Moustos Recipe (Greek Grape Must)

Name: Moustos (Greek Grape Must)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 10 to 11 pounds green or red September grapes (in bunches, with stems); 1/3 cup wood ash (or 1/8 cup crushed eggshells)

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Total: 20 mins

Servings: 8 servings

25 ratings

Write a Review

Add a comment

Moustos, aka grape must, is made using the juice squeezed from fresh grapes. In Greece, large quantities during the September grape harvest and it's a great project for kids. It freezes well and can be used throughout the year.

Moustos is used to make petimezi, a grape syrup that's used like maple, grape must pudding (moustalevria), and various other Greek sweets.

For this recipe, you will need 1/3 cup wood ash, or 1/8 cup crushed eggshells.

10 to 11 pounds green or red September grapes, in bunches, with stems
1/3 cup wood ash, or 1/8 cup crushed eggshells

If using wood ash, sprinkle the grapes with the wood ash before starting. Work in manageable batches.
In a large tub, squeeze the grapes by hand (or use a grape press if available) to get as much juice as possible.
Pour the grapes through a strainer, collecting the juice in a large bowl or stainless pot.
Discard the skins, stems, seeds, and any pulp. If using eggshells, add them to the pot now.
Bring the juice to a boil and skim off the foam that rises to the top. Boil for 5 minutes.
Leave the pot on the burner, turn off the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Slowly pour the cooled must into containers or a bowl, being careful not to pour out the silt. The cooled grape must can be used immediately or frozen.

Tips

This recipe calls for making 11 pounds of grapes at a time. However, if you have a large pot (lobster pot type), you can make more.
To get the kids involved, instead of squeezing the grapes by hand or with a press, you can use your feet—I Love Lucy-style! After sprinkling the grapes with wood ash, place them in a woven "burlap"-type plastic bag. Tie the bag securely and place in a large tub. Cover your feet with plastic bags (wear shoes) and stomp the grapes. Strain the juice into a pot for cooking as directed.

Greek Food

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
430	Calories
1g	Fat
113g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	430
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g	1%
Saturated Fat 0g	2%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 12mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 113g	41%
Dietary Fiber 6g	20%
Total Sugars 97g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 20mg	100%
Calcium 62mg	5%
Iron 2mg	12%
Potassium 1191mg	25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.