about 5 1/3 cups, start cooking, with the Kenwood, Thermomix, or a pot on the stove.
After weighing, consider that grapes are quite sugary and that the final product will still be sterilized, add the sugar but not too much, I added 2.1 cups, and the jam turned out very sweet.
Bring the grape juice to a boil with the sugar and the filtered juice of 1 lemon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
With the Kenwood, mount the spiral paddle with spatula and set the temperature to 194°F and the stirring speed to 1, cook with the splash guard for about 20/30 minutes.
After the necessary time has passed, the juice is still very liquid, so add a packet of pectin, continue to boil over high heat or above 212°F for another 5 minutes.
Evaluate the consistency of the jam, even if it is a bit liquid, the product thickens more upon cooling, so test by pouring a small amount onto a saucer and letting it cool.
If it reaches a good consistency, the jam is ready to be jarred, also consider that there will be another boiling for the final sterilization.
If the product is still very liquid, continue cooking for another 5 minutes.Once the jam is ready, jar it while still hot in the sterilized jars, fill them to the brim, and seal tightly hermetically.
Sterilize the medium jars covered with hot water for about 15/20 minutes, for larger jars 30 minutes. You can also use a pressure cooker for sterilizing the jars, using less water. To prevent the jars from banging against each other, you can wrap them in tea towels.
Let the jars cool in the pot, when they are warm, check the vacuum seal, dry, date, and store the product in the pantry.
The product sterilized this way lasts longer, and less sugar for preservation can be used.
If any jar does not have a vacuum, store the jam in the fridge and consume within 3/4 days.
Anna advises…
The fruit must be healthy and ripe, cooking times can vary based on the type of fruit, if it is very watery, simply extend the cooking.
For proper preservation of the jam, the final sterilization that creates the vacuum is important.
The jam should be stored in a cool place, away from light, for at least 12 months.
After some months it is normal for the jam to change color and darken.
Once opened, store the jar in the fridge and consume within 4/5 days.
Can I use any type of grape?
Yes, you can use any variety, even mixed. The only thing that changes is the cooking time based on the type of grape being more watery!
