SIGforum
Who here makes their own vanilla extract?
May 27, 2018, 05:53 PM
deepoceanWho here makes their own vanilla extract?
For those here who make or have made their own vanilla extract, I have some high quality beans and I'd like to make both single and double fold vanilla extract.
I have some questions I am hoping our Sigforum chefs will answer:
Which recipe do you use to make your extract? What proof alcohol do you use? Do you use Everclear, vodka, or something else?
How do you prepare the pods? What type of bottle do you use?
How many months do you soak the prepared vanilla pods in the solution?
May 27, 2018, 06:03 PM
eyrich1/4 lb beans cut in 1/4"-1/2" pieces (used a new pet toe nail clipper)
quart canning jar
fill with vodka (cheap)
6 weeks
strain out the beans
done
May 27, 2018, 06:15 PM
deepoceanquote:
Originally posted by eyrich:
1/4 lb beans cut in 1/4"-1/2" pieces
Did you open up the beans along the long axis to expose the seeds before you cut them in pieces?
May 27, 2018, 06:19 PM
229DAKSeen the price of vanilla beans lately? Unbelievable!
_________________________________________________________________________
“A man’s treatment of a dog is no indication of the man’s nature, but his treatment of a cat is. It is the crucial test. None but the humane treat a cat well.”
-- Mark Twain, 1902
May 27, 2018, 06:22 PM
eyrichquote:
Originally posted by eyrich:
1/4 lb beans cut in 1/4"-1/2" pieces (used a new pet toe nail clipper)
quart canning jar
fill with vodka (cheap)
6 weeks
strain out the beans
done
no, just cut them to length and soaked
May 27, 2018, 06:30 PM
downtownvY"all are wasting your beans!
WHOLE beans soaking in Cheap vodka, as you use any vanilla add more vodka in the same beans.
I use 6 beans in an old tomato sauce jar.
May 27, 2018, 06:30 PM
mark_aWe split ours lengthwise. Stick it in Mason jars and stick in the back of the pantry.
We usually let's ours sit for about 6 months. We also make a boubon based version for certain types of dessert like bourbon pecan pie
May 27, 2018, 07:53 PM
brecaidraI pour a shot from a bottle of vodka to make a little space and drop the cut pieces of beans into the bottle. I'm currently on my third batch with the same beans. First batch took two months, second took six months, so I'm guessing a year for this one. I have Tahitian beans, but I think Madagascar are more common. Some people use Bourbon rather than vodka.
SIGforum's triple minority
"It can't rain all the time." - Eric Draven May 27, 2018, 08:54 PM
preten2bWe used brandy here.
------------------
The plural of anecdote is not data. -Frank Kotsonis
June 25, 2018, 10:55 PM
deepoceanI made the double fold extract today. I think my hands are going to smell like gourmet vanilla beans for a week.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to help me with this.
June 25, 2018, 11:06 PM
GustoferHow do you know when it's done?
My grandma used to say, "when it looks right". I suppose it's one of those types of deals?
________________________________________________________
"Great danger lies in the notion that we can reason with evil." Doug Patton.
June 25, 2018, 11:11 PM
ChicagoSigManAnd never toss the beans. When you're done, throw them in the dehydrator, then grind them in a spice grinder and use the powder to boost the vanilla flavor of just about anything.
June 25, 2018, 11:46 PM
deepoceanquote:
Originally posted by Gustofer:
How do you know when it's done?
I'm going to leave the vanilla beans in the solution for 6 months to a year. It started to look dark after a few hours.
There are a LOT of beans in each quart. I weighed the beans using a calibrated gram scale. With ~47.5% alcohol and double the normal weight of beans, hopefully it will work well. I will shake the mixture up on a regular basis for a while then let it be.
quote:
Originally posted by ChicagoSigMan:
And never toss the beans. When you're done, throw them in the dehydrator, then grind them in a spice grinder and use the powder to boost the vanilla flavor of just about anything.
Thank you for the suggestion, and good luck with your new chocolatier venture. With your food talents, that should be a great success.