Enjoy fig season all year long with this Easy Fig Jam recipe. It uses just a few ingredients and tastes great on savory dishes, like burgers and sandwiches, as well as desserts like ice cream and cake.
You can also use this in appetizers like our Baked Brie with Fig Jam recipe. If you love figs as much as I do, you may also love these Caramelized Figs or Fig and Prosciutto Crostini.
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Easy Fig Jam Recipe
One of the many bittersweet things about the end of the summer is just how short fig season is. Every year I look forward to it, knowing it will be gone as quickly as it came. Because they also ripen and then go bad so quickly, I always make a big batch of this super easy Fig Jam to help preserve the tastes of this summer treat.
All you need are some fresh figs, sugar, vanilla, a little salt, and fresh lemon juice. Let them simmer, making sure to stir very often so that the figs don’t burn on the bottom of the pan. That’s it! From there, enjoy it on crostini, cheese plates, sandwiches, burgers, ice cream, cakes, and more.
If you want to make a lot and can it, I’ve given you detailed instructions on how to do so below. Otherwise, just refrigerate or freeze so that you can enjoy throughout the year.
Key Ingredients You Will Need
- Fresh Figs - figs are a late summer treat that you can sometimes find in the early fall. Choose plump figs that are slightly firm and not mushy. Keep in mind that they ripen very quickly and have a short shelf life, so don’t buy them too far in advance.
- Sugar - this recipe uses white granulated sugar, but you could substitute a portion with honey or brown sugar for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Lemon Juice - be sure to use fresh lemon juice in your jams. It balances out the sweetness of many fruits, but it also helps to set the natural pectins that come out during the cooking process.
How to Make Fig Jam
- Prepare the figs. Wash the figs, then remove the stems and cut in half. Add the halves to a food processor or blender and pulse gently until there are no large chunks.
- Simmer the jam. Heat a large, heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add the pureed figs, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a low boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 60 minutes, stirring frequently so that the figs don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Finish with vanilla and lemon juice. Once the desired consistency has been reached, remove from heat. Carefully transfer to a blender and pulse to smooth out any of the fig skins or remaining large pieces. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, pulse, and then add more lemon juice to taste, if needed.
- Can or store. To can your Fig Jam, follow the directions below. Otherwise, allow it to cool at room temperature before serving or storing in the fridge for up to 1 month, or the freezer for up to 1 full year. Enjoy!
How to Can Jam
If you want to be able to store your jams and preserves for longer than a year, or simply don’t want them to take up freezer or fridge space, here are instructions on how to can them.
- Sterilize jar. Make sure you sterilize them by either boiling them, heating in the oven, or running through a hot dishwasher.
- Add the jam. While they are still hot, add the jam into the sterilized jars. Leave about ½” at the top.
- Seal in boiling water. Add new lids and screw on the top ring. Process in boiling water for about 10 minutes (or as per your altitude requirements). Make sure they are covered with at least 1” of water on top.
- Cool. Remove the jars and allow them to cool to room temperature. You will know they have sealed when there is a little popping sound and the tops of the jars become firm and flat.
- Store at room temperature in a cool, dark place for up to 2 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! The main reasons for canning is so that you can store the jam for longer and so that it doesn’t take up space in your freezer or fridge. If you don’t have a lot and you don’t need it to last for a long time, you can store in the freezer for up to 1 year or in the fridge for up to 1 month.
While the terms are often used interchangeably, jams are usually pureed or mashed while preserves still have large pieces of fruit, or even whole pieces of fruit.
This depends on how you store your jam. In the fridge, it will last for up to 1 month, while in the freezer your jam will last for up to 1 year. If you want it to last even longer, you can also can your jam and it will last for up to 2 years.
Fun fact—even though we usually think of them as fruit, figs are actually flowers. The fig tree's flowers are inverted, so the inside of each fig is made up of many tiny flowers.
Storing and Canning Instructions
- Canned: store canned fig jam in a cool dark place at room temperature for up to 2 years.
- Refrigerator: store the jam in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- Freezer: store in freezer bags or another airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Ways to Use Fig Jam
Fig Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Fresh Figs
- 2 cups Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice fresh
Instructions
- Prepare your figs by washing, removing the stems, and slicing in half. Add the halves to a food processor or blender and pulse gently until there are no large chunks.
- Heat a large, heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add the pureed figs, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a low boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 60 minutes, stirring frequently so that the figs don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the desired consistency has been reached, remove from heat. Carefully transfer to a blender and pulse to smooth out any of the fig skins or remaining large pieces.
- Add the vanilla and lemon juice, pulse, and then add more lemon juice to taste, if needed.
- To can your Fig Jam, follow the directions below. Otherwise, allow it to cool at room temperature before serving or storing in the fridge for up to 1 month, or the freezer for up to 1 full year. Enjoy!
Notes
How to Can Fig Jam
- Spoon the jam into hot, sterilized jars. I like to use small canning jars. Fill within ½ inch of the top of the jar.
- Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean cloth or wet paper towel to remove any stickiness. Place the sealer lid in a small pan with about 1" of water and bring to a boil. Place a lid on each jar and screw on the ring top.
- Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes or as per your altitude requirements and immersed to 1" underwater.
- Let jars cool on a towel-lined countertop. Let them cool to room temperature before storing. Make sure all jars have sealed, you will hear them popping while they cool.
- Let your covered jars sit at room temperature for 24 hours before storing. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Recipes for Jams, Preserves, and Syrups
- Raspberry Syrup
- Strawberry Freezer Jam
- Cranberry Salsa
- Bacon Jam
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Blueberry Syrup
- Lemon Syrup
This Fig Jam recipe is super easy to make and tastes great on so many different sweet and savory things. It's one of the best ways to savor fig season all year long.
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