How do you use grapes?

[flowerbug]

My grandmother used to make Grape Cobbler, Grape Juice, and Grape Jam. Brings back good memories!

grape jam for the center of molasses cookies. or peanut butter cookies. or juice for popsicles. or syrup for pancakes. candy. if you don't have jars for canning, then freeze what you can't use right away. the problem with overripe fruits is that they usually don't have as much pectin as compared to fruits picked earlier. a common thing recommended with grapes is to pick some when they are still on the greener side of ripeness and then you won't need to buy pectin. i don't mind cruncy jam. i'd rather it be as tart as possible. how about fruit leather or roll ups? i've never had a grape pie, but a grape tart would be fine as that would be like a pastry anyways and i always like those.

dehydrating would be a good use if you can dry them without them spoiling and if they are suitable for that.

 

[Mini Horses]

Most jellies can be water bath canned. I've never had a grape pie!

 

[JanetMarie]

I've made grape jam before with added pectin, and without. I liked it best without pectin, and like it tart. I've made a grape pie, and was just okay. I like the idea of grape filled cookies.

My husband made grape wine, and turned out good (he says, I don't/can't drink wine).

 

[CrealCritter]

I've made grape jam before with added pectin, and without. I liked it best without pectin, and like it tart. I've made a grape pie, and was just okay. I like the idea of grape filled cookies.

My husband made grape wine, and turned out good (he says, I don't/can't drink wine).

+1 for wine.

If it doesn't move, ferment it.

 

[farmerjan]

I have heard that it is the new "rule" but I have never water bath canned any jam or jelly. You make the jelly, to the right temp etc...put it in the jars put lids & bands on, flip 'em over as you go, then turn them all back right side up after 5 min or so and let them cool and set up. The turning upside down heats and seals the lid to form the "vacuum" so it will seal and "pop" as they are supposed to.
He//, we used to put liquid paraffin on the tops of the jelly to seal them years ago...

 

[CrealCritter]

I have heard that it is the new "rule" but I have never water bath canned any jam or jelly. You make the jelly, to the right temp etc...put it in the jars put lids & bands on, flip 'em over as you go, then turn them all back right side up after 5 min or so and let them cool and set up. The turning upside down heats and seals the lid to form the "vacuum" so it will seal and "pop" as they are supposed to.
He//, we used to put liquid paraffin on the tops of the jelly to seal them years ago...

My Honey of 35,000 years, cans Jams and Jelly in the water bather. I don't recall any flipping, but I'll ask her.

 

[Hinotori]

Don't flip. It causes false seals that release later. Sucks to waste all that work.

I've helped with enough open kettle canning as well to know that it's worth it to waterbath. Less failures.

Great grandma used paraffin and whatever jars she had available. Grandma did as well when she ran out of jars or lids. Traditionally made jams have enough sugar preserving them that you can just scoop the moldy part off the top and use the jam underneath.

I have a huge stockpot that I use when waterbathing half gallon jars of grape juice. Usually I just put a layer of rings on the bottom to keep the jars off. I now have collapsable silicone pot racks for canning in regular pots. For small jars I used to just put a cloth in the bottom of the pot.

 

[flowerbug]

Don't flip. It causes false seals that release later. Sucks to waste all that work.

thanks for saying that as for me i've never once water bath canned jams/jellies and don't have spoilage problems. make sure your jars and lids are clean and put the top on with the lid when the jam is put in the jar, wipe the jar rim off with a clean cloth and seal it while the contents are hot and that is often enough to get a vaccuum seal to be established.

note this is with high enough acid items and things with plenty of sugar in them so spoiling would not normally be an issue anyways. if you are making low acid items and/or things that don't have other preservatives in them then my comments don't apply.

i never flip anything over, i want those lids as clean as possible. often when i open up any of the canned items i do here the lids look like they've not even been used other than the imprint in the sealing compound. many of them i can use again for freezer jam or other things where i'm not too worried about spoilage.

 

[baymule]

I buy seedless grapes to make chicken salad. Cube up cooked chicken, chop celery, chopped pecans, grapes cut in half and just enough mayonnaise to bind it together.

 

[Daisy]

I finished off the last of the pie and jam today. The ducks got some pie, a bit too sweet for me to eat that much of. I didn't end up making biscuits but did a few little tarts. I cant can so the jam was just in the top of the fridge and didn't seem to degrade much. It was really nice and I have had a few peanut butter and grape jam sandwiches this week,

I will put more effort into netting and water the grape vine next season because the taste was worth the effort.

Thanks for all the tips