Muscadine Jelly

I grew up eating homemade muscadine jelly on hot buttered biscuits in the mornings or even as the J in my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Muscadine jelly definitely is delicious. It tastes similar to grape jelly, but with a bit more tartness.

You may want to read about my love of muscadines. Then you’ll understand why I’m so picky about my recipe for making jelly.

No wasting these babies.

I really think it may be considered a sin in the south if you don’t use your muscadines.

Well, at least it is in my family.

I bet someone would stage an intervention.

But no need. I’m on it. I love them too much to let them waste away.

So here’s how we make our muscadine jelly.

Pick through your muscadines and make sure you remove any stems or blemished fruit. Wash them well and then place into a large stockpot. You’ll need about 5 pounds of muscadines to produce about 6 cups of juice. Don’t make double batches, it just never turns out right.

Cover the muscadines with water and place on cooktop.

Cover the muscadines with water and place on cooktop.

While muscadines are beginning to simmer, mash them with a potato masher. Continue to mash and mash and mash for about 15 minutes.

This is where you can really work out any frustrations you might have had during the day.

It’s like free therapy.

And there is nothing wrong with a little free therapy every now and then.

Pour the cooked muscadines through a strainer into another large stockpot. You get to mash it a little bit more to make sure you get all of that yummy juice that you can.

Bring muscadine juice to a rolling boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to simmer.

Add pectin to the juice and stir until well-dissolved.

Add sugar when juice reaches a boil. Allow to reach a hard boil for about 1 minute, stirring to prevent burning. Test to be sure your juice has “jellied” per the pectin packaging directions. If it has not “jellied” add a bit more pectin, stirring constantly to prevent lumping. Normally, I keep another box of pectin on hand just in case I need to add a bit more.

While you are cooking the juice, go ahead sterilize your jars in another pan of water. This takes about 10 minutes.

And now skim the film off of the top of your jars.

Screw the lid on the jar and place back into a pan of water that covers the top of the jars. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Remove from water, dry it off and get ready to enjoy  with some warm buttermilk biscuits in the morning.

You’ll need the following when making your jelly.

• 12 8 ounce jars with lids and rings or 6 pint jars with lids and rings
• 1 strainer
• 2 large stockpots
• 1 potato masher

Muscadine Jelly

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

A recipe for the Southern classic muscadine jelly.

Author: Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch

Serves: 12 eight ounce jars or 6 pint jars

Ingredients

• 5 pounds muscadines
• 6 cups sugar
• 1 package pectin (+1 spare box)

Instructions

1. Wash muscadines and place in stockpot.
2. Bring to boil and mash muscadines with a potato masher.
3. Reduce heat to simmer and continue to mash muscadines for about 15 minutes.
4. Pour fruit through a strainer into a stockpot.
5. Return to heat and bring to a boil.
6. Pour in pectin and boil for 5 minutes.
7. Add sugar, stirring to prevent burning.
8. Boil for 1 minute.
9. Test to determine if juice will “jelly” per pectin packaging instructions. If not, add a bit more pectin from your spare box.
10. Pour juice into sterilized jars, either 12- eight ounce jars or 6 pint jars.
11. Allow to sit overnight.

3.1.07

Muscadine jelly is a definite favorite for my family with biscuits and with pork. I hope you enjoy it!

Enjoy!