The Bountiful Kitchen: Cooking Inn Style with Local, Sustainable Foods (Recipe & Tutorial: Big Mill B&B’s Guide to Canning Fig Preserves)

Guest post, recipe, tutorial and photos contributed by Chloe Tuttle, Owner, Big Mill Bed & Breakfast, Williamston, NC

Here in the United States, there are 3 ways to obtain fresh figs:

1. Grow your own
2. Buy them at your local farmers’ market or grocery store (since fresh figs transport poorly, this is the reason they are often found packaged in their dried state)
3. Befriend someone who grows them and offer yourself up as an official fig taster

If you are lucky enough to know someone who offers you figs, gladly accept, just make sure you have time to deal with them immediately: When figs are sweet and ripe, the clock is ticking fast. You might be able to keep them overnight in the refrigerator, but not much longer.

One of the best methods I know for savoring figs year-round is to make and can your own Fig Preserves. A perfect accompaniment to toast, biscuits, pancakes or waffles, Fig Preserves also come in handy during the holiday season: When served with warm brie, they produce an elegant, creamy appetizer perfect for pleasing crowds! Note: We promise to post this recipe in time for the holidays, so make your preserves now, while fresh figs are plentiful.

A word of caution: Once committed to making Fig Preserves or jam, don’t stray from the task at hand. Do not answer the phone or the doorbell, and do not double the recipe! Otherwise, just follow the tutorial below and you’ll be turning out Fig Preserves like a pro!

Recipe & Tutorial: How to Make and Can Fig Preserves (or Jam)

(featured on Inn Cuisine, recipe and tutorial by Chloe Tuttle, Owner, Big Mill Bed & Breakfast)

Don’t know the difference between preserves and jam? Preserves have chunks of fruit included and jam is basically mashed fruit. If you decide you’d rather make fig jam, just mash the fruit into smaller pieces. Jelly is different still—made from extracted fruit juice.

Fig Preserves Recipe

• 2 pounds ripe figs (4 cups prepared figs—see instructions)
• 7 cups granulated sugar
• 3-4 lemons, divided as follows:
  • Zest from two of the lemons, plus
  • Juice from 3-4 lemons, or enough to have a scant 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2  teaspoon butter
• 1 pouch liquid pectin (3 ounces)

Tools and Other Items You Will Need:

• Large cooking pot to make the preserves (stainless steel or enamel is best)
• Long-handled spoon for stirring
• Tongs to remove the lids from boiling water
• Large mouth canning funnel
• Long-handled ladle
• Jar griper to remove jars from boiling water
• Hot water bath canner
• 7 half-pint jars, lids and rings

Before you begin the canning process you must sterilize the jars, either with boiling water or in the dishwasher if the temperature is sufficient for sterilization. Sterilize the jar lids by pouring boiling water over them.

Fill the canner half-full of water and start heating the water for hot water processing.

Wash and drain the figs, handling very carefully. Remove the stems and cut the figs in half—I use scissors. You should have about 4 cups of cut or mashed figs.

Measure the sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Wash the lemons and grate the peel from two of the lemons. Squeeze the lemons to get a scant 1/2 cup juice. Check the expiration date on the pectin, making sure that it is not out of date. Place prepared figs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and butter in a large cooking pot. Using a potato masher, gently mash some of the figs, leaving some chunks for the preserves. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring gently while cooking. Add the liquid pectin and return mixture to a boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring the entire time. Remove from heat.

Using sterilized jars, ladle the preserves into the jars, filling each to 1/8-inch of the top. Using a damp, clean cloth, wipe the rim and the threads of the jar. Place sterilized jar lids on the jars and screw on the jar ring.

Hot Water Processing: Using jar tongs, place the jars in the canner of simmering water, enough to cover the tops of the jars.  Bring to a boil and process for five minutes. Gently remove the jars from the canner and allow preserves to cool away from drafts. Lay a towel loosely over the jars. Do not move them again until they are totally cool and sealed. You will hear them “pop” as they seal.

Yield: 7 half-pint jars plus some for tasting.

Note – After you eat the preserves, be sure to save the jars and rings, they can be used over and over. The flat lids, on the other hand, can only be used once to seal a jar.

Enjoy!

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Tagged as: Big Mill Bed and Breakfast recipes and canning instructions, canning fig preserves and jam, fig jam, fig preserves, fig recipes, how to can figs, how to make and can fig preserves and jam