Use a 3 or 4 quart sauce pot. Heat the tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer.
Saute the minced onions until they begin caramelize and turn light golden brown - about 10 minutes.
Add in the minced garlic and saute for two minutes. Add in the brown sugar, stirring to incorporate and melt the sugar, about 2 minutes.
Next, add in the figs, the cup of balsamic vinegar and the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cook, over lowest heat until the vinegar is reduced by at least half of it's volume, the figs break down and the mixture thickens; simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour.
Stir occasionally to keep the mixture from burning on the bottom. When the jam is thick enough for a spoon to stand up in it and is no longer watery, ladle it into a hot, clean glass jar and allow to cool before refrigerating.
If canning, use sterilized jars and lids and seal with a new lid; process in a water bath for 15 to 20 minutes, cool and make sure the lid sealed and "popped" shut.
Jam lasts in the refrigerator for up to two weeks; canned jars will hold for one year, unopened.
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