“Remember when your Mom would send you to the movies with a jar of jam and a spoon?”
If you recognize that line, then you’ve probably spent as much time watching Friends as I have, through the years.
If not, it’s from “The One with the Jam” episode, in which Monica needs a plan to get over her man (Richard) and her plan is…jam. She buys her fruit at 4 am down at “the docks”, and spends an inordinate amount of hours chopping, simmering, and canning, much to Joey’s delight. He reminisces about the jars he ate as a kid, asks Chandler why they don’t keep jam at their apartment (?), and shovels spoonfuls of it in while general hilarity ensues.
I couldn’t help but think of that scene as I was standing over the stove last week, stirring my umpteenth pot of concord grape jam. I’ve been making it since the grapes began appearing at the market a few weeks ago, and truth be told was starting to feel slightly crazy after repeatedly doing so.
I am happy to do it, however, if only because this jam has been making everything I eat entirely more delectable. I slather it on top of slices of toasted bread sometimes adding a layer of chopped fresh herbs or creamy ricotta cheese to the mix.
When I get down to the end of a jar, I make a sweet salad dressing with the remnants, throwing in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper, and giving the whole thing a shake.
If I find that a braise, soup or stew could use some extra oomph, I stir in a bit of this jam; it works especially well in this recipe for short ribs.
RED WINE CONCORD GRAPE JAM (method adapted from Serious Eats)
Serves: fills 2, 8-ounce jelly jars
Notes: If you prefer to omit the wine, water will work just as well in its place.
This jam never lasts long in my house so I store it in clean, airtight jars. If you want to preserve the jam, please follow traditional canning methods for sterilization and preservation.
4 cups concord grapes (about 1 pound/1 clamshell of grapes)
1/8 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, etc.
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
Using your fingers, gently squeeze each grape to separate the skin from the pulp. Place the skins in the bowl of a food processor and the pulp in a small saucepan.
Pulse the grape skins until coarsely chopped and transfer to a separate small saucepan. Add the wine (or water), and gently simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 10 minutes, until the skins have softened and the wine has reduced.
Meanwhile, simmer the pulp over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, until the grapes begin to lose their shape. Remove from the heat and pass the pulp mixture through a fine mesh sieve to get ride of any seeds (You can do this over a small bowl, or directly over the saucepan with the skin mixture, if you prefer.). Discard the seeds and add the pulp to the skin mixture.
Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and butter. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for approximately 40-45 minutes until the jam has thickened. To test the jam for done-ness, place a small plate in the freezer. Once the plate is cool, spoon some of the jam onto it and return it to the freezer for a minute or so. Remove the plate and tilt it from side to side. If the jam stays put, it’s done. If it’s runny, continue to simmer until fully thickened.
Allow the jam to cool and store in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator, for up to two weeks.
