Orange Fig Jam – When Life Gives You Figs, Make Fig Jam
This orange fig jam recipes is so incredibly easy to make, requires no pectin and tastes heavenly! I don’t even like figs and I love this jam. Use it on bread, in desserts, but my favorite way is with brie and crackers!
If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you may recall that I don’t like fresh figs.
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However, I love orange fig jam! I’m going to show you…
How to Make Orange Fig Jam
I wish I did like figs, because they’re insanely good for you, but I just don’t; I can’t lie. However, a few years ago, I was practically force fed an appetizer by a French foodie friend, that had fig jam on top–and well–I loved it! It didn’t taste like figs to me, and the funny thing is that my mother, who ADORES fresh figs, doesn’t like fig jam! She thinks it’s sacrilegious to even think about making fig jam.
Well, I had to disappoint her (again), because at our last Food Bloggers of Los Angeles (FBLA) meeting, the lovely Karla Stockli from the California Fig Advisory Board, Fresh Fig Growers Association and Fig Institute joined us, and brought us all flats of fresh figs (how’s that for alliteration?) At first, I wasn’t going to take one, but then I realized that I could make fig jam.
When I got home, I set out to find a recipe online and came across a Drunken Fig Jam recipe from Bon Appétit, and decided I’d make an orange version of it by replacing the brandy with Grand Marnier. I also swapped half of the lemon zest for orange. As I already commented, I like orange fig jam on top of brie and crackers, but you can use it anyway you like to use any other jam. Put it on bread or toast, in yogurt, with scones, etc. I hope you enjoy my recipe!
(Thank you, Karla! We’ll enjoy those figs well into winter now!)
Orange Fig Jam
adapted from Drunken Fig Jam on Bon Appétit makes about 5 half pint jars
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- ripe, fresh figs
- zest from a fresh organic orange
- zest from a fresh organic lemon
- sugar
- Grand Marnier
- pinch of salt
Special equipment: glass jars for the jam
Directions to Make Orange Fig Jam
Place the figs in a large pot.
Next, add the orange and lemon zest, sugar, Grand Marnier and pinch of salt into the same pot.
Stir and let stand at room temperature for one hour, stirring occasionally.
After an hour, put the pot on medium high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce heat to medium and continue to boil the orange fig jam for approximately half an hour. Stir and mash the figs with a potato masher, to crush the pieces. When it has boiled for half an hour, remove from heat.
Ladle the orange fig jam into rinsed, hot clean jars (rinsed with boiling water), leaving about 1/4″ space at the top, clean the rim and cover with hot lids (also rinsed with boiling water).
Finally, process in a water bath for 10 minutes, or keep refrigerated.
NOTE: when I make jam, I pour the boiling jam into old jam jars. Once the jam cools, the middle of the lids will almost always “pop” meaning the jars have sealed (the center of the jar will also become concave). If they do not “pop”, the jam will definitely spoil (and will be dangerous to ingest) if not refrigerated. I keep the unsealed jars in the fridge.
Cut some pretty fabric and cover the lids, tied with a little ribbon for beautiful gifts.
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Orange Fig Jam
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups fresh figs (stems removed and cut into 1/2" pieces)
- 1 orange zest organic
- 1 lemon zest organic
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 oz Grand Marnier
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Place the figs in a large pot the add the orange and lemon zest, sugar, Grand Marnier and pinch of salt. Stir and let stand at room temperature for one hour, stirring occasionally.
- After an hour, put the pot on medium high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue to boil for approximately half an hour, stirring and mashing the figs with a potato masher, to crush the pieces. Remove from heat.
- Ladle into rinsed, hot clean jars (rinsed with boiling water), leaving about 1/4″ space at the top, clean the rim and cover with hot lids (also rinsed with boiling water) immediately.
- When cool, the lids will "POP" and become concave in the middle. If this does not happen, the seal is not good and you will have to store these jars in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
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Every year I make a different flavored fig preserves. Last year it was Cherry Fig, the previous year Grapefruit Fig and this year I will adapt your recipe to pair the figs with tangerines.
That’s a great combination, Peggy! What a lucky family you have to look forward to a different version each year! Let me know how it turns out! CC
Found your recipe when I searched for Fig Jam. Came up as Orange Fig, and I love orange!! We had an over abundance of white figs on our “bush” this year. My husband just picked 2+lbs more this afternoon!! Just finished jarring the jam. Can’t wait to try it! Looking forward to it. Your recipe was so simple. Glad I found it!
I honestly get such rave reviews from that jam, Sheryl. I’m sure you’ll love it too and thank you for leaving a comment to let me know you used my recipe, it means a lot to me! Enjoy the jam! :)
was wanting to know if this could be done with a crockpot????? and if id have to alter ingredients
Hi Brandi, I’ve never made jam in a crockpot before, but apparently it can be done! http://www.chowhound.com/food-news/169024/9-great-slow-cooker-jams-preserves-and-condiments/
Made it, love it!!! This is one amazing jam. The orange in the zest and grand marnier are a wonderful touch. Delish!
Yeah!!
Woohoo!
This is it! Finally! I have made fig jam for four or five years with mixed results. We have two beautiful fig trees and every year I try again. The first year the jam was as hard as a hockey puck. The second year, too runny. The canning recipes I read were not helpful. Cook it till it “sheets off the back of a cold spoon.” Ugh. Add more Sure Gel. I did and did not like the consistency of the jam. Then, a few days ago, I made this and it is wonderful. The Grand Marnier doesn’t overpower it, but enhances the flavor. And cooking it about 30 minutes works. No sheeting off the back of a spoon. And most important, it’s delicious. Thank you!
Wonderful, Kathy!! So happy you finally had a good outcome with your fig jam! Nothing is more frustrating than ruining a harvest of your own fruit! Now you need to try it on brie and crackers-it’s fabulous! Thank you so much for letting me know, I appreciate it! :)
I really love this Christina! The Grand Marnier is a wonderful addition to the orange and fig. And I seal my jars the same way. I do have a huge pot designed for canning with all the racks, but I did a bunch of canning this week and used the method my grandmother always used. The same as what you describe. If the centers of the seals pop, I know I’m good to go :-)
It truly is the easiest method, I agree! I hope you try this jam as it’s so, so delicious (and I don’t like figs)! CC