The Fig tree at Windy Acre Cottage has been exceptionally prolific this year. I think I'll call her Pomona, after the ancient Roman goddess of fruitful abundance.
Besides bagging up several quarts of fruit to share with friends and family, I kept a gallon for myself to make into jam. My dear friend Sonja loaned me her grandmother's WWII-era cookbook for the recipe, as well as receiving inspiring tips from Facebook friends near and far.
I've made scads of strawberry jam in my life, and even a few Jars of crabapple jelly, but this was the first time to make Fig Preserves. And there is one very important thing to know before starting....
Wash the ripe fruit really well and wipe clean, being careful to remove any of the white residue that will inevitably drip from the stem end of the fruit when you pick it. Once clean and dry, slice the fruit removing the stem end, cutting deep enough to remove a small amount of the red fruit inside. This will ensure removing all the white substance which is Latex, a substance many people, including myself, are allergic to.
Quarter the remaining part of the fruit and set aside. Regretfully, I have no idea what kind of figs I grow, but the skin is very thin and supple, so there is no need to peel the fruit.
Next, sterilize your canning jars. I used to simply run them through the dishwasher, but on this day I decided to scald them in a hot, but not boiling bath. Once the water reaches 180* your jars are free of any microorganisms that may have been present.
Gingerly lift the jars from the hot water bath using tongs, and set them on a clean dish towel to dry while you make your preserves.
Add your gallon of clean, chopped figs to your Dutch oven.
Add a cup to a cup and a half of water.
Crush the fruit using a potato mashing utensil.
Add a splash of lemon juice and 5 cups of sugar, more or less to taste. My jam didn't congeal, so it probably needed more sugar, but it's still delicious. You can always add a package of Certo or Sure Jell or other pectin if congealing is important to you. A good rule of thumb is to add half the sugar by weight to the amount of fruit you use. If it's too sweet, add a bit more lemon juice.
Now the recipe didn't call for vanilla extract, but it just felt like a little would enhance the flavor. Especially since my friend and student Kathie gifted me with Homemade Vanilla Extract for my birthday earlier this year.
Simmer until thick, stirring to prevent burning. Do not leave the jam unattended. And err on the side of caution. It's better to undercook it than overcook it.
When the jam foams up it's almost ready. As it gets near the gel point, bubbles will cover the entire surface of the boiling goodness and start to climb up the sides of the pot. This is when you know your ingredients have condensed into one liquid form and are just about ready to set.
This piece of information would have been good to know because I was stirring the pot and watching the foam rise, I was reminded that if you add butter to the pot it will eliminate the foam.
Regretfully, it also eliminates the jelling. But let's think about this.... homegrown fruit, water, lemon juice, homemade vanilla extract, sugar and butter. I can't think of ANYTHING better to put on a biscuit!!
Besides, it did jelly up a bit when it was completely chilled after a couple of hours in the fridge.
Turn off the burner. Ladle your hot preserves into your prepared jars, leaving about a fourth inch of space at the top of the jar.
Purchasing a canning funnel will be one of the best purchases you'll ever make.
Set the lid on top and wipe away any spilled preserves. Add the metal band and set aside to cool and pop. Continue filling all your jars, adding jar tops and metal bands.
As the jam cools it also contracts and forms a vacuum seal. I stopped at this step because the amount of sugar used and the acid from the lemon juice makes the final hot water bath not required. But if you were canning green beans for example, or anything lacking volumes of sugar and acid, it would be necessary. Some home cooks want to be doubly sure their preserves are well, preserved, and will make the effort to boil the jars of jelly/jam/preserves in boiling water. If you do this, set the jars in the basket that fits into your water-bath canner or large stock pot. Don't put the class jars directly on the bottom of the pot or the heat. Gently boil for a few minutes before removing jars to cool completely before storing.
Bake some biscuits. Add butter and fig preserves. No self-respecting cook will share her preserves before verifying they are fit to be gifted to family, friends and neighbors.
Enjoy!
