Start by juicing 3 to 4 pounds of wild grapes. You can do this by placing them in a stock pot with a small amount of water (about 1/2 cup) and bringing them to a boil on the stove for 5 to 15 minutes. Stir and mash the fruit while it cooks, and remove from the heat once the grapes have fallen apart. Strain the juice through a jelly bag or double layer of cheesecloth. (Alternately, use a steam juicer.)

Measure the resulting juice, you should have about 4 cups. If you have less, add a bit of water or go collect more wild grapes to bring it up to 4 cups. If you have more, save the extra juice for another use.

Refrigerate the juice overnight, and strain the juice again through a double layer of cheesecloth in the morning. This step is not optional when working with wild grapes, see notes.

If canning, prepare a water bath canner, jars, and lids.

Place the strained wild grape juice into a jelly pot and bring the juice to a hard boil. Add the powdered pectin (but not the sugar) and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring to distribute the pectin.

Add the sugar, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring continuously to dissolve the sugar.

Remove from the heat and ladle into prepared jars.

If canning, be sure to leave 1/4 inch headspace and cap the jars with 2-part canning lids. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet in elevation). Remove the jars to cool on a towel on the counter and check the seals after 12-24 hours.

Properly sealed and canned jars of jelly will keep for 12-18 months. Refrigerate after opening. If not canned, the wild grape jelly will keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator or about 6 months in the freezer.