Making vanilla extract Ina Garten's way..anyone try it?

Question

Just watching Ina Garten and saw her make vanilla extract. She just put the entire bean right in with the vodka into a mason jar. No splitting and cutting. I usually cut my vanilla beans in one inch sections then split them before adding the vodka.The advantage doing it her way is that at some point you can take out the bean and cut one end and then squeeze out the inside. Seems logical. Have any of you tried it?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/vanilla-extract-recipe4/index.html

Answer

I've made vanilla for ages but have never Ina's way. I always split the pods and scrape out the seeds. Whenever I have a used pod I throw it in and top up with Vodka, Brandy and/or Bourbon. Keeps indefinitely. Love the stuff myself.

Answer

I have some friends in Mexico who put it in rum. It is fantastic stuff and adds a lot to many dishes. It takes six months or so, though.

Answer

I also use rum (as posted above). I have used whole beans (not split) and it works just fine. I have also squeezed out the insides later for vanilla paste. It works very well.

However, now I just snip off one end of the bean. I do this because I actually like the little seed flecks in my extract, you don't get that when you put in a whole bean. I also find I don't really use the vanilla paste (squeezed out seeds), I just always forget I have it.

Answer

I NEED to try this! But I do have a couple of questions on everyone's suggestions above:

1) Will the extract still be strongly rum/vodka flavoured? or does the vanilla bean over power the taste of the booze? I'd want the vanilla flavour, not the booze.

2) A couple fo "recipe" mention splitting (which is understandable) and scraping, the bean. Now, I've scrapped the bean before for various recipes so I know how to, but for this extract, would you scrape it and then dump the little mound on the end of your knife into the bottle in a clump? Would that not make the extract have "floaty bits" in it, or does that clump break down in the lovely vanilla dots you usually find? 

I'm thinking that this would be perfect as a christmas gift for a few people I know, so I want to get on this ASAP, and I don't want a recipe which they would have to filter it before each usage.

Answer

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/803548

A few helpful tips and ideas, sources for reasonably priced beans in this older thread.

Answer

I've used Ina's recipe for years and it yields a wonderful extract. The flavor it imparts to cakes and cookies is unbeatable.

Answer

http://www.chow.com/videos/show/all/69537/how-to-get-the-seeds-out-of-a-vanilla-pod

java, have you seen this CHOW video for making extract, paste and uses for the pods.

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Making vanilla extract Ina Garten's way..anyone try it?

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