Homemade grape juice

Autumn and the grape harvest bring plenty of ripe grapes. With a large pot, a fine sieve and clean bottles you can turn them into a homemade juice that keeps the taste of the harvest for the winter months.

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Cooking Method: Boiled

Cuisine: Slovenian

Courses: Drinks

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 12

Best Season: Fall

Dietary: Vegan, Vegetarian

Description

Homemade grape juice from the autumn harvest: grapes simmered in water, strained, sweetened and bottled hot. Makes about 12 litres – a good way to keep the taste of the grape harvest for winter.

Ingredients

3 kg grapes (ripe)
1 kg sugar
9 l water (3 l for cooking, 6 l added later)
20 g citric acid

Method

1
Wash the grapes well, remove the stalks and discard any damaged or mouldy berries. Put the grapes into a large pot, add 3 litres of water and bring to the boil. Simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes so the berries release their colour and flavour.
2
Strain the juice through a fine sieve or clean muslin. You can gently press the grapes to get as much juice out of them as possible. Add the remaining 6 litres of water, the sugar and the citric acid. Taste and adjust if needed.
3
Bring the juice back to the boil and boil for about 3 more minutes. Pour the hot juice into clean, hot bottles, close them straight away and leave them to cool completely.

Note

For a sweeter juice, use fully ripe grapes and add the sugar only after tasting.
For a stronger flavour, use dark grapes, for example Isabella.