If you’ve ever had the pleasure of wandering through the wild landscapes of Texas, you may have stumbled upon clusters of vibrant, purple grapes hanging from the vines. These grapes, known as Mustang grapes, are a true Texas treasure and have been enjoyed by locals for generations. With their distinctive tartness and intense flavor, Mustang grapes are perfect for transforming into a delightful homemade jelly.
Making Mustang Grape Jelly is a labor of love, but the rewards are worth every moment spent in the kitchen. The process starts with carefully harvesting the plump, ripe grapes at their peak of flavor. It’s important to select grapes that are fully matured, as this ensures the best balance of sweetness and tartness in the final jelly. The perfect pairing to our flakey layer biscuits. Enjoy!
-MBK
Mustang Grape Jelly
Equipment
- 1 funnel - sterilized
- 6 jars - sterilized
- 1 ladel - sterilized
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. ripe mustang grapes washed and removed from stems
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 package Sure-jell pectin
- 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a large pot, add 2 cups water and cleaned mustang grapes (5lbs.). Using a potato masher, crush the grapes to break the skin and release juices. Bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain grapes in batches into a large bowl or liquid measuring cup, making sure to press grapes into strainer to extract all juice. Throw away leftover skin and seeds and repeat with remaining grape mixture. You should have approximately 5 1/2 cups prepared juice.
- In a 6-8 quart stock pot, pour 5 1/2 cups prepared grape juice. Combine 1 package sure-jell and 1/4 cup of measured sugar. Add to juice.
- On high heat, add in 1/2 tsp. butter to reduce foaming. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a full rolling boil (this is a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred).
- Stir in remaining sugar (3 1/4 cups) and return to full rolling boil. When full boil is reached, immediately set a timer for 1 minute exactly, stirring constantly for the entire time. Remove from heat and skim off any remaining foam.
- Ladle immediately into the prepared jars that are still warm, filling to within a 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe jar rims, cover, and tighten lids.