Figs, Figs and More Figs!

Since my last post was about excess plastic, it seems fitting that a post on the excess figs in my freezer follow.  After all, my 20+ pounds of figs have been stored since August/September in my reusable plastic containers and bags.  However, a few of the plastic bags got tears in them from two little ones smashing them with their fingers and poking them with their play kitchen utensils, so into the trash the torn bags went.  I felt very non-green at that moment and was wishing I had enough glass containers...and enough room in my freezer for 20+ pounds of figs in glass containers.

Did I mention I had 20+ pounds of figs leftover from my two fig trees in my backyard?  I say 20+ pounds because I lost count around there and only labeled some of the containers before freezing them a few months ago.  I gave many more pounds away to friends and family who love figs and eat them right off my trees and to coworkers in my office.  It was quite a year for figs here!

So what the heck do you do with 20+ pound of figs from two beautiful fig trees in your yard? Why, you make fig jam of course!

So I started with thawing them out of the freezer (this is only 8 pounds of the 20+ pounds of figs):

Thawing figs

 Add some sweetener (I use sugar since it helps the jam set better than other sweeteners):

Some added sweetness!

Then I boiled it for a while (I forgot to take a photo of that step-sorry!).  I cooked the figs for about an hour before adding the pectin and sugar at the very end to help thicken it up.

Then I filled up the clean canning jars, put lids and rings on tightly and submerged in the boiling water for 10 minutes to get them to seal.

Then you let them set for 24 hours before putting them away in a pantry for a year (or decorating them to give to kids' teachers, family, etc. for Thanksgiving or Christmas!)

 

All done! Eleven beautiful sealed jars of fresh fig jam from my backyard to carry us through the winter and into next year!

Know what the funny things is though?  I get to do this canning thing all over again tomorrow!  I still have 8 pounds of figs in my fridge that I couldn't use today because 1) my gigantic pot wasn't big enough to handle all 20+ pounds of figs at one time and 2) I ran out of pectin.  So much for being prepared!