Old Fashioned Fig Preserves

8 cups figs, stemmed
Sure-Jell
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
8-10 cups granulated sugar*

Stem the figs, letting some of the skin release also and discard. I don't completely skin mine, but tearing off a little helps when you mash them. Add all of the ingredients, except the sugar, into a large stock pot and cook over medium to medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Add all the sugar at once and return to a boil. I let mine cook for a few minutes. I also used a submersion blender to break up the figs. That step is totally optional. You can leave them whole or used a potato masher to mash them, if you like. Remove from heat and carefully spoon or pour into jars. I yielded 3 pints and 5 half pints from this batch. You can either process the jars of preserves in a water bath, or store in the refrigerator. 

One Pint is missing from the picture because

my DIL was here and took it home! LOL
Good stuff!

*Depending on how ripe the figs are, you may use more. My figs were the last of the harvest and were so ripe, most were dark brown, almost black. They were VERY sweet and required less sugar.