Muscadine Jelly
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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 5 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 as they cook 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, about 220 F, 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
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh muscadines juice, about 5 pounds of muscadines
- 6 cups sugar
- 1 1.75 ounce package of pectin or 8 tablespoons if using bulk pectin + 1 spare box, to use if needed
Instructions
- Wash muscadines, place in a stockpot and add just enough water to cover the muscadines.
- Place over medium heat and bring to a full boil. (As muscadines begin to heat, start mashing them with a potato masher.)
- Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, continuing to mash muscadines.
- Remove from heat and pour mixture through a strainer into a large stockpot.
- Place stockpot over medium heat and bring to a full rolling boil that does not stop bubbling when stirred, about 5 minutes. Reduce to simmer.
- When mixture is at simmer level, add pectin to the juice and stir until well dissolved. Bring to full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute.
- Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Test to determine if juice has “jellied” according to pectin packaging instructions. If not, add more pectin from spare box, as directed on instructions.
- Pour jelly into hot sterilized jars. Skim foam off top of jelly. Screw the lids on jars and place into a prepared water bath canner with enough simmering water to cover 1 to 2 inches above jars. Add boiling water to canner if needed to cover jars.
- Bring to a boil and boil for 5 to 15 minutes according to pectin package instructions for your altitude.
- Remove from water. Place on towel, leaving about an inch between jars. Do not move the jars for at least 24 hours. Check that each jar has sealed before storing.
- Store in pantry, unopened, for up to 1 year. Once opened, store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Muscadine jelly is a definite favorite for my family with biscuits and with pork. I hope you enjoy it!
Enjoy!
Robyn thank you so much for making it so easy. Everyone that I shared me jelly with has sent a photo of their breakfast. So many compliments.
Thanks again,
Glenda Samuel
Thanks for letting me know how much everyone loved their muscadine jelly, Glenda.
I used this recipe today and used 6 tbsp of pectin instead of 8 (I use Hoosier Hill powdered pectin) and it set up beautifully and filled 6 pints full!
Thanks, Shawna. I’m so glad your jelly turned out so great. I haven’t tried that brand of pectin.
I followed to recipe to the letter and all I got was a thick muscadine sauce. It never jelled.
Zana Paula, I’ve not had this happen where my jelly didn’t “jell”. Some possible reasons that could have happened might be something to do with the pectin used or not cooking it down enough…
You may want to look at the University of Georgia – National Center of Home Preservation – General Information on Canning Jams, Jellies, and Marmalades. I hope this helps.
can you halve this recipe?
if so, how? (sure-jell)
Dee, you can make half this recipe. Just make sure to cut all of the ingredients in half.
Hi Robyn, I’m wondering if you or any of your readers have made the jelly using the low-sugar pectin. Brother is diabetic and we don’t like jelly that’s so sweet you can’t tell what the flavor is supposed to be. I made some strawberry fig jam this year that turned out like that. Very disappointing although it is good, just way too sweet. Thank you!
Hi Judy,
I haven’t used it with this recipe, but I have successfully used it with other jelly and jam recipes. Hopefully, other readers can answer your question for this particular recipe. I will also test it this fall as my muscadines are ready (they generally are ready later in September for me). xo
I made as directed and only got 3 full pints and part of a half pint. But what I got is beautiful and delicious!
Can I half this recipe? I only have about 3 cups of muscadines.
You can half the recipe, Sam. Just make sure to half all of the ingredients.
The taste is amazing, I used 6 tbs. of powdered pectin, it set up great. I wish I would have remembered to add a half tsp. of butter to the recipe to keep it from foaming. Simple steps and easy to understand, thanks so much! YUMMY!
Patty, I’m so glad your jelly turned out great for you.
Do you strain juice through cheese cloth before making jelly?
Hi Sherry, I use a finer mesh strainer but not cheesecloth. If you prefer to use cheesecloth, you definitely can! I hope that helps.
I’m making muscadine jelly today, thanks for the recipe❤️
I hope you enjoy the jelly, Donna.