Easy Fig Preserves

The weekend before school started I took the boys to visit my parents for one last hoora.  My mom had a few pounds of figs from her tree that needed something done with them.  Fig tarts, jam and spreads are delish but the easiest thing to do is make fig preserves.  This recipe is so simple and easy anybody can do this.  These easy fig preserves are the perfect place to start for someone who is wanting to get started with canning and learning how to make jam.

Easy Fig Preserves

There are only 3 ingredients in these fig preserves.  Figs, sugar and lemon.  The ratio to fig and sugar is 1 to 1.  Yes, it is a lot of sugar but it is so delicious.  The end result it almost like candied figs.  We also had a lot of juice left over so we canned that to use as fig syrup.  How awesome will that be on ice cream or pancakes?!  

1.  Use a heavy stock pot.  For every pound of figs one pound of sugar.  We had 4 pounds of figs and 4 pounds of sugar.      

Do NOT add water

2.  Cook on low heat until sugar melts and figs create their own juice.  Gently stir to combine.  

3.  Thinly slice a lemon (discard seeds) and add to the pot.  Simmer on low for 45 minutes to one hour.

4.  While the figs are simmering, wash your jars and lids in the dishwasher (no soap) just to heat them up and sanitize them.  Keep them hot until you are ready to assemble.  

5.  Also, while the figs are simmering, fill your canning pot with water and put it on the oven to boil.  This is a crap ton of water and will take a long time to get going so it’s fine to start it while the figs are cooking.  

6.  When ready to fill your jars, assemble all of your supplies:  hot jars/lids, wide mouth funnel, ladle, wet dish cloth, dry dishcloth.     Fill your jar with figs and syrup.  Use the wet dish cloth to wipe off the top of the jar and clean off any sticky syrup.  Put on the lid and tighten. These jars are hot, the kind of hot that will make you swear so you’re going to want to protect that manicure (that’s where the dry dish cloth comes in.)  

7.  Time for a water bath.  Place the jars in your canning pot and boil for 15 minutes.  Make sure the water comes up to the bottom of the lid.  Don’t completely submerge.    

If you are new to canning you must have a canning rack inside of your pot.  If you’ve been doing this a while you can skip these instructions and move on to step 8.  

A canning rack will hold your jars while they are taking their bath.  You CAN NOT place your jars directly on the bottom of the pot.  I’m not exactly sure what will happen if you try this with out the rack.  My guess is it will set of a chain reaction of events that will lead to the apocalypse.  This theory is unfounded…but I wouldn’t test it if I were you.

8.  Remove the jars and set aside to cool.  When you hear the pop you’ll know your jar is sealed.

These figs were just a small part of our trip.  The rest of the time was spent at the water park, playing in the sprinkler, swinging on the swings, petting the cat and general frivolity.

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