Homegrown grapes are incredibly delicious. But if you have an abundance and don’t know what to do with them, try turning them into a grape sorbet.

A few summers ago, my parents planted a couple of grape vines on their 3 acre homestead. After a late spring frost and a few battles with training the grapes to vine on the system they built (grapes are obstinate) we finally have grapes to eat this summer! This years harvest was quite plentiful. Both my sister-in-law and I were excited about having fresh, organic grapes to eat.

But with such a great abundance, what could we do with them? One can only eat so many fresh grapes in one sitting.

I decided to share our dilemma on the WholeMade Homestead Instagram account and it turns out others had a similar issue. What can you do with home grown grapes?

Roast them? Eh, not my thing.

Make grape jam? If you know me, I am pro low sugar and you can’t make jam without oodles of the granulated stuff.

Freeze them? Maybe.

Dehydrate them to make raisins? We’re getting closer.

Turn them into grape juice? Okay, you’ve got my attention.

Create an icy dessert like sorbet? Now we’re talking!

My husband loves his frozen treats — ice cream, popsicles, frozen yogurt — and to his delight he married someone who thoroughly enjoys making them! Using our fresh grapes to make sorbet would be right up his alley!

How to Make Sorbet Using Fresh Grapes

As simple as this grape sorbet recipe is, it can get a bit tedious to stand there picking the grapes off of the stem one by one. I have read of ways to quickly remove the stems by using a stand mixer or submerging the grapes in a bowl of water and shaking them. But I’ve never tried either. I suppose I prefer the old fashioned method. I will say turning on some tunes certainly makes the process go by quicker!

After removing the stems, wash the grapes and dump into a stockpot. Cook on low for about 10-15 minutes. Press the grapes through a mesh strainer to separate the seeds and fruit from the juice. The goal is to get about 3 cups of juice for this recipe.

Return the juice back to the stove and add the sweeteners. Cook until the sugar has dissolved. Chill in the fridge, then freeze in your ice cream maker. Enjoy!

Grape Sorbet Recipe

Makes: 1 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

3 lbs of grapes (we used concord grapes)
1/2 cup of water
3 Tbs fructose or sugar
2 Tbs agave or honey

How to Make Homemade Sorbet

Remove the stems from the grapes. Wash thoroughly. Place grapes in a large pot over medium low heat. Add water. Cover with a lid.

Once the grapes begin to soften, turn the heat to low and use a potato masher to smash the grapes. Cook for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat, pour the grape mixture through a mesh strainer. Using a spatula, press the grapes to remove as much liquid as you can. You will need 3 cups of juice.

Return the juice to the pot, cooking over low heat. Add the fructose or sugar and agave. Stir until dissolved.

Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Tips for Making Grape Sorbet

I used concord grapes for this recipe but there are a variety of other flavorful grapes you can use.

Approximately one pound of grapes equals one cup of juice. Depending on the variety of grapes you use, you may get a little more or a little less.

The fresh grapes I used for this recipe were sweet and sour which created a slightly tart sorbet. If you prefer a sweeter sorbet, try adding another tablespoon of sweetener such as agave, honey or fructose.

If you don’t have fresh grapes on hand, you can make this recipe using frozen grape juice concentrate. You’ll need about 3 cups of juice.

If your homestead has chickens, don’t toss the cooked grape and seed mixture. Rather feed it to them! They will enjoy the sweet treat.

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