Carefully wash the figs. Remove tough stems and coarsely chop the fruit into small pieces.

Transfer the chopped figs to a large bowl and stir in the sugar and lemon juice until the ingredients are combined. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved into a syrup.

Add the macerated fruit to a large skillet and cook the fig mixture over medium-high heat, frequently stirring until it bubbles and thickens to a jam-like consistency. The fig jam is done when a spatula can be traced along the bottom of the skillet, with the jam remaining separated after the spatula is lifted — about 10 to 12 minutes.

Carefully ladle the hot jam into prepared half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth and apply two-piece canning lids until fingertip tight.

Load the jars into a prepared hot water canner and process for 10 minutes if canning at an altitude below 6,000 feet.* When the timer goes off, turn off the canner and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes before removing them with a jar lifter.

Let fig jam come to room temperature (about 12 hours) and check the seal of each jar. Remove rings for another canning project from sealed jars and transfer any jars with unsealed lids to the refrigerator (enjoy within a week or two). Jars with sealed lids should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and enjoyed within 18 months.