Recipe: Fresh Fig Preserves

O.K., "fresh" and "preserved" are antonyms in many thesauri.  I was recently uprooted and relocated from Maine to California, and there is a fig tree in the back of my rental.  Figs are coming ripe, now, and they're quite tasty.  This is a way to have some to keep in the fridge to spread on toast, etc.  This recipe makes 6 8-oz jars.  Pint jars can, of course, be used to replace 2 8-oz jars.

FRESH FIG PRESERVES

*2 tsp baking soda
*boiling water
3 lbs fresh figs
2 - 3 cups sugar (to taste)
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
2 sticks cinnamon (optional)
3 small pieces of fresh ginger (optional)

*These ingredients are needed only for prepping the figs.

First, when canning/preserving anything, you need to sterilize your jars.  Add your jars, canning lids, canning funnel, (anything that will touch the preserves) into your biggest pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and allow to boil vigorously for at least 15 minutes.

While this is going on, sprinkle your figs with the baking soda, and cover them with boiling water.  This is done to help clean the figs' skins.  Allow to sit in the solution for at least 15 minutes (1 hour is better).  Then rinse and strain the figs.

Add all of the ingredients to a big empty pot.  Heat on high, stirring to help the figs break up.  Skim any foam that forms on the surface and discard.  After it comes to a strong boil, reduce the heat to medium and allow to boil for at least 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.

This is a good time to take the things out of the sterilization pot.  Drain the jars, etc., into the pot as you take them out.  (A pair of canning tongs and a canning funnel are cheap and are a good investment if you're going to do much preserving/canning.)  Place the lids UPSIDE DOWN where they can be picked up easily.  Put the jars right-side up.  The rings aren't all that important, since they will not touch the preserves.  I leave the funnel in the sterilizing pot until the last minute.  DO NOT EMPTY THE WATER FROM THE POT.

The exact length of time needed to boil this down will vary depending on the size and shape of the pot used.  It may be done in 30 minutes.  It may take a couple of hours.  To tell when it's ready, look at the spoon after you've stirred the figs.  If there is a good coating of the syrup on the back of the spoon, you're getting close.  Use the spoon to extract a very small amount (1/2 tsp is fine) of the syrup from the pot, and allow the spoon to cool for about 45 seconds to a minute.  When it reaches the consistency you want, remove from heat.

Now you need to work a little fast, but not sloppy.  Fill the jars to within 1/4 -- 1/2 inch of the top.  The last jar may not fill all the way up, which is o.k.; you'll just use that jar first.  Once you've filled the jars, put the lids on, and then the rings.  Tighten to "finger tight."

Now to make them "preserves," which will allow you to keep these for up to a year (or longer).  Turn the burner on the sterilization pot up to high again.  Put the jars carefully into the pot, making sure they are covered in water in the end.  You'll see bubbles escaping from underneath the lids, which is o.k.  Water isn't getting in.

*Science alert*  What's happening is that the air in the tops of the jars is heating up.  As it heats up, it expands.  This increases the pressure in the jar.  Eventually, the pressure will be enough to lift the lit a very tiny amount so that the air can escape.  The jar, essentially, blows a bubble.  When the jars cool, this will create a vacuum seal on the lids, which will prevent any germs/molds/etc., from getting in.

Once the pot comes back up to a true boil, boil the jars for about 15 minutes.  Remove the jars and allow to cool.  Once cooled, tighten the rings on the jars.  Label the jars with the date and what type they are.  Store in the cupboard until opened.  Once opened, keep in the fridge.