Concord grape jam

Homemade Concord grape jam is so much better than anything you can buy but is packed with that familiar almost fragrant flavor. This jam is wonderfully sweet, with a touch of tartness, smooth and spreadable, with no added pectin. It's perfect in a PB&J sandwich, on toast, in cakes, with cheese and so much more. 

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I grew up enjoying homemade jams but never quite got into making them myself until a few years ago. It wasn't that I bought jam much in between, I just rarely had it other than to use in some recipes. Now, though, we have at least one jam in the fridge at all times for kids' sandwiches or toast (OK, mine too). 

While I grew up with the like of blackberry jam and strawberry raspberry jam in the UK, I know grape jam or jelly is probably the more classic flavor here in the US. I have to admit, I never quite saw the draw when I tried it. 

But as with so many jams, once you try homemade, you get to experience the true flavor. And it's just so much better. The grape flavor is vibrant and the texture is almost luscious. It has quickly become a fan favorite in our house.

What are Concord grapes?

Concord grapes are a dark purple, almost blue grape with a very distinct, fragrant aroma. The name is after Concord, Massachusetts, where the variety was developed. Their season is relatively short, typically September and October in the Northeast. Timing will be different elsewhere but they tend to be a late summer/early fall grape.

They are a table grape, so you can eat them just as they are and they have a lovely flavor. Unlike some other table grapes, especially many European varieties, they have relatively large seeds and what's called a slip skin. This means the skin is thicker and comes away easily from the pulp. The skin is a little more tart but also has a lot of flavor, as well as the color, so you want to enjoy it, too.

Concord grapes are also good for cooking with as well as, of course, making jam and jelly. You just have to work around those seeds a little.

What's the difference between grape jelly and grape jam?

Concord grape jelly is probably what is better known (and I will try to get on to making and sharing a recipe at some stage!), but this is definitely a jam. Broadly speaking, jams are made using the fruit pulp, while jelly is made just from the juice.

Many jams have chunks of fruit in them, while some are more blended. Jelly needs to have added pectin to help it set and this helps it have a slight jiggly texture. They also tend to be almost clear, though with the color of whatever they are made from.

Ingredients for concord grape jam

You only need a small list of ingredients to make this jam:

• Concord grapes - we are lucky enough to have inherited some growing in our yard, but you can also buy them when in season, typically late summer and ealy autumn/fall, depending on region.
• Sugar - while the grapes are naturally sweet, jams need sugar not just for sweetness, but more to help them set. Sugar is also a preservative. 
• Lemon - I like to add a little lemon juice to most jams and, in this case, also a small amount of zest. It adds a little brightness and counters the sweetness, plus it adds a little extra pectin to help the jam set.

You'll see I don't add any pectin to this jam as grapes have a good amount of natural pectin that you don't need it. To a point, it may be slightly quicker if you added pectin as it could set sooner, but I think the slightly longer cook gives a deeper flavor.

In general, I tend to make lower sugar jams which this is not. True, it's not as high as most store bought jams, but is a higher proportion than I typically make. The reason for this is I feel like this is a jam that you want to be set rather than be runny.

Many jams, both generally and those I make, have a bit more of a chunky fruit texture, so being softer fits. That's not really the case here, as the pulp is in smaller pieces due to how you prepare it. You could maybe reduce the sugar a little, but with care if you want it to set.

Preparing the grapes

I will say that this jam comes with a slight warning that it is a little more time consuming than many jams using other fruits. The reason for that is the seeds as you don't want them to end up in the final jam. So, there's a bit of prep work involved.

There are a few ways to prepare the grapes, but the most typical, as I have used here, is to first separate the grape skins and the grape pulp. This is easy to do as after you have taken the grapes off the stems and washed them, many of the grapes tend to pop open anyway. Don't discard the skins as they have a lot of great flavor and add the distinct color to the jam.

Then, you don't have to, but I recommend gently cooking the pulp a few minutes to help it soften. This makes it easier to remove the seeds. You can pass the mixture through a food mill, but as not everyone has one, the other option it to pass it through a fine stainer. Either way, you want to press through all the pulp and remove the seeds.

The skins are edible as they are, but it can be a little off-putting to have larger pieces in the jam, so it's best to break them up. The easiest way is to blend the skins in a food processor or blender. I add some of the strained pulp to make it easier to process.

You'll get a beautiful purple mixture (above) that you then mix in with the rest of the pulp. Combined, they give you all that great grape flavor and color.

Once you have your grapes prepared, it's a pretty typical jam-making process. You place the skin mixture, the grape pulp, sugar and lemon in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. The exact cooking time depends on how wide your pan is, the heat and the quantity of jam, but it will take a while to thicken up.

You can largely leave it to simmer, stirring now and then so it doesn't get too thick or stick to the bottom. Make sure you just cook over medium heat, lowering as needed, so that it doesn't burn. Then, as it gets close, stir a little more often. 

Tips for making this jam

As I say, this isn't difficult, just a little more time consuming with the preparation than some. But a few tips to help it work well:

• Only use ripe grapes - don't use any grapes that are green or even just a pale purple as they won't have developed their flavor and sweetness.
• Give yourself time to prepare the grapes - it may well take longer than you expect.
• Scrape down the sides of the pan - any jam that ends up on the sides dries out and doesn't mix back in well, so scrape down any that splashes up as you go.
• Don't rush the cooking - it can be tempting to try to speed things up, but if you have the heat too high, you can burn the jam which will give a strange flavor. Instead, use medium heat at most to keep the jam simmering rather than vigorously boiling.

Storage/canning

Since this isn't a low sugar jam, as I mention, then this means it is one you can can for longer term storage. But as always, make sure you use proper canning methods to ensure that you do so safely. I'd suggest you look at the various guides on the National Center for Home Food Preservation site for in depth guidance, particularly if you are new to preserving.

In short, you want to make sure you add the jam to sterile jars while still hot, and seal them while hot, making sure you avoid potential contamination along the way. But do use consult the guides unless you are already practiced and know what you are doing.

How to use concord grape jam

While grape jelly is the more classic addition to a PB & J sandwich, we love using jam and this one is a winner in there in our house. Grape jam also pairs really well with cheese, so add some to a cheese board or make crostini with for example brie and some jam on top.

You can also use this jam in baking, such as in crumble bars, to fill a cake or as the filling for a crostata. It has a wonderful flavor and is lovely and smooth so works well in lots of things, so it's worth experimenting!

Concord grape jam might take a little more preparation time than some other jams, but the end result is so good it's well and truly worth it. The color, flavor and texture and all so wonderful, it will soon be a favorite. So make use of some of those grapes while in season and enjoy. 

Try these other tasty jams and spreads:

• Pear jam
• Lemon curd
• Mango jam
• Strawberry peach jam
• Plus get more jam, sauce and other condiment recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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