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Make Homemade Grape Juice in any amount with no special equipment in your own kitchen this Autumn.

Updated information: October 26, 2025

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The smell of fresh grapes and grape juice brings up so many childhood memories. Peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches were the staple of many of our upbringings, no doubt. The ingredients were, and still are, not only economical but readily available.

In the 1970s and 1980s, my Daddy kept tubes of orange, grapefruit and grape juice concentrates in the freezer. He reconstituted them for us to have morning juice. Perhaps the grape juice reminded him of his Mama’s homemade grape jelly.

My Grandma Morgan made the best jellies from her backyard fruits, especially from her Concord grapes. We always knew that Grandma would have plenty of jelly waiting for us grandkids to enjoy when we visited them in Ohio. She always had even more jelly for us to take home. (As a side note, Grandma always sealed her jellies with paraffin wax, not a lid and ring. No water-bathing–she just made the jelly and sealed jars with the wax. Oh, how I long to return to our ancestors’ tried-and-true ways.)

Part of a Believer’s Life

I have always worshipped in a church that uses grape juice as part of Communion service. As a result, grape juice has been in my life every week for nearly sixty years. This “fruit of the vine” is a vital part of many Believers’ remembrance practices.

When and where to find?

Hand-picking fresh grapes reminds us that our Creator, not Welch’s, is the Source of our deep purple memories and delights. Those folks who don’t have the availability to pick fresh grapes may still produce homemade grape juice right at home.

Concord grapes are available in the fall, usually in September and October. Seek out these jewels at local markets, farmers’ markets. I have never seen these in standard, “big box” grocery stores. Diligent homemakers can order them from bulk buying clubs such as Azure Standard and others. Perhaps ask on social media threads and groups. Or, plant your own for the most complete experience.

The method is straightforward.

Wash.
Mash.
Cook.
Strain.

Freeze Homemade Grape Juice by leaving inch headspace in wide-mouth canning jars.

Drink or Preserve by freezing or canning.
- Freeze in BPA-free plastic containers, silicon containers, or wide-mouth canning jars. In all situations, leave about an inch of headspace as the juice will expand when frozen. Be sure to label containers. If you are like me, you will not remember what the dark brick is in the freezer six months later.
- Waterbath can. Fill hot, sterilized jars with liquid that is hot or room temperature (not cold). Leave half-inch headspace. Seal with lids. Waterbath can and refer to manufacture’s instructions and recommended pressure based upon your altitude. Quarts 20 minutes, pints 15 minutes. I have used this water bath canner with rack for 30+ years.
Opt to make grape jelly with the juice. Just follow the package directions on a box of pectin like this one.

Family Favorite Recipes

Years ago my Mr. Patient and children encouraged me to write down many of their favorite recipes in one book. My first cookbook, From Katie’s Kitchen, Vol. One, includes 205 of the recipes that they requested. This book has become a fan favorite with Heritage Ways homemakers world-wide. Get your copy HERE and start cooking our many of the recipes that our family has been cooking for generations.

Watch me make Homemade Grape Juice HERE
(Video is FREE to watch, requires sign-in)

Are you ready to try making Homemade Grape Juice in your Diligent Homemaking?

Mrs. Katie of Heritage Ways, LLC

Homemade Grape Juice

This delicious grape juice may be enjoyed fresh or may be canned or frozen. What a difference between this juice and the store-bought processed product!

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Course: Canning, Drinks, Snack

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

freshly picked Concord grapes

Method

Prepare grapes:

Wash grapes and remove all stems, underripe, moldy or mushy fruit.
Place grapes in bowl or large stockpot and mash with potato masher. It is easiest to mash only 2-3 pounds at a time.

Cook grapes:

Place all grapes in large stockpot and bring to a slight boil. Stir to prevent sticking.
Once they are to a slight boil, reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir frequently as the grapes are full of sugar and could stick to the bottom of the pot.

Strain grapes:

To separate seeds and skins from juice, place a fine mesh strainer/colander over a clean, large bowl or stockpot.
Put hot grape juice and pulp mixture into mesh strainer/colander to separate pulp from juice. This may require more than one bowl/strainer. Dividing the mixture will result in a speedier process.
If using a cloth, tie the ends and hang from a kitchen cabinet handle or knob to allow drainage. See note below about straining.
Straining step can take from two hours to overnight. I leave mine out overnight to achieve the most volume of juice.

Store grapes:

Resulting grape juice may be strained once more, if desired. The juice will be thick and rich, not thin like a store-bought product. Some may choose to dilute it with a little water.
Juice may be enjoyed fresh within a week, kept in the refrigerator.
Juice may be frozen. Use wide-mouth canning jars, not narrow. Or, use any desired plastic or silicone containers. Note that a headspace should be kept of at least an inch when freezing foods and liquids. The product will increase in volume when freezing. I freeze in wide-mouth glass canning jars, leaving one-inch headspace.
Juice may be canned. Waterbath can and refer to your recommended pressure based upon altitude. Quarts 20 minutes, pints 15 minutes. This works well and is a favorite method of mine.

Notes

One pound grapes will produce approximately one cup juice.

Concord grapes are classic but other sweet grapes may be used. Typically, the “table grapes” found in the grocery stores and markets are not the best choices for this method. At the same time, Concord grapes are not best used as “table grapes.”

Straining: I have learned that using a strainer/colander is better than using cheesecloth. Some pulp may present in the final product but this is not undesirable to our family. A bit of pulp signifies a home-produced, healthy product.

A FREE video tutorial of this method is found at Heritage Ways’s membership.

Grape pulp may be composted or given to chickens or pigs.

The Heritage Ways Diligent Homemaker’s Commitment

As Diligent Homemakers, we do the best we can with the resources we have at the time. These resources include our time, physical health and energy, money and possessions. We commit to using these God-given resources to the best of our abilities and give ourselves grace in the process.
Lazy hands make for poverty but diligent hands bring wealth.
Proverbs 10:4 of The Holy Bible, NIV

Count your blessings and know you are loved,
Mrs. Katie of Heritage Ways

www.HeritageWays.com

2 Comments

Tina says:

October 27, 2025 at 7:10 am

Love grape juice and grape jelly! Have you went to the 4 Corners Mennonite market yet?

1. Mrs. Katie says:
  
  October 27, 2025 at 11:03 am
  
  Hi Tina,
  I love that market! It is actually the one I wrote about in yesterday’s Sunday night email. Good people and great market.
  Thanks for visiting me here today,
  Mrs. Katie