HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT

It's that time of year, time to start a batch of vanilla extract.  I've posted this before but it's always a popular post and is always enjoyed by new blog readers.

Vodka for vanilla extract

It starts with a bottle of Vodka.  You don't have to use a premium high end brand, just something good.  We've used Smirnoff for years.  This size bottle is $11 at our local liquor store.

www.vanillabeankings.com

We used to order from another website but they have been out for the last year or so and we had to find a new source.  We don't get anything for posting this but people always ask us where to get vanilla beans so we wanted to share.  We get Madagascar "Grade A" for our extract making.  

Now here is a warning: wherever you buy, don't be shocked but vanilla prices have skyrocketed in recent years.  I remember our first batch of 10 beans when we started doing this was about $12.  Not anymore.  It's a worldwide thing, failed crops, weather, the import/export fees, etc, have all combined to drive up the cost of vanilla beans.  

This package of 10 beans was about $36 (and it was even on sale too) but vanillabeankings.com had the best price for the quality that we found.  

Vanilla beans

I pull the beans out of the package and put them on a cutting board.  You always want to use good, plump beans like these above.  They should be moist.  You don't want the beans that come in a test tube like container at the grocery store and have been sitting there for months. 

I slice them in half.  Not necessary but it exposes the beans to the alcohol much quicker.  All the flavor is inside!  It makes for a rich and wonderful extract. 

Homemade vanilla extract

I pour off a bit of vodka into a cup so I can see how much the beans displace.  Then when they are all in, I pour as much of the vodka back in as will fit.  

Screw the top on and that's it!  You're done!

It will be ready in about 3 months but we like to let it age and so we don't use it until at least six months or later if we haven't run out of the previous bottle yet.  That's why we are always starting one while still using another one.

EDIT:  Keep it in a dark place out of sunlight, like a pantry or cabinet and every few days or once a week, just take the bottle and gently turn it from end to end a few times just to mix things up.  It will get darker and richer as time goes by.

People have asked do you filter it when it's done?  You can, absolutely.  One year we gave smaller bottles away as gifts at a party and I used one of those gold mesh coffee filters to filter it.  When we use it for our baking however, we just pour it out as we need it.  As it gets to the lower part of the bottle, we will filter of course. 

How easy is that?

DIY vanilla extract

On the left is the full new bottle, on the right is our current bottle, beautiful, dark and already half gone (2nd Man loves his homemade vanilla extract). 

So our total cost (this year) is $47.  Sounds like a lot (and it is, ha) but we end up with about 25 ounces of wonderful, quality vanilla extract.  Nielsen-Massey (a top end extract) has an 8 ounce bottle for sale for $36.  We have three times that much for just a little more.  That's a win.