Grape Juice

1. Pick grapes.
2. Prepare quart bottles. I washed mine in the dishwasher on a sani-rinse. Mom just cleans hers and doesn't do anything extra to sanitize them.
3. Fill basin of steamer approximately 3/4 full of water.
4. Rinse grapes, picking out leaves or debris. Leave grapes on the stems.




5. Place grapes into steamer. Pack, but don't press.
6. Bring water in basin to a boil. Turn down to medium heat.
7. After about 50 minutes, you will be able to fill one or two quart bottles.
8. Place flats on full bottles and finger-tighten the rings. Mom preheats water to sterilize the flats, rings and jars.
9. Check water in basin. Refill if necessary.




10. After an additional 20 to 40 minutes, you should be able to fill approximately three or four more bottles. Place flats and rings.
11. The USDA says to process in a water bath. They also add sugar and an additional step of refrigerating, straining and reheating the grape juice in order to reduce the tartaric acid. Here is a link to official water bath times: UGA - Grape Juice. Mom does not do this.

Also:

A. Don't stir or push the grapes or you will get debris in your bottles.

B. After filling my quarts, I did stir the grapes in the pot and then let it cook a little longer. I saved that juice to strain and serve. Approximately two total quarts were taken after the grapes were stirred and needed to be strained.

C. I had an apple box and a full shopping bag full of concord grapes. It yielded about 20 total quarts.
D. I typically got 5 1/2 quarts per batch.  I saved the extra 1/2 quarts into two bottles and served grape juice that night.