Fig Jam with no Pectin

Ingredients:

10 lbs. of ripe figs

3 ½ lbs. of sugar (your choice of white, brown, or coconut)

2/3 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Water as needed

Directions:

Ensure you have at least 48, 4 oz jam jars on have and sterilize them for 10 minutes in a very large pot of boiling water.  Place the sterilized jars and there covers upside down on a clean cloth while waiting on the cooked figs.

Wash the figs well and place them in a colander to remove excess water.

Remove and discard the stems from the fruit. Quarter the figs.  Place them in a large sauce pot.

Pour the sugar over the figs and stir well, ensuing the sugar mostly dissolved.

Let then sit for 1 ½ hours and stir again.

Add the lemon juice to the pot and begin cooking over medium heat until a gentle boil starts, then turn the heat down to medium-low.

Continue cooking for about 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

The figs will continue to thicken after that time.  While the figs are cooking, place a small bowl in the freezer.  After 90 minutes, remove the frozen dish from the freezer a place a small amount of fig jam in the bowl.  In about 1 minute, test the jam to ensure it is to your desired thickness.  1 minute is all it takes to simulate what the consistency would be after being the fridge for a while. If the jam is too runny, continue cooking in 15 minutes intervals, and follow the same test steps.  If it is too thick, add some water (no more than 1/8 cup at a time).

Remove the Sauce pot from the stove and let it cool for 30 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to smooth out the jam.

Transfer the fig jar to the sterilized jars and cover with the sterilized lids.

Store what you think will be consumed with 2 to 3 weeks.  Store the remaining jars in the freezer and take out as needed.