Our little off grid cabin is coming along. We finally got the rest of our solar panels installed & the drywall is so close to being complete. We’re taking it slow and steady; still making time for summer adventures while we can. This weekends adventure brought inspiration for mustang grape jelly making. After two days of exploring the woods near our home and stopping along fence lines, we had just enough for a batch of wildcrafted grape jelly. The recent rains brought everything to life ~ grapes ripening on the vine and mushrooms popping up all around us. We stopped often to admire them, naming what we could and enjoying the magic of it all. By the time we got home, our basket and hearts were full!

A few of our forest finds ~ (recipe below)

Here’s how we made it…

Wild Mustang Grape Jelly Recipe (Low Sugar) Makes about 5 small jars 🍇

Ingredients:

✨ 4 cups of strained Mustang grape juice

✨ 1 packet of pectin

✨ 1 to 2 cups sweetener of choice

✨ 1 tbsp of lemon juice (optional / helps balance the tartness)

Instructions:

1. Rinse the grapes well, remove the stems and place them in a crockpot or a large pot on the stovetop. If using a crockpot, cook on low for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally. If using the stovetop, simmer gently for about 25 minutes.

2. Strain: Pour through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pressing gently to extract the juice. (It took about 20 minutes to completely strain and we were left with 4 cups of juice)

3. Cook the jelly: Pour the juice into a pot. Whisk in the pectin / lemon juice and bring to a rolling boil.

4. Add sweetener: Stir in 1 to 2 cups of your sweetener of choice, then return to a hard boil for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. Jar it up: Ladle the hot jelly into sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch of space. Wipe the rims clean & seal with lids and rings.

Made by hand. Shared with love. 💫