Tammy McNiff is visiting from Sacramento and we took the longcut home
from our afternoon of sightseeing in Saint Paul. The wild grapes were
abundant and we picked maybe 10 pounds or so in about 45 minutes.

We cleaned about 3/5 of them while chatting on the patio ‹ a perfectly
lovely evening for it. I'm thinking about washing them in the morning
and then steam-juicing them. Might can or freeze any juiice * or I
might make some jelly soon.

Any recommendations for prepping for juice? Is boiling them a smarter
plan?

Ta.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller

Oh pshaw, on Mon 04 Sep 2006 07:59:53p, Melba's Jammin' meant to say...

> Tammy McNiff is visiting from Sacramento and we took the longcut home
> from our afternoon of sightseeing in Saint Paul. The wild grapes were
> abundant and we picked maybe 10 pounds or so in about 45 minutes.
>
> We cleaned about 3/5 of them while chatting on the patio ‹ a perfectly
> lovely evening for it. I'm thinking about washing them in the morning
> and then steam-juicing them. Might can or freeze any juiice * or I
> might make some jelly soon.
>
> Any recommendations for prepping for juice? Is boiling them a smarter
> plan?
>
> Ta.

Mebbe I do it the hard way, but I've always slipped the skins, then cooked
the pulp, put through the food mill to remove seeds, then added skins back,
and cooked some more. I usually make jam, but it could be bagged for
juice.

--
Wayne Boatwright
__________________________________________________

If you're going to walk on thin ice, you might as
well dance.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> Tammy McNiff is visiting from Sacramento and we took the longcut home
> from our afternoon of sightseeing in Saint Paul. The wild grapes were
> abundant and we picked maybe 10 pounds or so in about 45 minutes.
>
> We cleaned about 3/5 of them while chatting on the patio ‹ a perfectly
> lovely evening for it. I'm thinking about washing them in the morning
> and then steam-juicing them. Might can or freeze any juiice * or I
> might make some jelly soon.
>
> Any recommendations for prepping for juice? Is boiling them a smarter
> plan?

IIRC my Mom used to steam-juice them, and they made the most awesome
jelly. She would freeze the juice and make her jelly later. Have
fun!

-L.

On 5 Sep 2006 01:18:48 -0700, "-L." > wrote:

>
>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> Tammy McNiff is visiting from Sacramento and we took the longcut home
>> from our afternoon of sightseeing in Saint Paul. The wild grapes were
>> abundant and we picked maybe 10 pounds or so in about 45 minutes.
>>
>> We cleaned about 3/5 of them while chatting on the patio ‹ a perfectly
>> lovely evening for it. I'm thinking about washing them in the morning
>> and then steam-juicing them. Might can or freeze any juiice * or I
>> might make some jelly soon.
>>
>> Any recommendations for prepping for juice? Is boiling them a smarter
>> plan?
>
>IIRC my Mom used to steam-juice them, and they made the most awesome
>jelly. She would freeze the juice and make her jelly later. Have
>fun!
>
>-L.

How do you steam juice them, I have a bunch that need picking.

Jim

In article . com>,
"-L." > wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> > Tammy McNiff is visiting from Sacramento and we took the longcut home
> > from our afternoon of sightseeing in Saint Paul. The wild grapes were
> > abundant and we picked maybe 10 pounds or so in about 45 minutes.
> >
> > We cleaned about 3/5 of them while chatting on the patio ‹ a perfectly
> > lovely evening for it. I'm thinking about washing them in the morning
> > and then steam-juicing them. Might can or freeze any juiice * or I
> > might make some jelly soon.
> >
> > Any recommendations for prepping for juice? Is boiling them a smarter
> > plan?
>
> IIRC my Mom used to steam-juice them, and they made the most awesome
> jelly. She would freeze the juice and make her jelly later. Have
> fun!
>
> -L.

Allrighty, then! Steam juicing is what I had in mind (if for no other
reason than to show Tammy how the steam juicer works). Thanks.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller

In article >,
wa5dxp > wrote:

> On 5 Sep 2006 01:18:48 -0700, "-L." > wrote:
> >> Any recommendations for prepping for juice? Is boiling them a smarter
> >> plan?
> >
> >IIRC my Mom used to steam-juice them, and they made the most awesome
> >jelly. She would freeze the juice and make her jelly later. Have
> >fun!
> >
> >-L.
>
> How do you steam juice them, I have a bunch that need picking.
>
> Jim

http://www-podunk.com/

I use my Mehu-Liisa (as in link). I love it. The site has pics of the
components if you scroll down a bit. In the pic at top, note the hose
coming from the bottom of the middle section. That's to drain the
collected juice into the container of choice.

The steam juicer rocks for extracting juice from Dolgo crab apples for
juice for jelly.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller

In article >,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> Tammy McNiff is visiting from Sacramento and we took the longcut home
> from our afternoon of sightseeing in Saint Paul. The wild grapes were
> abundant and we picked maybe 10 pounds or so in about 45 minutes.
>
> We cleaned about 3/5 of them while chatting on the patio ‹ a perfectly
> lovely evening for it. I'm thinking about washing them in the morning
> and then steam-juicing them. Might can or freeze any juiice * or I
> might make some jelly soon.
>
> Any recommendations for prepping for juice? Is boiling them a smarter
> plan?
>
> Ta.

Mom never boiled grape juice, she just simmered it prior to making jelly
out of it.

It's amazing stuff.......

We have muscadine grapes growing all over here.

She ran the raw (cleaned) grapes thru a Victorio strainer to remove
seeds and skin.
It's a wonderful tool and faster than a china cap. She used the same
tool for wild blackberries to remove seeds and most of the skin.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

I just make wild grape jelly and have wine in the fermenter.
Here's how I do it....
1. pick ripe grapes from stem and save
2. pick unripe grapes from stem and save separately
3. put ripe grapes in big pot and just cover with water.
4. crush ripe grapes in water (can be done while heatign on stove)
5. boil for a few minutes then strain overnight in jelly bag, saving
pulp for winemaking
6. put green gapes in pot, move than cover with water, boil, put in
jelly bag.
(note: idea is to get extra pecting from green grapes but not to put in
pulp used for wine.

Now you have grape juice, grape pulp, and green grape juice with extra
pectin.
I used the juice to make wine, adding 1 cup apple juice to 4 cups mixed
garpe jucie for more pectin. Other people would just use commercial
pectin.

The grape jelly came out fine.

I don't know what kind of wild grapes I use. Just what grows here along
the river bank.

Good luck.

In article .com>,
"Wm Watt" > wrote:

> I just make wild grape jelly and have wine in the fermenter.
> Here's how I do it....
> 1. pick ripe grapes from stem and save
> 2. pick unripe grapes from stem and save separately

More than I'm willing to do - separate them. They all went into the
same bowl. :-/

> The grape jelly came out fine.
>
> I don't know what kind of wild grapes I use. Just what grows here along
> the river bank.
>
> Good luck.

Thanks. Did you let the juice settle (the tartaric acid crystals thing)
before jellling? I guess it's a moot question - mine has been sitting
for 24 hours and I think I'll make some jelly today.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller
http://jamlady.eboard.com

On Thu, 07 Sep 2006 07:52:20 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article .com>,
> "Wm Watt" > wrote:
>
>> I just make wild grape jelly and have wine in the fermenter.
>> Here's how I do it....
>> 1. pick ripe grapes from stem and save
>> 2. pick unripe grapes from stem and save separately
>
>More than I'm willing to do - separate them. They all went into the
>same bowl. :-/
>
>> The grape jelly came out fine.
>>
>> I don't know what kind of wild grapes I use. Just what grows here along
>> the river bank.
>>
>> Good luck.
>
>Thanks. Did you let the juice settle (the tartaric acid crystals thing)
>before jellling? I guess it's a moot question - mine has been sitting
>for 24 hours and I think I'll make some jelly today.


I made 3 batches of Concord grape jelly yesterday. We picked the
grapes last Tuesday and I put them through the Mehu Lisa. Then I
froze the juice since I was going out of town for the week end. I
strained the juice again yesterday before I made it and I must have
had better than 1/4 cup of crystals in the 13 cups of juice. I tried
an experiment using Certo, Ball liquid and Ball powder. The liquids
have a better consistency, softer and smoother when put on toast. I
will see if Pete has an opinion on the taste. I thought the Ball
powder had more flavor, but will try again. Does taste top texture in
fair judging?

BTW I think that the Mehu Lisa gets more juice and flavor from the
fruit that the boil and strain method. When you boil and strain you
can usually get flavorful pulp but the pulp from the Mehu Lisa has
almost no taste. Which method to use probably depends on whether or
not you want to use the pulp for something.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article .com>,
> "Wm Watt" > wrote:

>> The grape jelly came out fine.
>>
>> I don't know what kind of wild grapes I use. Just what grows here along
>> the river bank.
>>


Consider yourselves lucky. The last time I picked wild grapes (over 20
years ago, from lovely vines along the roadside) I came down with a
miserable case of poison ivy on the backs of my hands and forearms.
I went to a party that night feeling like Lulu Leprosy.

As soon as we moved to CO we planted a Concord grape vine but the
raccoons get to the grapes before they ripen. Doesn't much matter since
we rarely want grape jelly. We are much fonder of peach or apricot jams
and butters these days.

In hindsight, we should have planted a grape variety that is better for
eating.

gloria p

Puester wrote:
> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
>> In article .com>,
>> "Wm Watt" > wrote:
>
>
>>> The grape jelly came out fine.
>>>
>>> I don't know what kind of wild grapes I use. Just what grows here along
>>> the river bank.
>>>
>
>
> Consider yourselves lucky. The last time I picked wild grapes (over 20
> years ago, from lovely vines along the roadside) I came down with a
> miserable case of poison ivy on the backs of my hands and forearms.
> I went to a party that night feeling like Lulu Leprosy.
>
> As soon as we moved to CO we planted a Concord grape vine but the
> raccoons get to the grapes before they ripen. Doesn't much matter since
> we rarely want grape jelly. We are much fonder of peach or apricot jams
> and butters these days.
>
> In hindsight, we should have planted a grape variety that is better for
> eating.
>
> gloria p

Many years ago we had a deer lease in central Texas that was loaded with
grape vines, the variety normally called "possum" grapes in Texas and
Louisiana, small purple grapes with a good taste and large bunches on
the vines.

Miz Anne asked me to bring some home to make the kids some jelly and us
some nice wine. Backed my truck up under a Bois de Arc (Osage orange)
tree, lined the 8 foot bed with polyethylene plastic and started cutting
bunches into the truck with my pruning shears. We made jelly and started
wine until we were staggering around like we had been drink wine. Ending
up canning a bunch of juice in quart jars to use later and finally gave
away about half the truck load. That was a good lease for preserving
folks, several large pecan trees, a couple of large black walnut trees,
loads of grapes, blackberries, wild persimmons, and a good size grove of
plum trees. The original ranch house was still there and had been built
in about 1860, put together with pegs so figure the pecans and plums had
probably been planted when the place was a working ranch. Even had a
couple of stock tanks with fish, a creek with a beaver dam, grey wolves
in a pack of about six, and loads of deer, ducks, geese, mourning doves,
etc. Our pantry stayed full the year around back then.

George, who now has to buy grapes

Puester wrote:
> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> > In article .com>,
> > "Wm Watt" > wrote:
>
> >> The grape jelly came out fine.
> >>
> >> I don't know what kind of wild grapes I use. Just what grows here along
> >> the river bank.
> >>
>
>
> Consider yourselves lucky. The last time I picked wild grapes (over 20
> years ago, from lovely vines along the roadside) I came down with a
> miserable case of poison ivy on the backs of my hands and forearms.
> I went to a party that night feeling like Lulu Leprosy.
>

Don't remind me. This spring I put on long rubber gloves and a rubber
rain suit to pull up poison ivy vines so only got it on my face and
hair. First time I ever got a poison ivy rash. Face swollen so much I
could barely see for a few days. Ugh!

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article .com>,
> "Wm Watt" > wrote:
>
> > I just make wild grape jelly and have wine in the fermenter.
> > Here's how I do it....
> > 1. pick ripe grapes from stem and save
> > 2. pick unripe grapes from stem and save separately
>
> More than I'm willing to do - separate them. They all went into the
> same bowl. :-/

Only if you want to make wine from the pulp left in the jelly bag. I
only separated them because one of my winemaking books says its not a
god idea to have a lot of pectin in juice used to make wine. So I left
the pectin-rich green grapes out of the pulp I used for wine.


> Thanks. Did you let the juice settle (the tartaric acid crystals thing)
> before jellling? I guess it's a moot question - mine has been sitting
> for 24 hours and I think I'll make some jelly today.

The juice from the jelly bag sat in jars in the fridge for a few days
before I got around to making jelly. There were crystals in the bottom.
I always scrape them off and put them in the jelly pot. I figure there
must be grape flavour in them. Are you supposed to throw the crystals
away?

In article . com>,
"Wm Watt" > wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> > Thanks. Did you let the juice settle (the tartaric acid crystals thing)
> > before jellling? I guess it's a moot question - mine has been sitting
> > for 24 hours and I think I'll make some jelly today.
>
> The juice from the jelly bag sat in jars in the fridge for a few days
> before I got around to making jelly. There were crystals in the bottom.
> I always scrape them off and put them in the jelly pot. I figure there
> must be grape flavour in them. Are you supposed to throw the crystals
> away?

I don't know that they're harmful, but crystals in jelly is not a
desirable thing. I don't like my jelly crunchy. :-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller
http://jamlady.eboard.com

In article >,
The Cook > wrote:

> I made 3 batches of Concord grape jelly yesterday. We picked the
> grapes last Tuesday and I put them through the Mehu Lisa. Then I
> froze the juice since I was going out of town for the week end. I
> strained the juice again yesterday before I made it and I must have
> had better than 1/4 cup of crystals in the 13 cups of juice. I tried
> an experiment using Certo, Ball liquid and Ball powder. The liquids
> have a better consistency, softer and smoother when put on toast. I
> will see if Pete has an opinion on the taste. I thought the Ball
> powder had more flavor, but will try again. Does taste top texture in
> fair judging?

Thirty-five points for taste, 20 for texture.
>
> BTW I think that the Mehu Lisa gets more juice and flavor from the
> fruit that the boil and strain method. When you boil and strain you
> can usually get flavorful pulp but the pulp from the Mehu Lisa has
> almost no taste. Which method to use probably depends on whether or
> not you want to use the pulp for something.

I used the Mehu-Liisa, too, Susan.


--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller
http://jamlady.eboard.com

Wm Watt wrote:
> Puester wrote:
>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>> In article .com>,
>>> "Wm Watt" > wrote:
>>>> The grape jelly came out fine.
>>>>
>>>> I don't know what kind of wild grapes I use. Just what grows here along
>>>> the river bank.
>>>>
>>
>> Consider yourselves lucky. The last time I picked wild grapes (over 20
>> years ago, from lovely vines along the roadside) I came down with a
>> miserable case of poison ivy on the backs of my hands and forearms.
>> I went to a party that night feeling like Lulu Leprosy.
>>
>
> Don't remind me. This spring I put on long rubber gloves and a rubber
> rain suit to pull up poison ivy vines so only got it on my face and
> hair. First time I ever got a poison ivy rash. Face swollen so much I
> could barely see for a few days. Ugh!
>

The big field behind our yard in RI was loaded with poison ivy.
When the owner gave us permission to put a garden there, we killed
the ivy off with the only spray we found effective--ammate or Amtrol.

It worked quite well. You have to be careful because even w/o leaves,
the vines are filled with the allergen (Urushiol I believe it's called.)
Never, EVER burn the leaves or vines.

gloria p

On Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:58:21 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article . com>,
> "Wm Watt" > wrote:
>
>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> > Thanks. Did you let the juice settle (the tartaric acid crystals thing)
>> > before jellling? I guess it's a moot question - mine has been sitting
>> > for 24 hours and I think I'll make some jelly today.
>>
>> The juice from the jelly bag sat in jars in the fridge for a few days
>> before I got around to making jelly. There were crystals in the bottom.
>> I always scrape them off and put them in the jelly pot. I figure there
>> must be grape flavour in them. Are you supposed to throw the crystals
>> away?
>
>I don't know that they're harmful, but crystals in jelly is not a
>desirable thing. I don't like my jelly crunchy. :-)

Besides, judges at the fair do not like crystals in the jelly.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

Thanks for the feedback. I tried making jelly with and without
crystals and juice from green grapes. Jelly made without crystals lacks
the gritty texture. I can't tell any difference in flavour. Juice from
green grapes doesn't seem ot make any difference as far as pectin
content goes. Here are the details ...

First batch with crystals and no green grape juice
4 cups grape juice with crystals
1.5 cups apple juice
5 cups sugar
5 cups + 1 oz (sample jar) of good gritty jelly produced

Second batch with green grape juice and no crystals
3 cups grape juice without crystals
1 cup green grape juice
1.5 cups apple juice
5 cups sugar
4 cups + 1 oz (sample jar) of good smooth jelly

For both sampes I boiled up the grape juice and tested for pectin, then
added apple jiuce and tested for pectin again. On the second batch I
added apple in two steps because I had a hard time believing the green
grapes didn't satisfy the pectin requirement. I ended up boiling down
the second batch to only 4 cups of jelly because I was trying to get
the right combination of pectin and sugar. In both batches I added the
sugar in 3-4 steps testing for set each time.

The first batch only reached 205 deg F before dribbling off the spoon
in a "ready to pour" condition. The second batch reached 215 deg F
before being poured. I never get a clear "ready to pour" indication for
jelly and have to look at thickness, condition of drip from spoon, and
jelling of lifted scum on side plate to know when to pour. I use a
thermometer but never trust it.

On Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:58:21 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article . com>,
> "Wm Watt" > wrote:
>
>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> > Thanks. Did you let the juice settle (the tartaric acid crystals thing)
>> > before jellling? I guess it's a moot question - mine has been sitting
>> > for 24 hours and I think I'll make some jelly today.
>>
>> The juice from the jelly bag sat in jars in the fridge for a few days
>> before I got around to making jelly. There were crystals in the bottom.
>> I always scrape them off and put them in the jelly pot. I figure there
>> must be grape flavour in them. Are you supposed to throw the crystals
>> away?
>
>I don't know that they're harmful, but crystals in jelly is not a
>desirable thing. I don't like my jelly crunchy. :-)


Don't you ever eat it on toast?

Boron

In article >,
Boron Elgar > wrote:

> On Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:58:21 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> > wrote:
>
> >In article . com>,
> > "Wm Watt" > wrote:
> >
> >> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> >> > Thanks. Did you let the juice settle (the tartaric acid crystals thing)
> >> > before jellling? I guess it's a moot question - mine has been sitting
> >> > for 24 hours and I think I'll make some jelly today.
> >>
> >> The juice from the jelly bag sat in jars in the fridge for a few days
> >> before I got around to making jelly. There were crystals in the bottom.
> >> I always scrape them off and put them in the jelly pot. I figure there
> >> must be grape flavour in them. Are you supposed to throw the crystals
> >> away?
> >
> >I don't know that they're harmful, but crystals in jelly is not a
> >desirable thing. I don't like my jelly crunchy. :-)
>
>
> Don't you ever eat it on toast?
>
> Boron

Jelly? No.
Jam? No.
Fruit butter? No.
I just make 400 jars a year. :-) I don't eat the stuff. I don't
dislike it; I just almost never think about eating it.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller
http://jamlady.eboard.com

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Boron Elgar > wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:58:21 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
>> > wrote:
>>
>> >In article . com>,
>> > "Wm Watt" > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> >> > Thanks. Did you let the juice settle (the tartaric acid crystals
>> >> > thing)
>> >> > before jellling? I guess it's a moot question - mine has been
>> >> > sitting
>> >> > for 24 hours and I think I'll make some jelly today.
>> >>
>> >> The juice from the jelly bag sat in jars in the fridge for a few days
>> >> before I got around to making jelly. There were crystals in the
>> >> bottom.
>> >> I always scrape them off and put them in the jelly pot. I figure there
>> >> must be grape flavour in them. Are you supposed to throw the crystals
>> >> away?
>> >
>> >I don't know that they're harmful, but crystals in jelly is not a
>> >desirable thing. I don't like my jelly crunchy. :-)
>>
>>
>> Don't you ever eat it on toast?
>>
>> Boron
>
> Jelly? No.
> Jam? No.
> Fruit butter? No.
> I just make 400 jars a year. :-) I don't eat the stuff. I don't
> dislike it; I just almost never think about eating it.
> --
> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
> http://web.mac.com/barbschaller
> http://jamlady.eboard.com

me too, Barb. I'm at about 250 jars assorted jams, jellies, pickles,
relishes and salsas so far this year......I *might* eat a pickle...or some
salsa.....

weird, eh? I like (like? LOVE!!) doing it but I don't eat it.
Thankfully, everyone I know does like it and does eat it!!

Kathi

They are oxalic acid crystals. Standard procedure is to decant the juice
and leave the crystals behind. I believe you will always get them with
grapes. They don't add to the flavor.

Dave

"Wm Watt" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks for the feedback. I tried making jelly with and without
> crystals and juice from green grapes. Jelly made without crystals lacks
> the gritty texture. I can't tell any difference in flavour. Juice from
> green grapes doesn't seem ot make any difference as far as pectin
> content goes. Here are the details ...
>
> First batch with crystals and no green grape juice
> 4 cups grape juice with crystals
> 1.5 cups apple juice
> 5 cups sugar
> 5 cups + 1 oz (sample jar) of good gritty jelly produced
>
> Second batch with green grape juice and no crystals
> 3 cups grape juice without crystals
> 1 cup green grape juice
> 1.5 cups apple juice
> 5 cups sugar
> 4 cups + 1 oz (sample jar) of good smooth jelly
>
> For both sampes I boiled up the grape juice and tested for pectin, then
> added apple jiuce and tested for pectin again. On the second batch I
> added apple in two steps because I had a hard time believing the green
> grapes didn't satisfy the pectin requirement. I ended up boiling down
> the second batch to only 4 cups of jelly because I was trying to get
> the right combination of pectin and sugar. In both batches I added the
> sugar in 3-4 steps testing for set each time.
>
> The first batch only reached 205 deg F before dribbling off the spoon
> in a "ready to pour" condition. The second batch reached 215 deg F
> before being poured. I never get a clear "ready to pour" indication for
> jelly and have to look at thickness, condition of drip from spoon, and
> jelling of lifted scum on side plate to know when to pour. I use a
> thermometer but never trust it.
>