Wild Grape Jelly

#Saturday

From Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail:

There are at least 80 different references to grapes throughout the journals. Every journal writer mentions the fruit multiple times, with the first entry on May 30, 1804, when Patrick Gass wrote while the men were encamped in Osage County, Missouri: “Here the soil is good, with cotton wood, sycamore, oak, hickory, and white walnut; with some grape vines, and an abundance of rushes.” 

For most Americans, wild grape jelly would have been a treat. Even though making jelly is a relatively easy process, but does require sugar which would have been a luxury for most in the early 19th century.

Here’s a simple recipe, if you’d like to try making your own:

You’ll just need two pounds of wild or domestic grapes and two cups of sugar to make about three cups of jelly. First, mash the grapes in a large saucepan. Bring it to a rolling boil and continue for 15 minutes. Strain the juice through cheesecloth or dishcloth and you’ll have about 1.5 cups of juice. Combine the juice and sugar and bring to a rolling boil again, this time holding for 20 minutes. Skim any residue from the top and pour the mixture into three, 8-ounce jelly jars. Cover and store in the refrigerator, or freeze. Then enjoy on a slice of homemade bread! 




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