What are you canning now? - Page 596

I want to make my own vanilla extract.  Can someone give me the details?  What kind of vodka do you use?  What kind of vanilla bean?  Where to get the vanilla beans at the best price?  How long does it need to age?

18 pints sauerkraut soup
6 quarts chicken vegetable soup

I used Skol vodka cause it was the cheapest around. Use the cheapest stuff you can. You only use a little bit and the alcohol cooks off, and the vanilla will overpower any weird taste of the vodka. I bought my vanilla beans (1/2 pound which is about 60 beans) off an ebay seller called vanilla products. I bought the madagascar grade b extract beans. I re-used beer bottles to put the extract in, and sliced open 6 bean pods, shoved them in the beer bottle and then covered it with vodka. Corked it and been shaking it. It's been...what 2 days?  And it' already a darker brown color. Not the color of vanilla extract, maybe like a light cola,  but I think by xmas it should be ready.

Every recipe I read said to chop the beans up, but I didn't like that idea. I like to keep the beans in there, and be able to pour out from the bottle without having to strain it. You can eat the seeds that will float all around the bottle, but the outside bean you can not. So by slicing them length wise, it exposed all the seeds but you won't have to strain it.

I got 2 bottles of 1.75L of vodka, and 1/2 pound of vanilla beans...cost me about 40 bucks. (Vodka was 10 a bottle, beans shipped were 20.) I ended up with 9-12oz beer bottles of vanilla extract, that comes out to roughly .40 cents an ounce. And those little 1 ouncers we buy for what? 4 bucks?

I think within 6 months its at its full flavor, but I would think as soon as its the color of the normal stuff it would be fine to use. HTH! I would like to know what Tif does, as this was my first time making it!!

I put my vodka in an huge old pickle jar and put about 20 vanilla beans in it that I have sliced in half the long way.And I just let that hang out in the back of the pantry for a few months, I give it a good shake about every other day or so.When I think its ready I get out the little bottles I bought online and put some short vanilla beans that I've sliced and pour in the vanilla.I print out some labels that I made that will make the buyer smile and that's about it! Oh and I purchase the cheap vodka!

I do my vanilla with white rum. I put 4 sliced open beans in a pint jar and fill it will white rum. So delicious! Takes about a month before I use it, but longer is better and you get it darker that way. When the vanilla is gone, I reuse the beans, and add a couple more... then in with the rum again. I've probably made it and use it all 4 times this year!

left over sauce from cooking a brisket in the slowcooker...

I had 3 pints left and didn't want to waste it...

PCing same time and weight as beef stock since it has beef juices in it.

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/making-homemade-vanilla-extract-aka-why-laura-bought-a-gallon-of-vodka
this works great.

Check these out!

http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2009/12/26/make-your-own-vanilla-extract.html


These are so darn cute, I just bought some vanilla beans off of ebay and bought these bottles she used as well!

I even ordered the labels so I could sell some and give some away as Christmas gifts.

Whooohoooo!!!

too cute.....I started mine too late

Thanks for all the suggestions on the vanilla, I'm going to try it.