Grape Harvest Jam

Clean and wash the grapes. In a heavy stock pot, stir together grapes, lemon juice, and sugar and boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently and skimming foam, until pulp is broken down, about 20 minutes.

Force jam through food mill set over a large bowl to remove skins and seeds. Return jam to pot and cook at a slow boil, skimming foam occasionally and stirring frequently as mixture thickens to prevent scorching, 35 minutes. Test for doneness. You can test for doneness by dropping a teaspoon of jam onto a chilled plate and then tilt it. Jam should not run but remain thick. If it hasn’t set, continue to cook in a slow boil and test every 5 minutes or so until set.

Pour the jam into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch of air space, and then top with lids (also sterilized). Put sealed jars on rack in canner or pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. With tongs, transfer jars to a towel-lined surface to cool. As they cool, you may or not hear a ping but the important thing is that the top of the jars remain concave. Store in a cool, dark place. The jam will thicken as it cools.

Let jam stand in jars at least 1 day for flavor to develop. This jam will keep in sealed jars in a cool dark place for 6 months.