Wife is the jam and jelly authority in out house and according to her it cleans and sterilizes the skin somewhat and also makes it more tender, less chewy. Do you have to do it? No, you can just scrub them really well. But reports are that the end quality if much better if you do the boiling water pour.

But it is done before chopping and since your are already chopped it is too late to do it now anyway.

Dave

For making jam figs just need to be rinsed briefly in room temp water, like you would blueberries. What kind of dirt is going to be up in those trees? No boiling water, scrub brush, sanitizing, or peeling needed for Brown Turkey figs, ever. For freezing, I trim off the stem, cut them in half or fourths, put them in a plastic bag and cover that with foil (plastic breathes, foil doesn't). If you are getting just a few at a time put them in a large plastic freezer box and add the fresh ones to the frozen ones. Defrost in refrigerator for a couple of hours - not on the counter and don't nuke them, they don't have to be completely defrosted to make into jam.

Brown Turkey Fig Jam

Rinse and quarter 2# figs (about 5-6C prepared, or @42 small figs)

In a large pan on medium heat put 1/2 C bottled lemon juice, 3/4 C water, and stir in 1 1/2 packets dry pectin (5 T if bulk) until mixed. Add the figs and (optional) use a stick blender after they have warmed. Raise heat to medium high (#8 of 10). Stir often until the mix starts to simmer then constantly to bring to a full boil. Add 7 C sugar and stir to dissolve, then stir constantly to bring to a full boil, then time constant boiling for 1 minute. Take off the heat. Let it rest a minute or two and skim some of the seeds off if you want to - most all rise to the top - I use a small fine sieve. Put in 8 half-pint jars, wipe rims, put on lids and bands. BWB 10 minutes.

For Low Sugar Fig jam use 5 C figs, 1 1/2 pkts low-or-no sugar pectin, 1/3 C lemon juice, 1/4 C water, only 3 C sugar, and follow the same directions. It will not be as firm as jam and will not fill as many jars.

Nancy