Concord Grape and Thyme Jam

Homemade jams, marmalades and jellies are deeply anchored in French cooking traditions, and I never miss an occasion to jar up some seasonal fruits. This ensures that no seasonal produce goes to waste and that they can be enjoyed all year round. At this time of year, the abundance of ripe Concord grapes here in Ontario makes it a natural fruit of choice for jam.

Made with just a few ingredients, this Concord Grape and Thyme Jam is perfectly tart and sweet with lovely floral notes. It will likely remind you of the commercial grape jams you may have enjoyed as a kid, but it is far less sticky, with no added pectin and feels more “grown-up” with the subtle addition of herby thyme.

It is delicious for breakfast on toast with butter or peanut butter (think of it as an adult PB&J!). But, in all fairness, I find it tastes best on crusty bread to top off a slice of creamy French cheese, like Brie or Camembert.

A no pectin added, natural jam recipe

This jam recipe requires no packaged pectin. The great thing about Concord grapes is that they have enough natural pectin in them for making jam, unlike other grape varieties. The sweet, tart Concord Grapes along with sugar and lemon juice all act as natural thickener and create a gleaming chunky jam.

How to make this Concord Grape and Thyme Jam

The recipe starts by washing, draining and stemming the Concord Grapes.

Now, we’re in for a little bit of a tedious (but necessary) step: getting rid of the seeds. This process is achieved by separating the grape skin from the pulp. You press each grape between your fingers to squeeze out the pulp from the skin.

The pulp containing the seeds is then simmered in a sauce pan to soften, so it can be passed through a fine mesh strainer. The seeds will remain in the strainer while the pulp gathered at the bottom is now seedless.

The pulp is then returned to the sauce pan, along with the skins, sugar, lemon juice and zest. The ingredients are simmered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until they reach the “gel” stage of 220F (106C). I recommend using a candy thermometer.

If you do not have a candy thermometer, you can use the trick of the chilled plate: drop a teaspoon of jam on a chilled white plate, wait 1 minute and check the jam’s consistency. It should have thickened significantly and be gel-like. If it still looks too liquidy, keep the mixture at a simmer and try again later. 

Once the jam has the desired consistency, remove from the heat and let cool completely before jarring.

For jarring, you can simply pour the jam into 2 x 8oz jars (ie. mason jars), and keep it in the refrigerator to enjoy for up to 2 weeks.

If you wish to keep the jam for longer, use a can-sealed method (this article covers it all.)

My Cooking notes:

• Note this recipe is tailored for Concord Grapes, which are smaller in size and more acidic than your average red or white grapes.
• With 1 1/2 cup (300g) of sugar, I know it can be tempting to lower the amount of sugar is this recipe. But if you do so, you won’t be able to cook the jam to the desired thickness. You will end up with a jam that is runny, and hence not spreadable. The sugar balances the acidity of the grapes and acts as a thickener.
• Make sure you use fresh thyme, not dried.
• Because we’re using both the juice and zest of a lemon, choose one that is ideally organic.
• Once the jam is jarred, it is best to wait at least 1 day before enjoying. This allows for the flavors to develop further and the texture to set entirely.

I hope you’ll love this Concord Grape and Thyme Jam. It is a simple, delicious recipe to celebrate the start of Fall. It is versatile and can be enjoyed is so many ways:

• For breakfast on toasts, English muffins, pancakes or wherever you would usually use jam.
• In crêpes.
• In a sandwich with Peanut Butter – a different kind of PB&J sandwich.
• To top off crusty bread and soft cheese (ie. camembert, brie) .
• In a grilled cheese.
• For stews, to bring sweetness and a glistening texture to the sauce (ie. as a substitute to red currant jelly).
• On a cheese & charcuterie board when hosting guests.

You may also like:

• Blueberry Balsamic Sauce 
• Vanilla Blood Orange Marmalade

Concord Grape and Thyme Jam

Print Recipe

Serves: 2 x 8oz jars Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 55 Minutes 55 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.4/5

( 8 voted )

Ingredients

1.1 lb (500g) Concord Grapes
1 ½ cup (300g) sugar
½ tsp salt
7-8 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tbsp (30ml) lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.

Place a small plate in your freezer (we will use it later to test the jam consistency).

Step 1 – Wash, drain and stem the concord grapes. Weigh them again to make sure you have exactly 500g. Separate the grape skins from the pulp by squeezing the grapes between your fingers. Place the grape skins in a bowl and place the pulp (containing the seeds) in a medium-size sauce pan.

Step 2 – Heat up the sauce pan with the pulp over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the pulp softens and looses its shape. Pass the pulp through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl; you may need to press on the pulp to force it out of the strainer. Discard of the seeds gathered in the strainer.

Step 3 – Return the seedless pulp into the sauce pan over medium heat, and combine with the grape skins, sugar, salt, thyme sprigs, lemon juice and lemon zest

Step 4 – Stir and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, and simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour (lid off and stirring occasionally), until a candy thermometer reads 220F (106C), which is the “gel” stage.

If you do not have a candy thermometer: take the small plate out of the freezer and drop a teaspoon of jam on it. Wait 1 minute and check the consistency: it should have thickened significantly. If it still looks too liquidy, keep the mixture at a simmer and try again later.

Step 5 – Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before pouring into jars or airtight containers. You can choose to discard of the thyme sprigs or leave them in the jars. The jam can kept for up to 14 days in the fridge in non-sterilized containers or jars and up to 3 months in sterilized jars in a cool, dark place (ie. food pantry).

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit!