Muscadine Syrup

There is nothing better than biscuits and jelly unless it's pancakes and syrup. Here's an easy recipe to make your own homemade Muscadine syrup. Boy is it yummy!!! Another yummy syrup is Walnut Praline Syrup. I love this one especially in the Fall months.


2 1/2 c. Muscadine juice
3 c. sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
2 Tblsp. bottled lemon juice


As always, start by sterilizing your jars, seals and bands. Keep jars hot.


Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot.


Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Allow mixture to boil for 4 full minutes.


Remove pot from heat and skim foam if need be. Ladle hot syrup into hot sterile jars leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe rims with a damp towel to remove any residue. Remove as much air bubbles as you can. This is easily done by running a knife along the inside of the jar. Place seals & bands on jars. Tighten to fingertip tight. (Once lids are in place, you can also tap your jars lightly on the counter to help release more air bubbles if need be.)


Process for 10 minutes remembering to start your time once water has come to a full rolling boil. Remove jars from canner and allow to completely cool. Listen for that beautiful "ping" sound that tells you your jars have sealed properly.

Yields: 6 (8-oz) jelly jars

Click HERE for printable recipe

Muscadine Jelly

After a day in the kitchen working up the Muscadines to render down for juice, I decided today I would make things easy on myself and make a small batch of jelly. It's funny, the most tedious thing yesterday was picking the grapes from the stems. I started mid morning yesterday and finally finished the full process of juice making (incl. time to clean the kitchen afterword) after 7pm. I did take my time though so it doesn't normally take that long. But today, from start to finish (less cooling time for the jars) only took me about an hour! Now, I'm off to figure out what else I am going to do with my Muscadine juice.


5 c. Muscadine juice
1 pkg. powdered pectin
5 c. sugar


Wash and sterilize jars, bands & seals. Keep jars hot.


Combine juice & pectin in a large stockpot. Stir to mix well. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly.


Pour in sugar and stir to dissolve. Bring mixture to a full boil and then boil hard for 1 full minute.


Remove pot from heat and skim foam if need be. Ladle hot jelly into hot sterile jars leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe rims with a damp towel to remove any residue. Place seals & bands on jars. Tighten to fingertip tight.


Place in water bath caner and bring water to boil. Process for 5 minutes then remove from canner and allow jars to cool. Remember to listen for the "ping" sound to let you know your jars have sealed properly.

Yield: 9 (8-oz) jelly jars

Click HERE for printable recipe

How To Make Muscadine Juice

Musacdine grapes
Water
Large Stock pot
Strainer
Storage container(s)



Sort and thoroughly wash the grapes. Measure/weigh your grapes. Place grapes in stockpot. Using a pastry cutter (as my Grandmother would do) or other object crush the grapes to help release meat from skins. Or you can take the easy route and place them in your food processor and pulse lightly to break the skins up. Add enough water to just cover grapes. You don't want to over fill with water as that will dilute your juice flavor. Bring grapes to a boil.



Reduce heat & cover pot with lid. Allow to simmer until grape hulls are tender; about 15 minutes. Let cool. Drain juice into another container by running it through a Foley food mill. Using the food mill helps to extract more juice as well as separates the seeds, stems and skins that will clog the strainer. Take the resulting juice stock and strain it through a damp jelly cloth or several layers of cheese cloth.


Juice can now be used for your intended recipe(s). I started out with 36 pounds of grapes and rendered out 3-1/2 gallons of juice.

You can also can your juice by following a few simple steps...Reheat the juice to a simmer. Pour the juice into hot sterile pint or quart sized canning jars. Wipe jar edges clean and top with seals and bands. Place jars into a water bath canner and process for 10 minutes. Remember to start your timer after the water has come to a full rolling boil. Remove jars from canner and allow to cool. Listen for the "ping" sound that tells you the jars have sealed properly.

Click HERE for printable recipe

**A great place to check out canning supplies is over at Our Happy Homestead

Pomegranate Jelly

Thanks to the great folks over at POM Wonderful, I was able to make a batch of jelly that not only looks good and taste superb....these little beauties will make great gift items. If you know someone who may need a little pick me up, why not make a batch of homemade jelly, toss it in a simple basket with a loaf of fresh bread and tie a pretty ribbon on top. It's the little things that you can do for others that make such a statement....more than mere words can sometimes express.

Pomegranate Jelly

3-1/2 cups POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
5 cups sugar



Sterilize clean jars and seals in a water bath canner. Keep jars hot until ready to use.




In a heavy pot, combine pomegranate juice and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.




Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Pour hot liquid into hot sterilized half-pint jars or smaller 4-oz jelly jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 5 minutes (time begins once water has come to a full rolling boil) in a boiling-water canner.


Remove jars from water bath and allow to cool. Yield: 6 half-pints or 12 (4-oz.) jelly jars.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Recipe Source: Taste Of Home

**Thanks "Aunt C" for the heads up on this recipe. I had so much fun making it. But then again, I always have fun when I'm in the kitchen canning or doing anything else!

Candy Apple Christmas Jelly

Still working on our Christmas gifts, I thought this would be a perfect jelly to make and give along with the Christmas Pepper Jelly. I found this in one of the Taste of Home Christmas magazines and just love it. One batch makes about 6-7 (8-oz) half pint jelly jars or if you use the 4-oz jars you can double your bounty and get around 12-14 jars.

Candy Apple Christmas Jelly
4 c. apple juice
1/2 c. red hot candies
1 (1-3/4-oz.) pkg. powdered pectin
4-1/2 c. sugar



In a heavy saucepan combine apple juice, red hots and pectin. Stir until pectin is dissolved. Heat over high heat until candies are melted and mixture comes to a full boil. Stir consistently.


Once mixture comes to a boil, add in sugar. continue to stir and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 full minutes.


Remove from heat and skim any foam. If there have been any candy pieces that did not melt completely, remove them at this time. Ladle hot jelly into hot sterile half-pint jelly jars, leaving a 1/4" headspace. Wipe rims clean of any spillage. Top each jar with seal and band. Tighten to fingertip tight.


Place filled jars into water bath canner and bring to a full rolling boil. Allow to process for 5 minutes after it comes to a boil. Once time has elapsed, remove from canner and allow to cool. Listen for the "ping" sound to ensure that jars have sealed properly. Jelly will be liquidity in consistency until it cools completely and sets up.


Click HERE for printable recipe