This fig jam is the perfect way to use up any extra figs during fig season. No canning or preserving required - just pop this jam straight into the fridge! Easy.
Every summer, people give me tons of figs from their trees. But as much as I love them, there's only so many fresh figs you can eat in one day (for me at least!)
Enter this fig jam. It's a great way to use up those fresh summer figs (along with this fig and prosciutto pizza or this honey and fig mascarpone tart). Because I couldn't bare to throw them away. Mine were very ripe when I got them so I had to act fast. Now, I have homemade fig jam at my fingertips, and I'm definitely not mad about the situation.
What's in it?
- Fresh figs
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Vanilla bean
The vanilla works really well with the figs, and adds a lot of boldness and depth to the jam. I think it's one of the key ingredients! If you don't like vanilla though, you can definitely omit it and the jam would still turn out just fine.
Which figs to use?
I used adriatic figs (the ones with a green skin and pink inside). I would say that these are the most common figs that grow in Vancouver. When I go to Italy, I eat adriatic figs too (which makes sense, because they originated in the Mediterranean!).
I suppose you could use black mission figs for the jam too, or any other variety of fresh figs that you can get your hands on. I don't really think it matters which variety of figs you use, as long as you're using fresh ones!
How long will it last?
This fig jam recipe does not involve boiling or canning, so it is not shelf-stable. It's designed to go straight into a jar and into the fridge. It will last up to 3 months in the fridge.
Do I need to remove the skins from the figs?
I did not, as you can see in the process shots below, mostly because I am lazy. And once everything cooks down, you won't even notice the skins in the jam - they almost disintegrate.
My friend Maria Claudia told me that when she makes fig jam, she does remove the skins. So really, it's up to you!!
How to use it?
You can use your fig jam in so many ways! You may end up being more creative than me, but here a few I can think of:
- On your morning toast, paired with butter or peanut butter
- On a pizza, to add a sweet element, like the fig jam I added to this fig and prosciutto pizza
- Use fig jam in a crostata, or in a tart
- Add the fig jam to a charcuterie board. My fav combo is brie on a cracker, topped with this fig jam. Perfection!
How to Make Fig Jam - Step By Step
Wash your figs, cut off the stem and the ostiole (bottom), and cut them into small pieces (photo 1).
Place in a large nonreactive saucepan and add sugar (photo 2) , and stir. Do not turn on the heat yet. Let the figs marinate in the sugar for about 30 minutes so they release their juices.
Add lemon juice, the seeds of one vanilla bean and the whole vanilla bean to the mixture (photos 3, 4, & 5).
Turn on the heat and bring to a boil (photo 6).
Turn heat to medium-low and bring mixture to a simmer Using a potato masher, mash up the figs so the skins integrate better into the jam (photo 7).
Simmer jam for about 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until it reaches a thick jam-like consistency (photo 8). Optional: You can remove any larger pieces of skin from the jam.
Remove from heat, add to your glass containers/jars, and cool (photo 9). Once cooled, place in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Turn on the heat and bring to a boil.
Turn heat to medium-low and bring mixture to a simmer Using a potato masher, mash up the figs so the skins integrate better into the jam (photo 6).
Simmer jam for about 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until it reaches a thick jam-like consistency (photos 7 & 8). Optional: You can remove any larger pieces of skin from the jam.
Remove from heat, add to your glass containers/jars, and cool. Once cooled, place in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Top Tips:
- I used adriatic figs in this recipe, but you can use any type of fig you like, as long as they're fresh.
- You can peel the figs or not before making this jam. I did not peel them. The peels almost disintegrate into the jam when cooked.
- The vanilla bean adds a beautiful flavor, but you can omit it if you'd like.
- The cook time will vary for this jam depending on how juicy your figs are and how strong your stove is - anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes.
More Recipes Using Figs You Might Like:
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Recipe
How to Make Fig Jam
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh figs
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup lemon uice
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
- Start by removing the stem and the ostiole from the fig. Then cut them into small pieces.
- Off heat, place figs in a large (nonreactive) saucepan and add sugar. Stir sugar and figs together. Let the figs marinate off the heat for 30 minutes so they release their juices.
- Turn on the heat to medium, and add the lemon juice, salt, and the seeds of a vanilla bean plus the whole vanilla bean to the mixture.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer.
- Mash the figs with a potato masher so that everything, especially the skins, incorporates together well.
- Simmer mixture, stirring often for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until it reaches a jam-like consistency. The cook time will depend on how juicy the figs are, and how strong your stove is.
- Optional: You can remove any larger pieces of skin from the jam. Turn off the heat and add the jam to jars.
- Let the jam cool. Once it cools, place in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- I used adriatic figs in this recipe, but you can use any type of fig you like, as long as they're fresh.
- You can peel the figs or not before making this jam. I did not peel them. The peels almost disintegrate into the jam when cooked.
- The vanilla bean adds a beautiful flavor, but you can omit it if you'd like.
- The cook time will vary for this jam depending on how juicy your figs are and how strong your stove is - anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes.
- The jam is ready when it's a thick consistency and falls off the spoon in chunks, instead of individual drops.
Terry Jeffrey says
I want to try this recipe but I have a couple of questions. Approximately how many cups would equal 3 pounds of figs? And can I use any that are still green? Mine are dark red when ripe. I have my grandmother’s fig tree in my yard which I transplanted from her yard 30 years ago and want to learn how to make them last!
Pina says
Hi Terry! Thank you for your question. I Googled it and it looks like 1 pound of chopped figs equals 3 cups. So 3 pounds of chopped figs would be about 9 cups.
You can use some figs that are still green, but I would try to use some dark red and fully ripe ones as well. If you use all green ones, they probably won't release much juice, which is important to making the jam. Let me know how it goes!
Maryhelen says
Do you use fresh lemon juice or bottled? Thanks!
Pina says
Hi Maryhelen! I use fresh, but bottled would work just as well!
Jane Hall says
I was in the middle of preparing my Moms fig jam when the question about peeling came up. Since my Mom is no longer with us, I couldn’t just pick up the phone. I ran across your recipe and comments. It was just what I needed to know! I didn’t peel all the figs but some were a little tough and I did peel them.
I did add the lemon juice( my recipe said to slice a lemon and put on top of jam in the jar) I did process in a boiling water bath. All turned out beautifully!