So Easy To Preserve specifically states not to puree figs

Where? Specifics please on what you are comparing. And if making jam why are we talking about making fruit purees? They aren't the same thing and have different instructions (no jams in quarts) so I'm not following you.

The Fig Jam recipes in both BBB and NCHFP?So Easy are identical.

Dave

I'm not comparing jam recipes to purees. I'm processing figs into jam, which is why I was looking at all of the fig recipes.

I was also making grape juice this weekend and pureed some of the leftovers. When I was looking at the instructions for fruit puree to do the grapes, that's when I noticed the instructions in the Ball Blue Book that included figs as a puree. Since I didn't think that was an OK thing to do, I checked it against So Easy to Preserve, and the instructions specifically say you can't make fig puree. So I'm wondering about it.

So Easy to Preserve and NCHFP recipes are the same, but they are NOT the same as the Ball Blue Book. I am comparing the basic puree instructions from So Easy to Preserve to the Ball Blue Book.

It is on page 39-40 of So Easy to Preserve for Fruit Puree...The first sentence says "CAUTION: These recommendations should not be used with figs, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and other mllons, papaya, ripe mango or coconut. There are no home canning recommendations available for purees of these products."

On page 22 of the Ball Blue Book, for "Fruit Puree or Nectar", the very last sentence of the instructions say: "Note: Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per quart pureed figs."

Jill

It is on page 39-40 of So Easy to Preserve for Fruit Puree.

That is what I needed. I checked every fig jam recipe imaginable and no where did it say you can't puree them.

However those instructions on p. 39 in SEP cannot be used for figs etc. because figs require the addition of the lemon juice.

So Easy To Preserve specifically states not to puree figs

It doesn't say you can't puree figs. You are reading into it. It says you can't use those particular instructions for pureeing figs because they do not include the added lemon juice.

See the difference?

So are you wanting to puree figs for some reason or make jams with them? The Fig Jam recipes are basically pureed figs.

Dave

I wish I'd never mentioned jam. I was just looking for fig recipes--and looking at all of them. I ended up deciding on jam. That is unrelated to the fruit purees. Between looking for fig recipes and making grape puree over the weekend, I saw these recipes and noted the difference.

Regarding the So Easy To Preserve recipe, though, I don't think my interpretation of their intent is wrong...The Easy to Preserve recipe for fruit puree has the disclaimer for the specific fruits, including figs that clearly says "There are no home canning recommendations available for purees of these products." It doesn't say "There are no home canning recommendations available for purees of these products unless you use lemon juice."

Jill

I'm very interested in this discussion, because my main fig crop is almost ripe.

Last year I used a recipe for 'fig preserves', which includes lemon juice, and had the figs whole, halved, or quartered.

I also made one batch where I added a bunch of thin strips of lemon peel (like marmalade) and, every time I tasted it while it was cooking down, I couldn't help exclaiming, 'OMG, this is so GOOD!'

I recommend that :).

I'll try to explain my reasoning better.

The Easy to Preserve recipe for fruit puree has the disclaimer for the specific fruits, including figs that clearly says "There are no home canning recommendations available for purees of these products."

Yes it does say that, in that one location. It also states that same claim in the USDA Guidelines. Both poorly worded as I maintain the qualifier should have been included in the statement.

It lists "figs, tomatoes, canaloupe and other melons, papaya, ripe mango or coconut."

However we all know that isn't literally true. We all know that tomatoes may be pureed and canned as we all make tomato sauce. We all know that there are approved acidified recipes for ripe mangoes including the Mango Sauce recipe that calls for 5 1/2 cups of mango puree. We know there are jam and preserves recipes for both pureed tomatoes and pureed figs. right? We all make them and instructions for doing them are NCHFP provided.

So clearly there are recommendations available for canning purees of these foods when they are properly acidified.

The USDA Guidelines goes on to say (likely in this book somewhere as well) that "these foods, when properly acidified, may be canned and may be processed in a BWB.

FIGS USDA Guide to Canning Fruits (p. 2-14)
Important: All home-canned Figs must be acidified before canning in a boiling water canner to make them safe from the microorganism that causes botulism.

It adds the same warning to all the foods listed above (except coconut milk) which would directly contradict the comment on page 39 in So Easy to Preserve if we take it literally.

So yes you may can tomato puree, fig puree (just as the Ball book lists), mango puree, papaya puree, even melon puree when those foods are first properly acidified.

Ok?

Dave

It can sure get confusing. Sometimes I feel like the more I learn, the more I don't know! I was so focused on the word "figs" that I never even thought about tomatoes being in that statement and having made tomato paste. I follow the recipes and know that what might be in one canning book might seem to break the rules, but is still valid, but this one just seemed to be so contradictory. I appreciate your feedback. I probably won't ever make fig puree, but now I know the answer. :-)