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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,511
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I was watching a Barefoot Contessa show featuring an all things vanilla theme when she briefly discussed making your own vanilla.

 

She showed the how to followed by the comment that the bean pods in her jar were 30 years old and she just reuses them when making a new batch.

 

While I love Ina, I always see her using bottled vanilla. Your thoughts on reusing vanilla beans for THIS long?

Contributor
Posts: 57
Registered: ‎01-09-2017

Vanilla is one of a few things that never expires. So I could her keeping it for so long. Also honey never expires.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,229
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@SnowpuppyI didn't see the show, but that is now you make vanill sugar which is used for many things.

 

Unless you grow vanilla beans, you have to buy them.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,935
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Wow 30 yrs. That's a long time to be re-using Vanilla Beans. She probably only uses the bery best out there so maybe so.

I should buy some Vanilla Beans so I can make my own Vanilla. It's so expensive now.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,511
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@Nightowlz wrote:

Wow 30 yrs. That's a long time to be re-using Vanilla Beans. She probably only uses the bery best out there so maybe so.

I should buy some Vanilla Beans so I can make my own Vanilla. It's so expensive now.


The beans are now outrageously priced, too! 

 

I am going to make a batch this month so it cures in time for holiday baking. The 30 year shelf life was a nice thought to offset the initial investment in bean pods but I don't think I'm going to chance it.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,038
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

@Nightowlz wrote:

Wow 30 yrs. That's a long time to be re-using Vanilla Beans. She probably only uses the bery best out there so maybe so.

I should buy some Vanilla Beans so I can make my own Vanilla. It's so expensive now.


The beans are expensive too.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,635
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@SnowpuppyI can not believe how high vanilla beans have gotten.

1/31/2015
I bought 1/2 lb of Grade B Madagascar Vanilla Beans from Beanilla ($31.45-10% Coupon=$28.31 Free S&H)
There were 61 beans in the 1/2 lb bag. Their web site says "Approximately 72-85 Beans", but I weighed them & it was exactly 1/2 lb.
I bought 2 1.75 liter (7.4 Cups-or 59 oz/14.8 Cups-118oz for 2. There are 16 C in a gallon.) bottles of Korski 80 Proof Vodka ($14.00 Each)
$28.31+28.00=$56.31 $3.80 per C of pure Vanilla Extract.

 

8oz of the Grade B Madagascar Vanilla Beans are now $199.95 on Beanilla. There is a 5% off coupon available. 

 

I may reuse beans, I didn't when I made my vanilla in 2015, but I can't imagine them having much flavor left after 30 years!

 

Super Contributor
Posts: 443
Registered: ‎11-16-2011

A very large part of the world's vanilla bean crop comes from the island of Madagascar, which has animals that are not found anywhere else. Unfortunately, many of those animals are becoming very endangered because their habitats are being encroached upon to grow these beans.  Hopefully someone out there is looking for another way or place to grow vanilla.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,508
Registered: ‎07-09-2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWdVuddIrkQ

 

above is the clip of Ina making vanilla extract

 

she keeps refilling the jar with volka and beans - how to you keep track of which vanilla bean is cured enough to take out and squeeze the seeds out

 

I don't use enough vanilla to try this experiment - but it does look interesting

 

she also uses the spent pod to put in sugar - for vanilla sugar

 

LOVE INA

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,201
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

After mascerating in alcohol for all that time, they will not go bad. I haven't had my pods for that long, but I never throw them out, unless I've scraped them to oblivion.