How To Make Strawberry Fig Preserves

Do you want to know how to make strawberry fig preserves at home? This easy and delicious recipe is made with fresh strawberries and figs. Getting wonderful fresh fruit and preserving it at the height of its freshness is great, isn’t it? If you don’t have a garden, you can still buy organic produce in a grocery store.

How To Make Strawberry Fig Preserves

Everyone thinks these are strawberry preserves. No one has a clue they are made with figs! You can even use different flavors of gelatin like peach or raspberry. Since this recipe makes so little, you could skip the hot water bath and refrigerate the jars of preserves.

Recipe Summary

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Additional: 1 hr

Total: 1 hr 50 mins

Servings: 40

Yield: 5 half pints

Ingredients

Decrease Serving

Original recipe yields 40 servings

Ingredient Checklist

• 4 cups fresh figs, stems removed
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O®
• 5 half-pint canning jars with lids and rings, or as needed

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1 – Mix figs and sugar together in a large saucepan, place over medium heat, and cook, stirring often, until sugar has dissolved. Mix in strawberry gelatin; bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 7 minutes. Mash preserves with a potato masher if desired.
• Step 2 – Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the fig preserves into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Step 3 – Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Step 4 – Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

Strawberry Fig Preserve

Using fresh figs and strawberry Jell-O®, this is a very easy preserve recipe.

Recipe Summary

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Additional: 15 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: 48

Yield: 6 half pints

Ingredients

Decrease Serving

Original recipe yields 48 servings

Ingredient Checklist

• 3 cups mashed fresh ripe figs
• 3 cups white sugar
• 2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored gelatin (such as Jell-O®)
• 6 half pint canning jars with lids and rings

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1 – Heat figs, sugar, and strawberry gelatin together in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a rolling boil. Cook fig mixture, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes; remove from heat.
• Step 2 – Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pour hot fig mixture into hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. Run a knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Step 3 – Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Step 4 – Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

How to Make Old Fashioned Strawberry Fig Preserves

Today, my mom and I have teamed up to tell you how to make the best old-fashioned strawberry fig preserves easy recipe. It’s a tradition we at First Day of Home hope you’ll enjoy sharing with your friends and family all summer long!

Notes About Fig Preserves Recipe

One of my favorite childhood memories is picking fresh fruit in the summer. Sometimes I’d eat the fruit “paleo” style, but true summer bliss came when Mom made fresh strawberry fig jam.

The photo below comes straight from the tree in my mother’s backyard. There’s nothing like pulling these fresh figs straight from the tree and turning them into gooey jam.

Here are the most important tips to making old fashioned fig jam that lasts:

• Always sterilize your mason jars before canning.
• After canning, make sure the lids of the mason jars are indented, not raised. This means you have a full seal and can store the jam without having to refrigerate (until opened).
• Don’t skip the lemon juice! It’s needed to help the preserves “set” and also to prevent bacteria from forming.

How long do fresh fig preserves last?

I always like to write the date on my fig preserves so I won’t forget when to toss them out. Here are some good guidelines on how long to keep your preserves:

• Homemade jam will last 6 months to 1.5 years if sealed properly.
• After opening the jar, the preserves will keep 6 months to 1 year.

Ingredients for Fig Preserves Recipe

This recipe for fig preserves uses only four simple ingredients and four (8-ounce) mason jars per batch.

• 3 cups of fresh figs (about 40 figs, washed with stems removed)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 boxes of strawberry gelatin (3 ounces per box, Jell-o or another brand)
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice*

*This is an update from 1 tbsp recommended before.

For best results, my mom recommends making only one batch at a time. And I highly recommend taking my mom’s advice when it comes to cooking!

Bonus Free Printable Labels!

As a bonus, I’m now offering free printable labels to decorate your homemade fig preserves. These fit a standard 8-ounce mason jar.

See the end of the post for details…

Steps for Cooking Figs and Canning

1. Prepare jars for canning

Before cooking your small-batch fig preserves, you’ll need to heat the glass mason jars in the oven at 300 degrees to sterilize them. Then, place the lids in a pot with shallow water, and warm them on the stove at medium heat.

Once you have heated the lids for about 10 minutes, remove them from the hot water and place them on a clean towel.

2. While the jars and lids are heating, prepare the figs

Once the figs are drained, you can remove the stems and cut off any bruised pieces. Then begin mashing the figs.

When mashing your figs, leave a few small- or medium-sized pieces if you desire a thicker texture. Nothing is better than a PB&J with some chunks of fig preserves in the mix!

3. Add all ingredients to mashed figs

My kids love spending time at grandma’s house, partly because there’s always something good cooking in the kitchen. My little helper added the strawberry Jell-o and other ingredients into our fig preserves mixture for us.

Don’t Skip the Lemon Juice!

Since the pH of figs is in the low acid range, lemon juice is needed to “acidify” home-canned figs. This makes them safe for consumption.

4. Place preserves on the stove and bring to a boil

At low heat, cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens.

5. Pour preserves into mason jars

Remove the heated mason jars from the oven, and use canning tongs or an oven mitt to handle the warmed jars.

When canning fig preserves, use a kitchen funnel. The shape fits perfectly into the hot sterilized jars and leads to minimum spillage.

You’ll want to wipe the rims if the preserves do spill over the edge. I usually can’t resist the urge to steal some finger-licking goodness in the process.

6. Seal the mason jars

After filling the jars and replacing the lids (finger-tight only), flip the jars over to set for about 5 minutes. Once the jars are set, flip them right-side-up again. You’ll know the jars are sealed when the tops of the jars have an indented lid.

Luckily, the strawberry fig preserves do not need refrigeration as long as the lids are sealed properly. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1-2 years, and always refrigerate after opening. Your preserves will last 6-12 months in the refrigerator after opening.

If your lids did NOT seal properly, have no fear! Just refrigerate the preserves immediately.

Free Mason Jar Labels

I’m now offering free printable labels for your 8-ounce mason jars!

Note: You can print and cut these labels on cardstock OR order these Avery round labels or oval labels to print and peel.

Enjoying your homemade fig preserves recipe

Now that you know how to make fig preserves with fresh figs, you’ll have loads of jars to give away to friends and neighbors.

Try dressing up your mason jars with some simple fabric and ribbon, and print off my free recipe card template to share the love!

Pin it for later!

How to Make Fig Preserves

Author: firstdayofhome.com

A quick 30-minute recipe for delicious preserves using fresh figs and strawberry-flavored gelatin.

PREP TIME – 10 mins

COOK TIME – 18 mins

RESTING TIME – 5 mins

TOTAL TIME – 33 mins

COURSE – Breakfast, Dessert

CUISINE – American

CALORIES – 43 kcal

INGREDIENTS 

• 3 cups figs (washed, about 40 figs)
• 2 cups Sugar
• 6 ounces Strawberry-flavored gelatin (2 boxes, 3 ounces per box)
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Place glass mason jars (without lids) in an oven-safe cake pan to heat at 300 degrees.
• Heat mason jar lids in a pan on the stove at low heat (not boiling).
• Place the figs (with stems and peels) in boiling water for 2 minutes. Then drain, remove stems and any bruised ends of the figs. Gently mash figs and transfer to soup pot. There is no need to remove skins.
• Add lemon juice, sugar, and gelatin mix to mashed figs.
• Bring mixture to a boil on the stove, and boil gently 15 – 18 minutes until thickened. Remove the preserves, mason jars, and lids from heat. Gently dry lids.
• Pour preserves mixture into hot jars and wipe any excess around the rim of jar before sealing with lids (finger tight only).
• Turn jars over to rest for 5 minutes. Then, flip the jars right side up again. The mason jars are sealed when the center of the lid is indented.

NOTES

*Don’t skip the lemon juice. It acidifies the figs, making them safe for canning.

If doubling the recipe, make separate batches rather than doubling the ingredients.

Refrigerate upon opening.

Mock Strawberry Fig Preserves

Figs seem to be one of those fruits that people love or they don’t like at all. At the house where I grew up, there was a huge fig tree in the back yard that was quite prolific and produced almost every year.

During the summer we had an abundance of fresh figs which a few members of the family enjoyed right off the tree and the other could leave them be. My mother and I were a couple of the ones that loved figs and could eat them by the bowl full.

However, we had more figs than we could eat so in order to not waste a single fig, my mother made these Strawberry Fig Preserves with JELL-O. Everyone loved these preserves! They are a great compromise for those who love figs and those who don’t.

This Strawberry Fig Preserves with JELL-O recipe has been around for a very, very long time; therefore, there are many variations. However, for all of the recipes, the three main ingredients are the same – figs, sugar and strawberry JELL-O. I’m not sure where my mother got her recipe, but then I don’t remember her following one.

She made this so often, that she really didn’t need one and never wrote one down. So when I went to make these preserves last week, it was hit or miss and I hit it right on the mark! Even Bobby, who doesn’t like figs, loves these preserves.

My strawberry fig preserve recipe uses a smaller ratio of sugar to figs than most of the recipes I found and the cooking time is 8 minutes (for high elevation – 6 minutes for sea level). This produces semi-firm preserves that are perfect for toast, biscuits and PB&Js.

The recipe yields 2 pint jars or 4 half-pints. If you want to share with friends, sterilize 4 half-pint jars, pour the hot preserves into the jars, then seal them with canning lids. After several minutes you should hear the lids pop, indicating they are sealed.

Mock Strawberry Fig Jam

Strawberry Fig Preserves Recipe

Prep – 10 mins

Cook – 20 mins

Total Time – 30 mins

Strawberry Fig Jam made with figs, sugar and strawberry jello. So easy and so good.  This version is MJ’s adaption of hundreds of similar recipes.

Course: Jams and Preserves

Cuisine: American

Yields: 2 pints (approximate)

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped or smashed figs* (about 2 pounds)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 – 6 ounce box of Strawberry JELL-O

Instructions

1. If you want to have sealed jars to share or store in the pantry for later, sterilize 2 pints or 4 half-pint jars in a hot water bath for for 10-20 minutes depending on elevation. Leave in the hot water until the preserves are ready to pour. For refrigerator jam, wash and rinse the jars (do not dry). Add about an inch of water to each jar and place in microwave for 1.5 minutes. Using jar grips, pour out the hot water and place jars on a clean towel until ready to pour.
2. Remove the stems from the figs. Chop coarsely and transfer to a large bowl. Smash with a potato smasher to the desired consistency.
3. Add the sugar and JELL-O to the figs. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Transfer to a 4 – 6 quart sauce pan.
4. Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar and JELL-O have dissolved. Continue to heat, stirring to a full boil (a boil that can not be stirred down).
5. Stir at a full boil for 6 – 8 minutes. Be careful, because the mixture will start to splatter and it’s hot!
6. After 6-8 minutes, remove from the heat and pour into prepared jars. Wipe the rim of the jars with a clean, damp rag and top with the lid and rings. Tighten firmly.
7. Let sit on a cooling rack until cool. If desired, after 30-60 minutes, flip the jars over to let the fruit evenly distribute.

Kitchen Notes

Figs – I like using a mix of under ripe, ripe and overripe figs. The under ripe figs provide the chunkiness for a preserves whereas the ripe and overripe figs cook down into a jam which holds it all together. Therefore, you can use pretty much whatever is available. If you use only ripe and overripe figs, you’ll end up with more of a jam than preserves.

Smashing the figs – If you want the consistency of chunky preserves, then don’t smash too much. Smash just enough to get some soft pulp mixed in with larger pieces of figs. If you want more of a jam, then use ripe to overripe figs and smash away.

Cooking time – The amount of time depends on two factors: elevation and the consistency you want in the final product. At 5000 feet, 8 minutes yields a softer preserve/jam that spreads nicely on toast, but isn’t runny. At sea level, 6 minutes would probably do the job. For a thicker preserve/jam, cook 10 minutes. Some recipes you’ll find say to cook 4 minutes. However, I have found that, in 4 minutes, the figs don’t cook enough and the preserves are too hard.

Strawberry Fig Jam

Woohoo!  Homemade Strawberry Fig Jam!  This is a winning flavor combination and a little bit of heaven in a jar. This homemade jam is the real deal, made from fresh strawberries and fresh figs.  No Jello added!  Sweet!  This jam is made with pectin which lets the fresh flavors of strawberry and fig shine.

Fresh strawberries are available year-round but those big, beautiful fresh figs have a short season and now is that season!

What You Need to Make strawberry Fig Jam:

I am always amazed that it takes only a small amount of fruit to produce a nice supply of delicious jam.  The jam-making process is so easy that you can take advantage of any fresh fruit as it comes to market.  Why not get crazy and try different combinations of fruit.   

Here is the list of ingredients that you will need.

• Strawberries, 1 pound
• Figs, any variety, 1 pound
• Fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice brightens up the flavors of the fruit.
• Natural pectin. Pectin is key to getting that jam-like consistency.
• Sugar. Regular granulated sugar.
• Butter. Sounds strange but see below for an explanation.

I bet you are wondering why butter is included in that list of ingredients.  Well, when everything gets to an aggressive boil it produces a foam on top.  But, just a couple tablespoons of butter is like magic in keeping the mixture from foaming.  

How to make Strawberry Fig Jam:

This is so easy and you will be rewarded with a nice supply of jam.  I have listed the steps to make the jam but please, scroll to the bottom of the page to the recipe card instructions and the tips in the note section:

Before you begin

First, you need to gather everything together.  Choose your jars, either two pints or four half-pints. 

Wash the jars and the lids and set them in a 200°F oven to keep warm.  It is important that the jars be hot when they are filled with hot jam.  Cold jars and hot jam=cracked jars and spilled jam.

Here are the easy steps for making jam

1. Process the fruit in a food processor to get the consistency you like.
2. Add the fruit and lemon juice to a saucepan.
3. Combine some sugar with the pectin and stir it into the fruit.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the rest of the sugar and bring it back to a boil for 1 minute.
6. Remove the saucepan from the heat and skim off the foam.
7. Ladle the hot jam into hot jars and cover with lids.

Tips for success.

• If you want a chunky jam, do not process the fruit for long in the food processor. You can also use a potato masher.
• Mix the pectin with some sugar before you stir it into the fruit. This will help the pectin distribute evenly and prevent it from clumping up.
• Use a heavy bottomed pan to prevent burning and promote more even cooking.
• Make sure the mixture comes to a full rolling boil. A full, rolling boil is when it doesn’t stop boiling while you are stirring.
• Stir the mixture constantly to prevent burning.
• Keep the jars warm in the oven. Adding the warm jam mixture to the warm jars will prevent the jars from cracking due to a sudden temperature change.
• If you plan to freeze the jam, make sure you leave 1/2 inch space at the top of the jar.

How to Store this Strawberry Fig Jam:

For just a small batch of jam I usually just keep the jars in my refrigerator.  To store jam in the pantry for an extended period of time I like to process them in a water bath. 

It is an easy method and the fresh preserving site gives complete instructions if you want to go that route. High acid foods like this jam are especially easy to can and you do not need a pressure cooker.

If you process the jars in a hot water bath, you can store them in the pantry for up to 12 months. Once opened, store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.  If you don’t process them in a hot water bath then keep them in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks.

You can also freeze the jam for up to 1 year.  Be sure there is a 1/2-inch headspace at the top of the jam to allow for expansion.

Can I Double the Ingredients for a Larger Batch of Jam?

Oh, that would be nice!  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  My mom always said, ‘don’t double the recipe, make one batch at a time.’  Naturally, I had to challenge her but found she was right, again!  

The reason doubling the batch does not work is because the larger volume of jam will take longer to cook and come to a boil.  That increased cook time will affect the action of the pectin.

Pectin begins to break down when it is cooked at high temperatures for extended periods, leaving you with a runny jam.  With the longer cooking time, you also risk scorching/burning the jam. It’s the same reason we don’t double the recipe in our pear paste.

This strawberry fig jam tastes marvelous on a hot biscuit or toast.  If you make a batch, I would love to hear your thoughts.