Is there an abundance of figs in your backyard? Make this Unripe Fig Jam Recipe with some of them before they get ripe. You will be amazed with the result. Nothing like you've tasted before. A great sweet snack or a garnish for your crepes and pancakes.
Jams have a special place in the category of Turkish desserts, they are one of the staple breakfast food. Check out our mulberry jam recipe, orange jam recipe and lemon jam recipe, which are perfect with cakes. Also our strawberry jam makes a perfect dessert with yogurt and plum jam made with butter is great on toasted bread. All are made without pectin.
We love that green color of this unripe fig jam! Most people think that unripe fruits are worthless. Wrong for unripe figs! This jam is unbelievable! Try it and see it yourself!
What Is Unripe Fig Jam?
When I saw unripe figs at the open market today, I decided to make this fig jam. A village woman was selling it. She told that she picked these unripe figs up from the tree in their village. She had no scales, just 2 bags of figs in front of her. She said each bag weighs 1 kilo (2,20 pound), and her word was enough for me, no need to weigh on a scale. I bought one of the bags, but I had never made unripe fig jam before although I ate many times. Luckily enough, that lady gave me the instructions providing that I would come back and tell her the result. Proud to say that I've succeeded. A bowl of the jam would be a nice gift for her, right?
You might find it weird to make jam of unripe figs, but I can tell that you don’t feel any unripeness when you taste it. We call it jam, but I think it can also be included in category of desserts as I love to eat it not just at breakfast but also during day with cream, ice cream or plain.
Btw did you know anything about the benefits of unripe fig sap, that sticky white liquid. It is helpful in the treatment of skin warts. Just drop it on the wart and see the result.
How To Prepare Unripe Figs
Wash the figs and clean their stems. We’ll boil the figs two times changing the water each time to lose its unripeness taste. Fill a large pot with water and boil the figs for about 10 minutes. Let it cool.
When it is cool enough to touch, squeeze the figs gently to remove the bad taste. You can make tiny holes on figs with a needle if you like and then squeeze. Then fill the pot with water again, boil again and squeeze again. This squeezing part might take a long time, but if you are passionate enough, you’ll see it is worth. Then drain.
Making Unripe Fig Jam
Meanwhile you can start to boil 5 and ½ cup water and sugar together in a different pot. After it boils, add the squeezed figs in it. You will see that these figs turn back into their original shape in this boiling sherbet. Put the cloves with the figs to give this jam an outstanding flavor. Boil them for about 25 minutes. Finally, add lemon juice and boil it 5 minutes more.
Let it cool and fill it in jars. You can keep them at room temperature, at a dry and dark place. We love it cold, so we keep it in refrigerator. This makes a wonderful breakfast when paired with a slice of fresh fig nut bread or a great authentic Turkish dessert like walnut baklava when served with walnuts and Turkish salep ice cream.
More Jam Recipes Without Pectin
More Fig Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Unripe Fig Jam
A scrumptious green jam with unripe figs.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 jar 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients
- 1 kilo (2,20 pounds) unripe fig
- 1 kilo sugar
- 5 ½ cups water
- 1 lemon
- 4 cloves
Instructions
- Wash the figs and clean their stems.
- Fill a large pot with water and boil the figs for about 10 minutes.
- Let it cool.
- When they are cool enough to touch, squeeze the figs gently to remove the bad taste.
- Repeat the same step.
- Boil 5 ½ cups water and sugar together in a different pot.
- Add the squeezed figs in it.
- Put the cloves with the figs to give this jam an outstanding flavor.
- Boil them for about 25 minutes.
- Finally, add lemon juice and boil it 5 minutes more.
- Let it cool and fill it in jars.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 jar
- Calories: 4617
- Sugar: 1160.8 g
- Sodium: 78 mg
- Fat: 3.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 1193.4 g
- Protein: 7.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: fig jam, unripe figs
Jeanne says
These are male figs, not unripe figs. On the female tree nothing is growing yet, the male figs are “ripe” is spring (now!)
I make jam every spring, very good with some orange zest.
Jon says
You 5 1/2 water, how much is that ?
Zerrin & Yusuf says
It is 5 and 1/2 cups as written in the ingredient list.
Carolin says
Made this today and last year of the unripe figs left on our tree since it's almost winter here in Canada. Unfortunately only about 1/3 of the figs on the tree ripen because the tree doesn't get enough sun 🙁 Yummy!
★★★★★
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Caroline,
Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
Simona says
I’m in progress with this recipe, but curious if anyone has any recommendations for how to clean the sticky white sap from pots and bowls? I’m having such trouble getting it off! Hoping the final product turns out well!
★★★★★
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Simona,
This is something we have never had difficulty with. Thank you for asking. Warm water and soap should be working. No? You can try white vinegar too. Hope this helps.
Reanon Casillo says
How long is the jam good for after making?
Zerrin & Yusuf says
You can keep it for 2 months in the fridge. You need to can it if you want to keep it longer.
Holly says
Thank you for the recipe. I look forward to trying it.
My question is how unripe can the figs be?
Our fig tree (possibly a Desert King variety?) produces two crops of figs, but in our climate (pacific northwest) the later figs never ripen.
This recipe will be great for our first crop figs that sometimes get picked underripe (before the critters come and take them).
I am wondering if it would work for the second crop figs as well? They grow to about half the size of our first crop figs and remain hard.
Thank you very much!
Zerrin & Yusuf says
We make this jam with really unripe figs that are hard and inedible if not turned into a jam. So this recipe should work for your second crop figs too.
Cheers!