Vanilla Extract

Last week, I decided to make vanilla extract, since I had all the ingredients handy. If I would have thought about it, I would've taken a picture at each step, but it's pretty easy to do (vanilla beans + vodka + bottle).


Here's how I did it:


I only had two vanilla beans, so that's how many I used, and I figured it'd be okay because the bottle I'm using isn't very big. I sliced them open with a paring knife, and then picked up a butter knife to scrape out the inside (which is called caviar, which is weird). I made a pile of the caviar off to the side of my cutting board, and set to cutting up the outer parts of the pods. I cut them only a couple of times, and then shoved them into my container. I'd recommend using a jar or a bottle with a cork, but all I had was a clear bottle that has a drizzle spout thing. After putting in the shells (or whatever they're called), I carefully put the caviar inside the bottle. Then I took the only vodka I had available, a plain 80 proof, and poured it into the other bottle, until it more than covered the contents, and looked like it was enough. I rigged up a way to securely close my bottle, and shook it for a minute. I store mine in a cabinet, and I shook it a few times every day for the first week.

At day one.

For the next few weeks, it won't need as much shaking, and then at the fourth week it'll be ready to test-taste. It's fully ready at six months, and that's when I'll pick out all the big stuff from the inside. Some people say to filter it really well at this time, but a good friend told me not to, and I trust this person more than anyone else I know with food, because she's super smart and went to culinary school and only ever makes delicious things.

At day seven.