I love this Strawberry Fig Preserves and I have a feeling you will too! It's perfect to eat with toast, over ice cream, or by the spoonful! And if you have more figs to spare, be sure to try my Fig Preserves recipe.
About this Recipe
I remember the first time I ate Strawberry Fig Preserves. It was in the 1990s when I worked at a women's jail here in San Diego.
One of the older ladies that worked there always made preserves and brought them in for the deputies to enjoy.
Her Strawberry Fig Preserves was the best concoction of them all! Because she knew how much I enjoyed it, she would make me a jar to take home.
I feel bad that I don't remember her name, but I'd like to think that she'd be proud of my efforts to replicate her recipe. I decicate this recipe to that wonderful lady.
How to Make This Recipe
Wash, then trim ends off of the figs. Prepare strawberries by slicing off the end with the leaves. If the strawberries are very large you can slice in half.
Place half of the fruit in an eight-quart Dutch oven. Then sprinkle with two cups of sugar. Repeat with the remaining fruit and sugar. Add lemon zest and spices, gently mixing them in.
Place the pot over low heat, uncovered, allowing the sugar to melt slowly.
Once the sugar begins to liquefy, gently stir so that the fruit does not get scorched.
When the mixture begins to boil, lower the temperature and allow the preserves to simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the jars and lids in a large pot filled with enough water to fully submerge the jars. Boil for approximately ten minutes to sterilize.
After the preserves has simmered for 30 minutes, add lemon juice and pectin, and mix quickly to completely dissolve the pectin.
Simmer, uncovered, for an additional ten minutes.
Carefully pour the preserves into the jars, leaving a ¼" space from the top of the jar. A canning funnel really helps with this step.
Recipe Expert Tips
- This recipe should yield 5 to 6 eight-ounce jars of jam.
- This jam can be made without pectin as well since figs contain a lot of pectins. You may have to cook it a little longer, but it will jell.
- If you do use pectin, I prefer liquid pectin because it mixes in better and does not clump like powdered pectin can.
Wipe off the lids and sides of the jars, then seal tightly with the caps.
Process in the boiling water for an additional ten minutes. Store in the panty up to a year.
The complexity and powerful flavor combinations in this recipe are amazing! Found this recipe by accident when searching for a strawberry-fig jam recipe that I had used previously which contains strawberry jello rather than the fresh fruit. Loved the prior recipe, but it does not even compare to this one. I’ve already frozen strawberries from my garden this year to use when the figs get ripe in early July. Several friends to whom I’ve given a taste are also saving strawberries for the same reason. This is a wonderful recipe!!!
—George
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Strawberry Fig Preserves
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs fresh figs
- 1 ½ lbs strawberries fresh or frozen
- 4 cups sugar
- zest from one lemon
- 1 tsp. cardamom
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 4 T. lemon juice
- 1 box Sure Jell Pectin
Instructions
- Wash, then trim ends off of the figs. Prepare strawberries by slicing off the end with the leaves. If the strawberries are very large you can slice in half.
- Place half of the fruit in an eight-quart Dutch oven. Then sprinkle with two cups of sugar. Repeat with the remaining fruit and sugar.
- Add lemon zest and spices, gently mixing them in.
- Place the pot over low heat, uncovered, allowing the sugar to melt slowly.
- Once the sugar begins to liquify, gently stir so that the fruit does not get scorched.
- When the mixture begins to boil, lower the temperature and allow the preserves to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the jars and lids in a large pot filled with enough water to fully submerge the jars. Boil for approximately ten minutes to sterilize.
- After the preserves has simmered for 30 minutes, add lemon juice and pectin, and mix quickly to completely dissolve the pectin.
- Simmer, uncovered, for an additional ten minutes.
- Carefully pour the preserves into the jars, leaving a ¼" space from the top of the jar. A canning funnel really helps with this step.
- Wipe off the lids and sides of the jars, then seal tightly with the caps.
- Process in the boiling water for an additional ten minutes.
- Store in the panty up to a year.
Notes
- This recipe should yield 5 to 6 eight-ounce jars of jam.
- This jam can be made without pectin as well since figs contain a lot of pectins. You may have to cook it a little longer, but it will jell.
- If you do use pectin, I prefer liquid pectin because it mixes in better and does not clump like powdered pectin can.
Mary says
Hilda, Can you use frozen figs for this recipe?
Hilda Sterner says
Yes, you can. If the figs are have formed icicles, rinse and drain them in a strainer so that the icicles don't add more liquid to the preserves. Other than that, follow the same recipe steps.
Melenie says
Hi Hilda,
New to making preserves, I noticed in your fig preserves recipe it was equal amounts of sugar to fig. This one has an additional cup of sugar. Is this a typo or correct?
Many thanks,
Melenie
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Melenie,
No, it is not a typo. Each recipe is slightly different depending on the amount of pectin, or the fruit being used. Some fruit have a higher pectin count than others. You could try using less sugar, but it might not set. Good luck!
Mary R says
The Strawberry Fig Preserves are so good! Thought maybe the strawberries would overpower the figs, but that’s not the case. It’s a perfect blend of both. I ended up with 8 half pint jars and a smidge to enjoy this morning. I have pie pumpkins, peppers and tomatillos that need my attention right now, then I’ll make your fig bread. Thank you!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Mary! I'm so glad that the recipe worked out for you. I'm not sure if you already have plans for the pumpkins, peppers, and tomatillos, but I have some great recipes with those ingredients too. Pumpkin soup with coconut milk and ginger, tomatillos salsa, or maybe some Chili Verde? The possibilities are endless. 😉
Lisa says
Do you use dry or liquid pectin? I typically don't use pectin in my fig preserves.
Hilda Sterner says
I actually prefer liquid to powder, it's easier to mix in. However, you can get away with not using it in fig jam, unless you like the more "jelled" texture.
Lisa says
Thank you for the clarification.
Anna says
What is the yield- how many pints does this make?
HildaSterner says
This recipe should yield 5 to 6 8 ounce jars.
A wright says
Best recipe and use of figs EVER!
This is my second year to make these and they are crowd favorites! All our friends look forward to getting a jar or two. My neighbors even help pick the figs and bring their empty hats back for more.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!!
HildaSterner says
Thank you so much for your review, I sure appreciate it. It makes me happy to know that my recipe is bringing joy to so many others. Enjoy!
Silvia Merschon says
Excellent recipe . Unique combination. Love it.
HildaSterner says
Thank you so much! Appreciate the feedback.
George ATHERTON says
The complexity and powerful flavor combinations in this recipe are amazing! Found this recipe by accident when searching for a strawberry-fig jam recipe that I had used previously which contains strawberry jello rather than the fresh fruit. Loved the prior recipe, but it does not even compare to this one. I've already frozen strawberries from my garden this year to use when the figs get ripe in early July. Several friends to whom I've given a taste are also saving strawberries for the same reason. This is a wonderful recipe!!!
HildaSterner says
Hi George, What a wonderful comment to wake up to. I'm really pleased that you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate that you took the time to write the sweet review. My figs aren't usually ready until August, but I do freeze them for all-year-round use in fig recipes. I don't know how I'm going to live without them in Montana.