My Lemon Fig jam- where happy accidents and delicious meets

The first time I made Fig jam, or maybe it was called preserves, I could not decide if "1 slice lemon" was "1 slice of lemon" or "1 sliced lemon." I like lemon, so I sliced a lemon thinly and added it.


I realized at the end of the recipe, when you were to discard the slice, that they intended a much smaller amount of lemon. However, that was some delicious jam- sweet, lemony, and fig-licious.


Since that first recipe, I have continued to add lemon... a whole lemon diced.

I am not a canner who likes to make 8 quarts of anything at one time.

Too much pressure to eat it all and too much produce to acquire.

Beside, I like to have a variety of condiments so I small batch and cut down or alter recipes to make smaller quantities.


If you like to make 8 quarts, you are welcome to enlarge the recipe.

On to the recipe!

My happy accident Lemon Fig Jam

1 to 2 cup sugar (depends on how sweet you like it)
2 pounds figs
2 lemons


Remove stems from the figs and cut each one in 4-6 pieces.

Slice lemons, removing seeds, and dice in about 1/2 inch pieces or smaller.

Makes about one pint (I use two half pint jars)

 Add figs, lemons and sugar to and enameled pan and cook for 2-3 hours.



The jam should be thick, but will thicken more when cooled.

And even more after sitting a spell in the fridge!



While the jam is cooking, sterilize the canning jar, in the sterilizing cycle of the dishwasher, or fill you largest pan 2/3 full of water, bring to a boil and add the jars to the water to completely submerge for 5 minutes. Remove with tongs to a clean towel to rest and cool. Add canning rings to the boiling water to sterilize as well. In a small pan of boiling water, add the canning jar lids and leave on a low simmer.

I do not truly can these with a full on water bath, I store them in the refrigerator. However, when you store food for an extended length of time, you should sterilize your jars for safety.

Lastly... and this is the really hard part... you need to wait a week before you start enjoying you new jam. The lemon makes it a bit bitter (think strong orange marmalade- like maybe Dundee brand), after a week they will mellow considerably. Typically, I have a little left over that I can enjoy in the mean time. I like the bitterness of the lemon and enjoy it equally after a week or so.

If you do not like bitter, just use your microplane and jest the lemons, then peel off the white pith (where the

 bitter flavor is) and chop the lemon pulp.