How to Get the Most out of your Vanilla Beans

Beanilla's Vanilla Beans are now back in stock!  I've ordered vanilla beans from at least 5 different sources and believe me when I say, Beanilla has the best beans you will ever find.  Ever, period.

This sale is now over

From now until January 15, 2018, you can also use the code TIDBITS10 to save 10% off your order!  That's incredible in a world where a discount on beans is unheard of right now!  That discount also applies to anything on the Beanilla website!

Beanilla emailed me this morning to give me the big news that the Grade B Madagascar Bourban Vanilla Beans are in stock and are much larger and longer than the typical Grade B Vanilla beans.  He wrote, “These beans are beautiful and easily some of the best Grade B vanilla beans that we have seen!”

Lucky for you guys, you are the first to know because they will likely go fast!  If you are wanting to make your own vanilla for less than the cost of store bought or for Christmas gifts, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT!

Beanilla vanilla beans are high quality, full size, fragrant, and produce the best extract to ever come out of my kitchen.  In fact, they are so incredible, I can use half the amount of beans I normally do and still get potent, flavorful vanilla in under an hour using this Pressure Cooker Vanilla Extract method.

Since I've covered vanilla extract and all the FAQ's here, today I wanted to teach you how to get the most out of those vanilla beans.  It's no secret that vanilla beans are getting more expensive with each month that passes by, and word has it that they are going to make another big jump next year.  Which means store-bought vanilla extract is going to get more and more pricey too!

My suggestion?  Order the best vanilla beans money can buy from Beanilla, start brewing your own vanilla and save money in the long run.  Not only can you keep circulating your stash of homemade vanilla extract, but there are many other tricks you can do with your left over vanilla beans to really get all you can out of them.

And that is the point of today's post!  How to Get the Most out of your Vanilla Beans.  I'm going to teach you today how to get every last drop of vanilla goodness out of those precious beans.  Here we go!

Rotate, Rotate, Rotate

This tip was given to me by dear friend, Rich Lum.  If you've ever made Pressure Cooker Vanilla Extract, I'm sure you know exactly who he is.  You can keep your vanilla extract going for YEARS using this method!  Start out with 3 dark, aromatic batches of Pressure Cooker Vanilla Extract.  Label them 1, 2, and 3.  When jar 1 is half gone, add 1 extra bean . . .

Top it off with some fresh vodka.  My favorite is red label Smirnoff . . .

Then cap number 1, date it, and back of the line it goes to naturally infuse back to dark, rich, aromatic vanilla extract.  No need to pressure cook again.  Just let it sit and do its thing as you move through jars number 2 and 3.  As each jar becomes half empty, add a bean, top it with vodka, move it to the back of the line, and repeat.  Think of the money savings!  It's HUGE!

Check out the difference here!  Stunning!

If you use up a jar of vanilla extract, don't toss those beans!  The following are all excellent ways to make sure no amount of vanilla flavoring goes to waste.

Vanilla Bean Paste

Rich, syrupy, speckled vanilla bean paste is an absolute treasure.  You can buy it for a billion bucks, or use your left over vanilla extract beans to make this dreamy paste.  Vanilla Bean Paste is actually more intense than vanilla extract and has the bonus of all those beautiful vanilla bean flecks to make any dish feel even more fancy.  Check out this refined sugar-free recipe for Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste.

Vanilla Salt

I know what you're thinking.  Vanilla Salt?  What in the world would I use that for?  Answer: Like, EVERYTHING!  I love sprinkling it on my granola before it goes in to bake, but really there are so many more ways to use it.  Sprinkle it on cookies before baking, homemade popcorn, sweet potatoes, homemade fudge, caramel, etc, etc.  Just let your beans dry out on a paper towel lined plate for a few days, then slit or chop and shake with the salt of your choice.  Quick tip: avoid noniodized salt to prevent an off flavor.  Instead use sea salt, kosher salt, Maldon, fleur de sel, or grey sea salt.

Vanilla Sugar

This here is my favorite use.  There is nothing like the smell of vanilla sugar.  My goodness, it is glorious.  Just let your beans dry out like in the vanilla salt above, place them in some sugar, and shake it all about.  Presto Change – o: Heavenly Scented Vanilla Sugar.  A good ratio is about 1 bean to 2 cups of sugar.  However, I tend to just throw what I have into my sugar container and call it a day.  Check out how I used Vanilla Sugar in this Crio Bru Mason Jar gift.  It's a stunner this one.

Grind 'em up

Finally, to get every single bit of vanilla potential out of your beans, dry them out, and throw them in a spice grinder.  I don't exactly have the best spice grinder in the world, so I couldn't get it completely smooth, but a quick shake through a fine mesh sieve left me with some pretty impressive vanilla bean fairy dust.  I've been sprinkling this in just about everything: sugar, salt, pancake batter, yogurt, whipped cream, etc, etc.  Just a pinch goes a LONG way,

 

Aside from all these ideas, I've also used leftover extract beans to flavor Infused Water, Wassail, Yogurt (I throw it in while the milk is heating to 180 degrees), Poached Pears (recipe in Master the Electric Pressure Cooker), Infused Honey Syrup, Crio Bru, and this incredible Chocolate Syrup.

Well that about covers it!  If you have any other ideas, do tell!  I would love to hear your tricks and I'm sure others would to.

You might also be interested in how to make Instant Pot Gourmet Vanilla Extract like Coconut Vanilla, Cinnamon Vanilla, and Chocolate Vanilla.  It's amazing!

If you are making vanilla extract for gift giving, be sure and check out Cami's amazing extract labels.

Enjoy!

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