Everyone who already knows how to make jams and jellies will know how to make black grape jam. This is a difference in ingredients, and a couple of steps.

If you've never made jams and jellies, my advice is look up how-to's for your area, as altitude and other things will change the process in small ways. But that will be enough to over-harden the preserves, or prevent them from jelling at all. So follow the standard cooking and canning procedures for your area for cooking jams.

For my batch of black grape jam I use 1 bag of black grapes. If you're wanting to can a larger quantity of jam, then buy more than one bag of black grapes, do what works best for you.

The liquid used is Welch's Concord Grape Juice. No water, just that juice as the cooking liquid for the black grapes.

This ingredient can be omitted if you want: I use about 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice to bring a sweet-tart zing to the jam. I like sweetness to be balanced against tart so it's not overwhelmingly sweet.

The lemon or lime acid also helps the jam set better. Use less or omit if you prefer. Customize this your own way. This is simply how I make it for myself.

I add a tablespoon of dairy butter, (not margarine or butter-spreads), because a little dairy butter helps reduce the foam forming in the cooking jam. The butter in the finished jam adds a delightful flavor.

The rest of the ingredients are about a teaspoon of kosher salt, sometimes 1/4 cup tart cherry juice, the same volume of organic cane sugar to the volume of black grapes being used. An even 1-to-1 ratio of sugar to grapes. So 3 cups black grapes will be cooked with 3 cups organic cane sugar (as an example). Of course you can adjust the amount of sugar you use.

This is where sticking to how it's made where you live is important. Too little sugar will keep it from jelling. Too much can make a hard jam that isn't spreadable. I also use fruit pectin (Sure Jell) according to package directions.

There's times I want a pure grape flavor. Other times I'd like a scant hint of cinnamon. In that case I'd add a small pinch of cinnamon to the hot jam right before pouring it into the sterilized jars.

If I want a less rich jam, I'd use water to cook the black grapes in, not juice.

If I want it grapey-er (is that a word?), I cook the black grapes in pure Welch's Concord Grape Juice. No other juices.

If I want to make the jam very rich in grape flavor, I slowly cook down twice as much Welch's Concord Grape Juice at low temperature until it has reduced to half it's original volume. (No sugar added to this juice at this stage! This is only to reduce the grape juice). When the Welch's Concord Grape Juice has reduced to half it's original volume, then the black grapes are added with sugar and cooked the normal way to make grape jam. This will produce a strong grape flavor.

When it comes to time cooked, if the jam is cooked too long, or too high a temperature, the jam can take on a molasses-like flavor, turn dark or stronger than intended. Cook only as long as it takes to make it a jam. Again, pay close attention to the methods and standards used where you live. What works in the coastal US won't work the same way at higher altitudes.

Why jam and not jelly? I'm physically disabled. I love a crystal-clear purple grape jelly, but my physical limits often dictate my diet.

I gave a few jars of the richer version to some friends who foster teenagers. The teens gave this a rave review, and that knocked my socks off! When a bunch of teens give it a thumbs up, that's an unexpected blessing!

Honestly, when the adoptive Dad told me how much they loved it at breakfast one morning, and grabbed for more, it brought happy tears to my eyes. Wow, it passed the hangry teen test! :D