Muscadine Jelly

Muscadine jelly is a unique, late summer treat using a grape variety native to the Southern United States – muscadines. Enjoy a jar of this sweet, jewel toned jelly today!

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When you think about grapes grown in the United States, you probably think of California and the Pacific Northwest. However, here in the South, we have our own type of grapes —muscadines. 

What are muscadines?

Muscadines are a species of seeded grape native to the United States. They thrive in hot, humid climates, which is why they are prolific in the Southeastern and South-Central United States. You can sometimes find them growing wild in the woods and it’s not uncommon for residents to have a vine growing right in their backyards. 

Muscadines ripen in late summer; therefore, you’ll typically find them for sale in local farmer’s markets from August-September. If you’re lucky enough to pick your own, look for plump muscadines with bronze or dark purple skin. As with grapes, there are light and dark varieties. Scuppernongs are the lighter variety while muscadines are dark. Both differ from your standard table grapes in that they have a thicker skin, soft center and super sweet musky flavor.

Muscadine grapes can be used to make wine. In fact, the first wine produced in the United States did not come from grapes grown in California. It was muscadine wine produced in Florida! It’s a sweet wine, comparable to a Riesling, though there are some dry varietals available. Because muscadine grapes have their own unique aroma and flavor, expect muscadine wine to taste unlike anything else you’ve ever tried. If you want to sample a bottle, I recommend Old South Winery in Natchez, Mississippi.

Ingredients and tools you’ll need

Once you’ve procured yourself some muscadines, all the other ingredients needed to make muscadine jelly are pretty simple to find. You’ll need:

• 5 pounds whole muscadines
• X cups of water
• 1 (1.75 ounce) box low sugar pectin (or six tablespoons low-sugar bulk pectin)
• 6 cups white granulated sugar
• 2 large stock pots (or one large container to strain the juice into)

• Colander or mesh sieve

• Cheesecloth (if using a colander)

• Potato masher (optional, but handy for mashing grapes)

Extract the muscadine juice

Unlike jam or fruit preserves, jelly is made from juice only. The easiest way to extract muscadine juice is to cook them down until the skins start to soften. Start by rinsing the muscadines in a colander with cool water. Then dump them into a large stock pot.

Add enough cool water to cover the grapes by at least one inch. I used 8 cups of water, but you may need more or less, depending on the size of your stock pot. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the muscadines are soft and the skins are starting to peel away.

Remove the pot from the heat and gently mash down the muscadines with the potato masher. Have a second stock pot or large container at the ready fitted with a fine mesh sieve or large colander lined with three layers of cheese cloth. Pour the cooked muscadines through the colander. Allow the muscadines to drain for about 30 minutes. If you want, gently press the muscadine skins with the potato masher or a wooden spoon to extract more of the juice. Afterwards, remove and discard the muscadine solids. Measure out the remaining juice. We will need 10 cups of juice for this recipe. If you end up with more than 10 cups, set the excess aside for a later use.

How to tell if the jelly has set

This is a little trick I’ve shared in all my other jam and jelly recipes. Jelly will continue to thicken as it cools, in fact it could take up to 48 hours to completely set, so it’s not always easy to tell if the jelly has reached your desired consistency while it’s still hot. Before starting, place a few metal spoons in the freezer to get super cold. After you’ve added the sugar and boiled for one minute, bring out one of the cold spoons and place a few drops of jelly on it. The jelly should start to gel almost immediately. If it doesn’t, keep boiling for an additional minute, testing in between, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Storage

While the jelly is still hot, transfer it to clean glass jars or containers. I prefer to use the smaller 8-ounce jelly jars. Pint jars will work as well. If you plan to can the jelly, leave 1/4-inch of headspace between the rim of the jar and the surface of the jelly. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean rag, top with a lid and secure with a ring.

Muscadine jelly will keep for up to one month in the refrigerator. You can also store the jelly for long term storage by processing it using the water bath canning method. Canned jelly can be safely stored in a cool, dry place for up to 18 months. For more information, check out my complete tutorial on water bath canning.

What to do if your jelly doesn’t set

First, give the jelly at least 48 hours. It can take that long to fully gel. If it’s still too runny for your liking, don’t despair. Measure out the jam, then pour it into a saucepan. Bring the jam to a boil, then for every four cups of jam stir in 1/4 cup of white sugar and one tablespoon powdered pectin. If you have more than eight cups, you’ll need to work in batches.  Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Test to see if it’s set using the frozen spoon method I describe above.

Frequently Asked Questions