Pick 8 cups of concord grapes. Wash and put into 8 qt. heavy duty pan. If you use the Victorio or Back to Basics Strainer, you will not seed or skin the grapes! Add 6 cups of sugar (you can cut sugar down to 4 cups or less if want to cut down on the sugar content). In this recipe I use Ultra Gel for thickening so you don’t need as much sugar like most recipes.
Cook this mixture 30 minutes on low to medium heat watching it closely and stirring regularly to prevent from burning or splattering all over your range. If you need to turn it down a little that is fine. You want a constant slow to medium boil. The mixture will go from a purple green to a pretty purple and turn into a mixture that looks like jam. All of the foam will disappear. I never skim off foam from the top. When the foam disappears on its own, you will know it’s ready.
Remove jam mixture from the stove and pour it through a strainer. (I prefer the Victorio or Back to Basics strainer. (They have an attachment for grapes). These catch all the seeds and skins so you don’t have to do it. It just allows the jam to go through the strainer.
Pour the strained mixture back into the 8 qt. pan and cook until hot and then gradually add 1 1/4 cup Ultra Gel using a whisk. Make sure you add the Ultra gel very slowly, stirring constantly with a wire whisk to avoid lumps. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and use a ladle to put in pint jars, leaving ½” headspace. Adjust lids and process in a water bath canner or steamer. Follow the manufactures directions.
