Muscadine Jam #1 (With Sure-Jell)

Imagine a perfectly-ripe grape picked off the vine on a sunny, fall day. Now spread it on toast. I improved this recipe, which I found online. It didn't call for cooking the hulls first and since commecial-pectin jams don't cook long enough to get them tender it ended up with tough bits of skin throughout. When you cook them first the purreed skins end up soft and pleasant. Prep time includes cooking the pulp and hulls. Cooking time does not include processing in the boiling water bath.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 11-12 1/2 pint jars

Ingredients

• 4  lbs Muscadine grapes
• 3 1⁄4 lbs sugar
• 1 (1 3/4ounce) box  Sure-Jell
• 1⁄2-1  cup water

Directions

1. Prepare grapes by cutting partway through the skin and popping the pulp/seed capsule out of the hull. Put pulp into one pot and the hulls into another.
2. Simmer the pulp, covered, on low-medium until soft enough to press through sieve or food mill ~ 10 minutes. Add just a little water if necessary to prevent sticking.
3. Meanwhile, chop hulls very finely in the food processor and return to their pot. Add just enough water to make it possible to simmer without sticking. Cook slowly, covered, 15-20 minutes or until hulls are tender.
4. Press pulp through a sieve or food mill to remove seeds. Stir sieved pulp into cooked hulls in a medium-large pot.
5. Stir Sure-Jell into the fruit and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.
6. Add sugar all at once, stirring in well.
7. Bring to a full, rolling boil, stirring constantly and boil for 1 minute.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Skim foam if necessary and pack into sterilized jelly jars.
10. Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.