Three Ingredient Fig Jam for Canning
Servings: 8 half pints
Ingredients
- 4 pounds fresh figs
- 2 pounds granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash the figs. Cut away the woody stems and quarter them.
- Place the prepped figs in a large container and add the sugar. Stir to combine. Let the figs and sugar macerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. If opting for a longer rest period, place the container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- When you are ready to cook the jam, scrape the figs and sugar intoSp a low, wide, non-reactive pan. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine.
- Place the pan on the stove and set the burner to high. Bring the figs to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium high. You want to keep the figs cooking at a controlled boil. Stir every 2-3 minutes to prevent sticking.
- While the fig jam cooks, prepare a boiling water bath canner and enough jars to hold approximately 4 pints of product. A combination of pints, half pints, and quarter pints is fine. Wash new lids and rings in good condition in hot, soapy water. Set aside to dry.
- The cooking time will vary for this jam, but I start looking for signs of set after it has boiled for 15 minutes, though it may need up to 30 minutes of cooking. You will know that it is done when it starts feeling thicker as you stir. The color will go red and rosy. The pieces of fig will start to look a bit translucent. And the overall look will be very glossy. I also like to hold my stirring spatula up over the pot and watch how the droplets cascade off of it. Drops of jam that are thick based and slow moving indicate jam that is reaching set.
- When you have determined that your jam is finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat. Funnel the finished jam into the prepared jars, leaving approximately 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean of any drips, and apply the lids and rings.
- Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (starting timer once the water has returned to a boil and not before). When processing time is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid and let the jars cool in the water for five minutes.
- When that time is up, remove jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.