The lemon juice plays a safety role with figs since they are not acidic enough to be canned without it. But I see no problems with reducing the fig juice as you describe other than possible scorching. Less end product but a more concentrated flavor. The guidelines for juice extraction when making any of the fruit jellies

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/extract_juice.html

call for a longer cooking time and then straining for juice instead when making jelly. Have you tried that approach?

Dave

I haven't used a press or anything. I just cooked the fruit for about as long as the recipe I posted said and then I simply dumped it all into a colander lined with cheesecloth. I wanted absolutely no solids in it. In fact, this time around, I'm planning on using the egg-white approach to try to clarify it even more. You could almost see through the first batch I made.

I did find another recipe on the Kraft website for fig juice, but it only called for a quarter-cup of lemon juice for five pounds of fig juice covered with water. That's far less lemon juice than the recipe above! I don't know if Kraft's acceptance of the recipe should be seen as their approval for its safety or not.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/member-recipe/seedless-fig-juice-for-jelly-188817.aspx

On this recipe for the fig jelly made with the juice from the other recipe has 1/4 cup of lemon juice for five cups of juice:

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/member-recipe/fig-jelly-seedless-188806.aspx

I would be comfortable using the Kraft recipe. It is more in keeping with the methods recommended in the standard guidelines than the recipe you first listed.

Dave

I'll try the Kraft recipe next. I've already made tonight's batch of jelly using the recipe in the original post. It only made four pints canned with some extra foamy jelly I skimmed off the top and put into the fridge to be eaten this week. It tastes absolutely nothing like figs, but it is delicious! :)

Here are two recipes I saved for "future reference" but have never made.

Fig Jam

3-4 half pints

3 1/2 cups figs, chopped (peel if desired)

2 cup white sugar

1 large orange

3-4 Tblsp. Lemon juice

(Either white or dark figs may be used, but use the larger amount of lemon juice with the dark figs.)

1. Peel (if desired) and chop figs. Add sugar.

2. Cut orange rind very fine.. about 1/3 cup. Cook rind in a small amount of water until tender. Chop the rind and add to figs.

3. Cook all slowly for about 1/2 hour until thick, stirring freuently.

4. Add lemon juice.

5 Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Seal at once.

This was on GardenWeb:

• evenshade (My Page) on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 15:00

We eat them fresh, of course, but for preserving, I make Chipotle Fig jam. I use a recipe similar to this one.....

Chipotle Fig Jam
Yields 4 half pints

2 lbs figs, chopped
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
4 tablespoons lemon juice, plus a few lemon slices if desired
1-1½ canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped " to taste, depending on your desired spice level

Chop your figs according to how chunky you want your jam, and place in a large non-reactive pot. Cover with sugar and let macerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Add water, lemon juice, and lemon slices if using, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and stir regularly to prevent scorching.

After an hour, if needed, use a potato masher to break up the figs. Stir in the chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce.

Cook another 15-20 minutes, or until the jam has reached a consistency you like.

Ladle into hot jars, and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

I have processed them in boiling water but usually make "freezer" jam.