Figs... what to do with a tree full, can I freeze?

deb8888, Mar 22, 8:45am
Have you any ideas? Has anyone ever dried them, if I freeze them will they come out all sloppy?
lindylambchops1, Mar 22, 8:53am
How do you know when your figs are ready? I have a fig tree which is loaded. It is just a young tree, but obviously a good season for them. I am in the South Island. Not sure what the variety is. If you type 'fig recipes' into left hand side box and change last 24 hours to anytime I am sure you will find some fig suggestions.
deb8888, Mar 22, 9:02am
You can tell when your figs are ripe... the birds suddenly develop a very keen interest... . if you pick one and taste it , it will be really soft on the inside and very sweet... even though the outer skin can be a green colour or a brown skin depending on the type... mine has a green skin, if yours is the same it might be worth picking one and trying for mine are ripening now.
weezil, Mar 22, 11:07am
you could always sell some on here couldnt you? ... (she says as she longs to taste a fresh fig). .
lulu239, Mar 22, 7:45pm
Ooooh deb, I'd love it if you would put some up for sale. I haven't tasted fresh figs for ages and I just love fig jam. I can pick up too, being in Hamilton.
jag5, Mar 22, 7:57pm
They have a very short shelf life, that is why you rarely see them in supermarkets. Did see some last year for $70 kilo! ! ! ! I kid you not.

As above, you know they are ripe because they disappear... birds love them. Depending on size of tree, can you cover it with netting, or try hanging old CD's in the tree... . the sun glints off them and birds don't like them.
katalin2, Mar 22, 8:19pm
I do huge batches in the crockpot- either in orange juice and a little sugar, or a spiced sugar syrup, or even in red wine+ sugar. Then I bottle them or freeze them. I use them in tagines, in cakes, or the whole ones in red wine ( even nicer if cooked in port) with blue cheese. Havejust bottled some with apples- again all done in the crockpot on low overnight. (I have a large oval crockpot which is really useful at times like this. )
clair4, Mar 23, 6:08am
I would love to buy some too.
timetable, Mar 23, 6:11am
pack them in a box and send them down to me in gore lol! ! they cost a small fortune down here... ... . .
deb8888, Mar 23, 10:36am
katalin... can you give me some more info on bottling them in a crockpot overnight... havnt thought of that... or how much port to water? etc. . thanks
flyingpencil, Mar 23, 10:55am
I had them on bread with cheese in Ecuador! If I remember rightly the bread was warm and the cheese melted. Nice too.
prendy1, Mar 30, 6:54am
x1
Does anyone have a nice recipe for slow-cooking figs in syrup? I've got a kilo coming my way and want to try lots of ways of cooking them.
purplegoanna, Mar 30, 7:34pm
what id give to be you with a treeful! the blimin birds ate all my supply!
purplegoanna, Mar 30, 7:36pm
either jamie oliver or nigella have a lovely recipe. . i think it was nigella. . oooh so does that other cooking show guy 'james martins brittany'? ? ?
1buzemum, Mar 31, 9:23am
My mum makes "fig and Ginger jam" sooooo delish

Eat them straight off the tree (I did that last year when visiting someone with a fig tree)
1buzemum, Mar 31, 9:29am
fig stuffed rolled pork roast

125g pork mince
1 small green apple, peeled & chopped
6 dried figs
1/2 cup white bread crumbs
spring onions

mix all together spread out on pork and roll up ... . . so yummy with pork
uli, Mar 31, 8:39pm
I make pickled figs - just made another two jars last night. I use vinegar, sugar, cinnamon and cloves for the "normal" version and add chillies and limes for the spicy version. Just make the liquid first in the widest pot you have (I use my trusty 40cm stainless steel pan for that), then put the whole figs in there (the smaller ones work best) and shake them - DO NOT stir or you have a mush.

After 10 or 15 minutes when they are thoroughly cooked ladle into jars and close the lid. Very nice with hot or cold meat or cheese.

I have tried to make some with stevia, but was not impressed, so this is my high carb indulgence over winter :)
uli, Mar 31, 8:40pm
The big ones I stuff with blue vein cheese (they have that very practical opening at the bottom LOL) and then roll a rasher of bacon around them and bake in the oven - nice with anything. I will have some for lunch today.
prendy1, Apr 2, 2:21am
Oh yum! Thanks for your ideas!
buzzy110, Dec 26, 6:59am
Those last 2 recipes have been carefully copied and pasted into my recipes file. They look amazing. For lower GI carbs I would probably even consider using palm sugar instead.

The birds deal to my fig tree every year but eventually it will grow big enough that there will be enough left over for me and those two recipes will come in handy.