Canning Grape Juice

I'm a Northern girl at heart, transplanted here to live in the South with my man. I am truly blessed to have been part of both worlds. When  we were first married I had the privilege of being under my Mama in-love's wings as she taught me how to put up and store away food for the winter. (To be honest I'm still learning from her.) This is one of the easier things to put up and very yummy too.

Another blessing is that my husband's family up home has a Farm Market. We have a Trucking Business. Put the two together and I get all those yummy goodies that you can't get down here! One of those goodies are Concord Grapes.

The first thing you do is put your grapes in a sink full of cold water. You can either add vinegar or essential oils to dissolve the sprays and pesticides. I used Lemon essential oil. They are so good you will have to sneak a few in! There is nothing like slipping the skins off a concord. Although if your like my daughter, you eat the skin and all!

Fill the bottom of your steamer with water.

Place the grapes in the top part of your steamer, cover and let it steam away for about an hour.

Get your jar and loosen the clamp on the end of the hose. fill your jar till you have about 1/4 inch head space. Now I usually have the jar down in front, but for me to take a picture I had to clamp the hose and set it to the side. Don't do that, unless your like me and want to take a picture. The juice will be extremely hot, so please be very careful!

To seal your jars all you do is put the lids on and screw the rings on, and there you have it! Homemade Grape Juice!!

If you use pint jars, empty the contents out of two pint jars into your one gallon pitcher and add sugar or natural sweetener to taste. ( you won't need very much, maybe 1/2 cup) fill the rest with water and stir.

If you use quart jars, empty one full quart jar into a one gallon pitcher.  Again, mix with sugar and water.

So Good, So healthy! Way better than store bought!!!

Just a little note....Traditions like these will pass away, never to be told again, if you don't share these things with your children. I'm so thankful my Mama allowed me to be in the kitchen with her. I'm so thankful my Mama in-love took the time to share.....Love them both very much!!!