Homemade Savory Or Sweet Fig Jam with chilies, garlic and bourbon or simply sweet fresh figs, makes for a flavor explosion in a rich dressing, sauce or jam.
Fresh Figs
I love planting a fig tree, but it requires patience since it doesn’t harvest a crop of fruit for nearly three years.
Do I think it’s worth the wait? I absolutely think its worth the wait.
Fresh figs can be used in so many different recipes.
My favorites can be found here, though I am continuing to create new recipes every year with my fig harvest.
- Fish In Fig Leaves – The finale dish I prepared on PBS cooking show with salmon wrapped in fresh fig leaves, a drizzle of spicy hot savory fig jam and a few veggies, roasted in under 15-minutes.
- Almond And Oat Fig Tart – The finale dessert I prepared on The Great American Recipe with PBS made in an oat and almond crust, with a boozy custard filling, and topped with fresh figs.
- Pecan Yeast Bread Fig Bruschetta – Who doesn’t love a toasted slice of homemade bread, a spread of mascarpone, topped with fresh figs!
- Beet and Endive Salad With Fig Dressing Another finale recipe that went on the finale plate alongside Fish in a Fig Leaf, with roasted gold and red beets, cut into confetti and served in an endive leaf with a fig dressing.
- Fig And Rum Walnut Pie – A walnut crust simply made into a small tart with a rum custard, topped with fresh figs.
Finale Savory Fig Jam For Television
Surely you saw my Fig Finale in the summertime of 2022.
This exciting opportunity, on The Great American Recipe on PBS, gave me the opportunity to showcase so many of my favorite recipes on television.
I made it to the finale and for that, I knew I wanted to feature figs in as many ways as possible, if I was to cook in the finale.
Family Fig Finale
What a fabulous finale it was! My favorite fig recipes (some of the above), were prepared by my son Tomio Daumit and myself.
The producers kept it a surprise, bringing a family member in the kitchen to cook for the finale with us.
We all had a blast and cooked our very best, as though at home!
You may have missed the series during the busy summer months, but it can be seen through the PBS website or app.
Savory Hot Fig Jam
My spicy hot fig jam is what I prepared for the PBS special Fig Finale and with the salmon, it was fig-tastic!
Surely duck, pork, lamb and even chicken are ingredients you will find pair perfectly with the spicy hot fig jam as a sauce.
Though undoubedly a Mediterranean tapas spread, with goat cheese or brie and homemade bread or homemade crackers with fig jam will get your attention if meat is not your thing!
Bourbon Sweet Fig Homemade Jam
My morning toast, loves a schmear of fig jam to start the day in the lazy days of August and September.
Come evening’s dessert, simply drizzle a little sweet fig jam over vanilla ice cream!
Do you make Homemade yeast bread or Pita Bread?
It would be delicious with sweet fig jam spread across the bread dough and rolled to bake with the jam inside.
How To Make Homemade Fig Jam – Savory Hot or Sweet
I find it such an easy jam to make and you will too.
Farmer’s markets, grocery stores, maybe even your neighbors are all heavy ladened with fresh figs by the end of August.
- First, wash the figs and cut the stems off. Pat the figs dry.
- Secondly, simply rough chop the figs and place in a medium size saucepan. Add the ingredients for either the sweet or hot jam, simmer about 20-minutes and cool.
- Lastly, puree and transfer into airtight containers to either keep in the fridge for about a week, or in the freezer to use all winter.
Fig jam – hot or sweet, freezes beautifully to use for off-season cooking of many fig recipes.
More Homemade Jam You Are Sure To Love
Depending on the season, I love to make a fresh fruit jam to incorporate into lots of recipes.
Here are just a few others I’m sure you will love!
- Strawberry Thyme Jam – A balance of sweet and sour, with the earthiness of thyme.
- Orange Blossom Marmalade – Orange rinds, pulp, juice and the essence of the orange blossoms.
Equipment Needed
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Saucepan
- Food processor or blender – a small, affordable 3-cup processor makes the job fast and easy
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Airtight containers – such as the 16 0z. Mason jars
Ingredients Needed
- Fresh figs
- Bourbon
- Balsamic vinegar
- Sugar
- Chili peppers
- Salt
- Garlic
Homemade Savory or Sweet Fig Jam
Equipment
- Small food processor or blender
- 16 oz. Mason jar
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 cups Fresh Figs rough chopped
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Bourbon
- 3 Garlic cloves for savory jam
- 4 Chili peppers, small for savory jam
- 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- For the Sweet jam only, place the figs, sugar and bourbon in a medium saucepan and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Cool and puree.
- For the Hot jam add the figs, sugar and bourbon to the saucepan along with the garlic, chili peppers, balsamic vinegar and salt. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Cool and puree.
Video
Notes
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.