SCUPPERNONG JELLY

Steps:

• Wash the fruit and remove the stems. Place the fruit in a large bowl, and using your hands, a fork, or a potato masher, squeeze the grapes. Place the fruit in a large, stainless steel or enamel pot, and using your hands, mash until no large pieces of fruit remain. Add just enough water to keep the mixture from sticking (see page 295) and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low, and simmer until very juicy, about 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a jelly bag (see page 293) and allow to hang over a bowl for at least 6 hours or overnight. Measure the juice; you should have about 8 cups.
• When you are ready to make the jelly, place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Place several small plates in the freezer to use later to test the consistency of the jelly.
• Sterilize eight 1/2-pint canning jars and lids in boiling water, following the manufacturer's instructions (or see Boiling-Water Canning, page 279). Remove the jars from the water and place upside down to drain on the prepared rack. Remove the lids from the water and dry with a clean towel. Turn the sterilized jars right side up on the rack, using tongs or a kitchen towel to protect your hands. When they are cool enough to handle, dry them with a clean towel. Set aside.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the scuppernong juice (you should have about 16 cups, or 4 quarts), sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Follow the procedure for Raspberry Jam (page 289), including ringing the scuppernong mixture to a boil and cooking until the mixture reaches the jelling point, preparing the canner, filling the jars and boiling them gently for 5 minutes, and checking that the seals on the jars are good. Store the unopened jars of jam at room temperature for up to 1 year. Once the jam is opened, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
• variation
• For refrigerator or freezer jam, transfer the mixture to sterilized freezer-safe plastic containers or freezer-safe jars with lids, leaving 1 inch of headroom. Freeze for up to 1 year or refrigerate for up to 1 month.
• jelly bag
• A jelly bag is used for straining pressed juice when making jelly. It may be made of several thicknesses of cheesecloth, or of cotton flannel or firm unbleached muslin. These are available online and in some hardware stores and gourmet shops. Meme used to use an old cotton pillowcase. When making jelly, it is important not to squeeze the fruit. Let the fruit hang in the jelly bag and slowly drip out into a bowl. Squeezing the mixture will produce cloudy juice, which makes for cloudy jelly.