Things You'll Need:
- Grapes, sun screen, cookie sheet and a lot of sun.
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Step 1
Use any color and type of grapes to make raisins except be certain that they are seedless. Wash them thoroughly and pat dry with a towel. I also take them off the stems, a process that is quite speedy. Have seen directions for leaving them on the stems and then shaking them off after they have turned to raisins, but feel that they take longer to make and don’t dry as evenly
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Step 2
Have found that a window screen works best for laying the raisins on to dry them, as they need air underneath also. Hose off the screen first. How many screens you need depends on how many grapes you have.
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Step 3
I move a patio chair with arms to a location that will catch the hot afternoon sun. The screen is placed over both chair arms and then anchored with a heavy object, such as a rock or ceramic garden animal on each side. Make sure the objects are heavy enough so that the screen won’t blow off if there is some wind.
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Step 4
Distribute the grapes evenly and in a single layer upon the screen. Check the grapes every day to make sure you don’t have to turn them over. They will take 1 to 2 weeks to turn into raisins, depending on the weather. Some rain will not ruin the process; they will just take longer to turn into raisins. Remove them as they turn into raisins. You will be able to tell when they are raisins by looking at them and somewhat by feel.
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Step 5
After all the grapes have turned into raisins, wash them again and pat them dry. If you wish to add sugar, you may. If not, just keep them natural. Bake 225 degrees for 10 minutes to sterilize them. Cool. Enjoy!
