Fig Jam

Fig Jam

We were blessed this week by a friend who gave us a bucket of figs. I decided to make jam with this windfall. It’s very easy — only 4 ingredients needed:

  • 2 Quarts of chopped fresh figs (approximately 5 lbs)
  • 6 cups sugar
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ cup lemon juice.

Weigh out five pounds of figs (or measure out two quarts, if you don’t have a kitchen scale). Place in a heat proof bowl or pot and cover with boiling water. Let stand ten minutes. Drain, stem and chop the figs. (Abby did the stemming, Naomi did the chopping.)

Combine chopped figs, sugar and ¾ cup of water in a large sauce pot. (I used a six-quart pot.) Bring slowly to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Then cook rapidly until thick. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Add lemon juice and cook one minute longer.

Pour the hot jam into hot jars leaving ¼” head space. Wipe jar rims and place heated lids on jars. Process in boiling water bath canner for fifteen minutes. My yield was six pints.

I love making jams because it’s the one food that I am able to can that will not disappear in a single sitting! I also love jam making because I can control the ingredients. Since I am able to avoid using pectin unless it is truly necessary, my jams have a more concentrated fruit flavor. Also, I use real sugar, not corn syrup, which is a very common ingredient in commercially prepared jams.

Click for PDF version

Leave a Comment

Filed under Food

Leave a Reply