I was very excited to come up with this recipe this fall! I love Concord grapes, but in the past often couldn’t think of what to do with them. They were always tempting me at farmers’ markets and produce sections in autumn, but, until now, I usually passed they up because making a batch of grape jelly or juice just didn’t seem very interesting. And frankly, due to their seeds, Concords aren’t fun to eat right off the stems. I do have a fine grape kuchen and grape pie in my repertoire, but the kuchen is a bit of work and the pie a lot of work, so they didn’t always fit in my schedule.
But now I turn right to this sorbet recipe, which satisfies all my basic criteria: It is unusual and captures the amazing fresh Concord taste, heady aroma, and color beautifully (considerably better than grape juice or jelly do IMO). And it is quite easy and convenient to prepare, and can even be readied well ahead.
If you, too, like the distinctive taste of Concord grapes, do try this recipe. Beside the deeply gratifying “grapey” flavor, the sorbet is noticeably smooth, light, and pleasant on the tongue. It’s not the least bit icy-gritty the way some homemade frozen treats are. The secret to the good texture is the abundance of a natural substance in Concords (and other fruits in varying amounts) called pectin. The pectin prevents the sorbet from getting rock hard during storage in the freezer as well.
Pectin is best known as gelling or thickening agent, and it does help grape jelly set and become a jelly instead of a sauce. But in this sorbet and other frozen treats, its large molecules also settle in and around all the water molecules and help keep them from joining up together and forming large ice crystals. When ice crystals are kept small, they go undetected in the mouth.
Since Concords are native American grapes first discovered in Concord, Massachusetts, and are still bountiful in the region, I plan to serve my grape sorbet as part of a Thanksgiving meal. I rushed out and bought up several baskets last week and stashed them in the refrigerator, as the American Concord grape season is right now nearly at an end. Here in the mid-Atlantic the harvest is already over; the label on the Concords I purchased indicated that were shipped in from Michigan. The colder climate there means a later ripening crop.
If you’d prefer not to wait till next fall to try this recipe, better act right away. I’d suggest calling ahead to see which stores still have or can get Concord grapes. Some markets told me they weren’t expecting any more in until next September.
- 4 cups stemmed Concord grapes (about 1½ pounds)
- Scant 1 cup water
- ½ to ⅔ cup granulated sugar, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Combine the grapes, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the grapes begin to release juice, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat so the grapes boil very gently and cook until they to split apart, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Let stand until cooled just slightly.
- Press the mixture through a medium-fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing down to force through as much juice and pulp as possible. Stir the lemon juice into the mixture Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 to 4 hours.
- Transfer the mixture to an ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a pre-chilled airtight container, and store in the freezer until ready to serve, up to 2 weeks.
You might also like my homey Concord grape kuchen
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I have not tried it with honey. It might work, but I’d start with less honey as it is sweeter than sugar.
The texture will not be as good if you skip the ice cream maker. But you can freeze the mixture in a pan, then put the frozen chunks in a processor and run it till the mixture is smooth. Serve immediately, as it will soften quickly.
Thanks! I love Concords in this recipe.
I have Amish neighbors and they gave me a bucket of Concord grapes. As delicious as they are, I had so many I didn’t know what I should do and stumbled over your sorbet recipe. My husband flipped over it, it is so delicious. We had 7 cups of grapes so I compensated and ended up with about 6 cups of sorbet. Wow, thanks!
Hello, could you use Honey instead of sugar in this recipe? Also, what would it be like if you just froze it after you made it, like do you have to run it thru the ice cream maker?
I think it would work with thawed frozen grapes. But I have not tried this, so can’t be sure.
I love Concords in sorbet. And beautiful and easy, too!
This is any easy way to use Concord grapes. So tasty too.
Do you think this would work with thawed frozen grapes?
I am only guessing but I might try 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups pressed juice. Unless it is strong tasting, I wouldn’t add any water to it. And then add in the sugar to taste. Good luck!
Hello, I have fresh pressed grape juice. Would you happen to know how much juice I could use in place of whole grapes?
Thank you!
Thanks, so glad you liked it. I think it’s great–but then I love the taste of Concord grapes. IMO this recipe captures their flavor perfectly. And their color, too.
Holy moly!! I just made this sorbet and it is BEYOND DELISH!!! My sister and I go to pick grapes every year and I’m so done with making jam. I couldn’t wait to try something new and this really hit the mark. I’m going to blind bake a peanut butter pie crust and fill it with this sorbet……it’s sure to be a hit at our next family get together!!
I haven’t tried it so can’t be sure. But probably so.
Can u use a donvier ice cream maker for this recipe?
Melanie, thanks so much. Some years my sister has a big crop of Concords and gives me a lot. And now I know I will be using this recipe also!
Oh Nancy — this is a recipe I cannot wait to try. Joe (my husband) grows concords in our backyard and I never know what to do with all of them. Your sorbet may end up on my Thanksgiving table next year — thanks for sharing. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Oh, thanks for your compliments. I found this amazingly good and also pretty, especially since it is so easy to make.
Nancy, this sorbet is just stunning! Your photos have gotten so gorgeous! I love grapes and neighbors have been trying to convince me to take the concord grapes from their gardens and make jelly…. but I didn’t this year. Your gorgeous sorbet has me rethinking this choice. This is just the thing that I would order from a restaurant dessert menu. Beautiful!