I've had a 1/2 gallon bottle of Vanilla extract going since 2013 but Ina Garten has one going for over 30 years! I just add vanilla beans occasionally and whatever booze I have on hand so I've added bourbon, vodka and rum. It is so superior to anything store bought. Great video! I predict you'll have 100K subscribers by Christmas if not before! You're fabulous!!!
Really? I’m so curious. So I can start with any liquor and vanilla beans? Just continue to add any liquor to the bottle to keep it going? How often do you add or/and remove the beans?
@@trinapeddicord she does hers with vodka and also takes beans out snips the end and squeezes out the seeds for recipes. So she's always adding to it and using it.
So, you never have to take the beans out? When you add more alcohol, doesn’t it dilute what you already have in the bottle? I guess it doesn’t do too much, so you can’t use it right away? I just bought stuff to buy like she did, but now realize I need a LOT more vanilla beans. 😂 Waiting 2 years is a long time to wait, using spiced rum. 🫤
The wife and I generally give handmade gifts around the holidays (she knits and I do some crafting with leather and wood) and I feel like this is going to be a solid addition to our gifts this year!
You should!! I did this for my friends a couple of years ago and told the one's I know don't cook that it was a vanilla cocktail mix... Lol. The ladies all baked with it and wanted more, and the guys tended to drink it. Everyone had a good time. It also tastes much better than store bought I've found. I added a bit of red and white bakers twine and a cute tag. Super easy and I think I spent maybe 20$ for the whole thing for like 10 people.
Last year I made vanilla, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, orange and almond extract’s. I placed a bottle of each along with favorite family recipes to each one of my sons and daughters and their spouses along with family specific items… Jams for one, hot sauces for another, pepper sauces for one and teas for the last one. Each family loved it, used the recipes and extracts and now have some family recipes to pass on to the next generations!! They love
I did the same thing. I went crazy and made one of everything I could think of. ☺️ Vanilla beans are expensive but I just love making homemade extracts! God bless you all. 💜🙏
I opened a small made-to-order bakery three weeks ago and I have been going through SO many vanilla bottles. I can't find big enough bottles of vanilla and even the small bottles cost so much. I ordered vanilla beans about five seconds after watching this video. I can't wait to try!
for your vanilla to be equal to or better than store bought you need AT LEAST 1 ounce of beans to every 8 ounces of clear liquor and steep for one year (18 mos for brandy or dark rum), else you just have vanilla flavored alcohol. HTH
@@JazzyMamaInAKvery, very true, the longer you wait, the stronger it is. But instant pot hack will speed it up. Just don't go too long, or you'll get cloudy extract!
Becky, you should do a holiday edition and add clips for homemade gifts this 2023! Now that your viewership is increasing many people would love to see the remix.
Found your channel a few days ago. You and your husband live exactly like my wife and I are working towards and you truly are inspiring and motivating. I always get slack from my co-workers because I’m 35 and trying to live a more simple and self reliant life. No one understands like another homesteader (or amateur-steader as I call myself) does. It’s truly our passion and I can see it’s yours. You’re super smart and I love your videos! So, hello from your new subscribers from Alaska!
Aw, you let Emily wear your apron! Becky, you're an influencer. I bought a smock-type apron after seeing yours. Side note, because Emily's extract was made with American potato vodka, those are kosher for Passover.
I try to make something every year for Christmas instead of buying gifts. I’ve made mango habanero jelly with a recipe to use it on ribs. Cranberry habanero jelly that’s yummy on turkey sandwich. Last year I made apple pie moonshine that was a total hit and have been wracking my brain on what to make this year that would top the moonshine. I think this is it! I found a recipe for a warm spiced vanilla cocktail that I’ll add to the gift along with some of the ingredients (cinnamon sticks, anise, maple syrup & nutmeg) in a box so they can make the drink. (There’s definitely a pattern here lol) for those that don’t drink I’ll include a vanilla pancake or ice cream recipe. Thank you for this idea!! I already have them started!! ♥️
I made double strength vanilla bourbon extract last year. It smells and tastes great. If you make it twice as strong you can make it last 2x as long by using half as much in recipes. Also some more sensitive recipes benefit from less liquid being added. 50 beans in 1.75L cost about $80. At $1.35 per ounce, that's really closer to half that ($0.70 cents per ounce, rounding) because it goes so much further. This year I'll probably make 3 or 4 kinds and have gifts for next year. Double strength: bourbon, rum, vodka, and brandy based vanillas. Maybe I'll let people smell them and pick their own variety or I'll give 'em a few ounces of each. I'll probably try testing a blend of all 4 in a whipped cream or ice cream recipe and see what that's like, too.
I made vanilla extract probably 7 or 8 years ago using those exact same bottles. I gave several as gifts and still have a few. Far superior to store bought.
I've made my own before but then gave it to my daughter when I moved across the country. 😭😭😭I've extremely missed it. It can't compare to the grocery store stuff. Mine was so, so, so much stronger! My son just sent me vanilla beans from Hawaii making more extract now!
Thank you so much for this amazing gift idea! I was having anxiety over what to gift my family for Christmas after losing my job and this has totally changed my attitude towards Christmas this year!
When I was growing up, the years that we didn't have much money - or any money at all - were the most creative, and even the most fun Christmases. My kids are adults now, and the Christmas that they remember most fondly was the one in which they got no presents. At all. I was surprised. I mean, at the time, they were saying how great Christmas had been. They were about 10 and 19, I think. We focused on doing meaningful things together. Homemade gifts are always best, in my opinion, because of the love inherent in the making. Isn't that why we give gifts, anyway? I hope you are landing on your feet, Demi. I hope your job search - or whatever is going on in your life - is going well.
WOW! Very inspiring! Love your attitude! Good look with getting a new job too, or did you get one already? And/or good luck with earning/making money in other ways! We don't do gifts in our house, a zero waste thing.. for quite some years now, we talked about it and the family agreed.. I also didn't have a job when we started with this, but mostly for eco-friendly reasons.. maybe some give some small things like chocolate or such, it's optional and not 'obligatory' gifts...
Hey everyone! I have been making homemade vanilla for years and use grain alcohol or have even used moonshine that I was gifted, comes out great. Also, dont forget to shake the bottle from time to time, really helps make it a stronger infusion.
Found your channel by accident, have been isolating with covid these last few days and you have kept me sane, I’ve binge watched so many of your videos. You are so refreshing to watch. You make a mistake or do things in the wrong order and show us that it doesn’t have to be perfect to turn out great! Thanks for being you and best wishes from Ireland
Hi Becky, My name is Maricef from the Philippines, I always view your channel and have learned so much from you I specially love your vlog abount this making your own vanilla extract... which is very much costly here in the Philippines because they are imported but to make my own using your method will be much affordable, thank you so much.
There are about 12 beans per oz.It's best to get a scale.The rule of measure is 1oz of beans to 8oz of alcohol.There are 8 cups in a half gallon.So you would need 8oz's of beans or 96 beans.
I ordered my vanilla beans yesterday and am looking so forward to gifting the extract next Christmas‼️🎄 I also plan to use the pressure cooker method to have some until the other is ready! Thank you so much for sharing; you're awesome‼️😀
I love using a good vanilla when baking so my daughter, who often goes cruising to faraway places, always brings me home exquisite vanilla! I didn’t know it was this easy to make! I’m going to make some and give as gifts to loved ones this year. Thanks for this helpful video
Love both of these ways for making homemade vanilla. Makes me want to go out and buy an instant pot just so I can make the quick version. LOL. Tell Emily she needs to share the recipe for her cocktail she mentioned. And would love to see a picture of your sweet niece too
Another awesome, inspiring video! One tip: be sure to fully submerge the vanilla beans in the liquid, or mold/slime may develop where the bean sticks out of the liquid. You could cut your beans in half to fit in the jar. I can’t wait to try the Instant pot method! Thank you!
I'm going to recommend joining the Vanilla Bean Co-Op, they're on facebook. The beans are superior quality and SOOOOOO much cheaper than you'll find on amazon or other retail places. I currently have about 4 gallons of vanilla going in my closet right now :)
my beans came in! I accidentally ordered 2-25 bean packages! Going to buy the Spiced rum in the morning and will have fun getting it prepped and sitting until Christmas. Purchased 9 bottles too, with a wire bale. They came with cute labels. Can't wait to gift real vanilla.
I have two quart jars with homemade vanilla. When I use one down about a quarter of the way, I just add more white rum, and put that one in back to start processing again, and use the vanilla from the other quart jars. I'm able to give it away, and I never run out! Thanks for sharing the insta pot method. That's fantastic!
Loved this! I have made vanilla for some time now and in fact recently did up a couple of half gallon jugs for use this Christmas. What I especially enjoyed was seeing the Instant Pot option as a means for rapid curing, so to speak. I also loved the shrink wrap tops which is a game changer if you want to possibly use for selling. Also, as a side note, I’ve done a couple for family or friends that wouldn’t require a sealed top, and I purchased beautiful glass decanters, or cut glass bottles and used for the vanilla. The clear glass shows the rich color and it’s beautiful. I always tell the recipient to keep it out of direct light if they want to have it on a counter. Otherwise, dark bottles are best. Thank you Becky, I loved this!
I always keep vanilla in my fridge. It's dark and it's cold...I know it's not necessary, but the good stuff is expensive, and I want to keep it fresher for longer.
Here in Germany we use vanilla sugar instead of liquid Vanilla. I put vanilla beans in powered sugar and let that infuse.. when I get low on powered sugar I just add more to it. And every time I have used vanilla bean I put that one in the jar too. But I’m so willing to try this method.. I just have to buy Rum ..
Hi! I do this too and have some on my counter! I use bakers sugar which is not a fine as powdered sugar and not as grainy as regular sugar. It is somewhere in between. The sugar takes on a beautiful vanilla taste and fragrance. By the way, use both for an even more vanilla flavor.
i recently got into making vanilla and there’s a ratio for beans to vodka you want to hit to make actual vanilla and not imitation vanilla. for a single fold, it’s 13.35 oz of beans per gallon of alcohol and a double fold is double the beans so 26.70 oz. Double fold is twice as sweet and vanillin so you can get more of a vanilla flavor without altering the moisture in what you’re making. so then you just do the math to see how many oz you’ll need for what jar you use. depending on the beans you get, it may be many pods to equal what you need but hey, that’s just going to be more beans you can extract the seeds from. also, you don’t have to slice your beans, you can leave them whole, you’ll just have to wait longer to use your vanilla but that way, you have intact pods to extract the pulp from later on.
so the way to figure it is 1 gal is 128 oz. 1 liter is 33.8 oz so if you divide 128 by the volume you have, 33.8, you get 3.78. then you divide the bean oz by that same number. 13.35/3.78 is about 3.5 oz of beans and double fold would need 7 oz!
also, as you use it and beans become exposed, you’ll want to add more vodka to keep them covered. if you don’t, they can mold. it will eventually start to dilute your extract so just periodically add some new beans to keep it strong. you can keep this process going indefinitely! so while at first it may not be cost effective, it’ll be worth it when 30 years from now, you’ve never had to buy vanilla extract again.
Save your greasy paper towels for fire starters. Good for wood burners, charcoal bbq, camp fires, open fireplace firepit etc. Can also melt the last bit of a candle jar by standing in hot water and pour the wax onto the paper towel as another fuel source.
Holy smokes! Wish I’d seen the instant pot method before I made mine. It cured for a year but I’m completely stocked up. Now I know for next time. Also, don’t throw the pods away! There’s still plenty of flavor. Dry them out completely and then pop into sugar. Let sit and you have homemade vanilla sugar. Yummy.
I love the idea of making the vanilla for gifts. Also, if you make the hemade jars of cookie/muffin/cake/bread mixes, you could add this with it to make a cute gift basket for any occasion.
I love your channel :) I have made vanilla extract for many years - and I currently have gallons of it brewing. What you have made is not vanilla extract though - its vanilla infused alcohol. To be vanilla extract you need to have 2.64oz of vanilla beans to 750ml of alcohol for regular single fold vanilla. The easiest way I have found is to just go with 1oz of beans for every 1 cup of alcohol. While pressure cooking it can help speed it up, it can also be very dangerous to have alcohol under that much heat/pressure. Best bet to speed it up is to "sous vide" it (some pressure cookers have that function). I do a combination - I throw my beans in a bottle (I don't cut them as I like to preserve the caviar for other things) and throw them in my sous vide container and turn it on for ~72 hours. Depending on the type of bean, I will get a satisfactory vanilla rather quickly. Other beans I let sit and may even repeat the sous vide if I have the time.
I have been wanting to make this for gifts, but never got around early enough! Thanks for the soup vide tip! My instantpot has a sour vide function. How long should I set it for? Thanks!
I'm completely impressed & befuddled. So if i leave it for 3 months, is it vanilla extract? Would i use this in baking just like what I buy at the store? Also, what does this do to the alcohol content, as I use this in baking for my family? Does it cook off in the baking process?
Love this! I love handmade/homemade gifts rather than something store bought. I have been doing handmade gifts for the past two years and it has been a hit. I am definitely going to add this to my gifts for this year!
@@bnbtemple5936 I make cold process soap, soy candles, bath salts, resin coasters and dominos, homemade applesauce, homemade hot cocoa mix, spiced tea mix, tea towels & cloth napkins, wood door signs and porch signs. I also make a whipped Punic soap that I make for my mechanic and gardeners in the family. This year we are all going to be making a homemade gift for at least part of the gift.
You are awesome! I had thought about making homemade vanilla once ... another video I watched suggested it took TWO years to extract! I love that you put links to the bottles and the labels as well! Pretty much a do-it-yourself vanilla for Christmas kit! I do use a lot of vanilla as I like to bake a lot, particularly during the holidays. I have ordered my bottles, beans, and labels! Thank you!!
Proper extraction can take up to 2 years. Depending on the type of alcohol used. Dark, flavored alcohol take longer, clear, neutral alcohol needs about a year or for complete extraction.
I literally just made it Becky’s way yesterday!! I was told it needs to sit much longer than 3 months though. I was told at least a year and that 18 months is even better. I will be testing it in a few months now though! Thanks for the awesome gift idea and it was fun seeing your sister join you!
I've heard that too from other channels. Three months is a good start but for yourself it will continue to "brew". Just keep adding beans and booze when the level goes down. It can go on forever!
I've been making my own extracts for a few years. I'm like you Becky, I just put my beans in the bottle of alcohol. I've got a 1.75 liter bottle of rum and vanilla AND a bottle of rum and apricot kernels (noyau) for almond extract. Its a little over a year old but I still have some left over from my last batch, so it will be awhile before I break into those. I also have lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit, but I only made pints of those.
I've been watching your subscriber number skyrocket and I'm so excited for you! Thank you so much for your content. I've have learned loads. Mostly that's it's possible to get stuff done! 💜. (Though I'm a pastry chef so I knew this one 😉).
Definitely going to make this vanilla! I ran out at Christmas and the stores are just too expensive! We usually get ours from a local Mexican store, as it’s cheaper, but we’ve been too busy to go there, so I started looking for how to make homemade vanilla and was suddenly surprised! I think I will try your method and your sister’s method! You two are so cute together! It’s always more fun to cook with someone else! My daughters and I like to do things together! Hope to see more of of you and your sister! Love the labels and the bottles! I used to make homemade Irish Creme for Christmas gifts and used similar bottles!
This is so great! I'm constantly running out of vanilla extract because I'm baking all the time. So this instant vanilla extract is perfect for me. Thank you!
Thank you ladies for sharing this information! I'm allergic to vodka and I didn't know I could use rum yum!!! Great video I'm definitely trying the spiced rum one!!
I'm definitely going to do this for Christmas gifts, I'm going to include vanilla forward recipes. Do you have any other ideas for easy homemade gifts? Love it, thanks!
I thought about Becky's homemade ranch and taco seasoning as gifts. I have done the Instant pot vanilla and worked well. My amazon bottles did not come with the shrink wrap. May have to look into that. Good luck
You can make a dry cake or cookie mix like the box ones from the store so people can just add the eggs,butter, ect plus they can use the vanilla you made them
oh my I AM doing this.. The Instant Pot idea was so help full. I always do local crafters & my home made stuff for my family for Christmas Thank You for this video.
I've made vanilla the long way for a long time. It's certainly not the way to go if you're in a hurry. Thank you for the work you do to make these educational an entertaining videos for us. Stay well, be safe, love from Texas.
Love this! I've never tried the instant pot version. I can't wait to try that. I made bourbon vanilla this year that was delicious in homemade ice cream! We have a local organic vodka distillery so I started some vanilla with that vodka last month (patiently waiting for it to be ready).
Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for! Another video I watched said to let it sit for 1-2 YEARS! No way! I think I've binged watched all your videos. Just got to this one, just in time for Christmas.
Hi!! Late to the party!! Found your channel a couple of months ago, and still catching up on your old videos. Love love this!! What a great idea! Definitely doing this for Christmas 2022. One question, the big bottle that you have Becky, do you refresh it when it starts getting low? And if yes, how? Thanks again for all your great videos and time.💕
Hi Becky! I love the idea of the half gallon of vanilla...how many vanilla beans do you add to your spiced rum? Also, how often do you add more? Love your channel! ❤ I have learned so much from you!
Love this video, meeting your family is always great 👍 I want to make vanilla too! I love all the ideas I get from you! Thank you so much for sharing! 👍❤️👍
Becky and sis you two won me over. I am up for saving money as well as having a better tasting product. Many blessings🙏and much love❤from California🌴👍🏻🌞
What a great idea .. really! I'm definitely going to give this a try. I understand that the longer you keep in in the jar, the better it tastes. QUESTION: Which tastes better? The rum or the vodka? 🌹
Love this. I make several of my own flavorings. I never thought of using Spiced Rum or my insta pot. Guess what I'll be doing this weekend!!😉😉 Ps) How tight should I screw the canning jar lids before putting them in the insta pot?
I love this! I was fortunate enough to meet another Military wife over in Seoul, Korea & she showed us after galavanting to the store & each person buying Dark Rum or Vodka! It is one of the best Military wives functions I attended in my own home! :) I love learning about how I can bring back homemade tastes in the year 2021! You & your sister are so awesome! Carry On!!!
The price of vanilla has come way down since you made this video last year BUT I will still make this for Christmas gifts even though it may cost me more to do so. What a lovely gift. I ordered my supplies and thank you so much!
What I have learned by making this is that the quality of the vanilla beans has a big impact on the vanilla concentration. I've bought beans on Amazon and if you don't buy quality beans your mixture can sit for months without getting stronger. Some will come very dried out . I've never made it this way but it looks like a much quicker process.
Becky, I am so thrilled for you and Josh! What a beautiful place to call Home. I can't wait to be with you vicariously through your channel. You guys have really inspired me to keep holding on to my dreams as well. Xoxo
This one other lady I watch she buys her vanilla beans on Amazon she gets the ones from Maraco? I think it's spelled that way. She gets 75 in a package.She also says that depending where you buy them will protean to how strong the flavor of the bean will be. She cuts them in half then split them down the middle leaving the ends in tact. Then she adds 3 half beans to each 1 pint jars. She also adds liquor to her beans. And wait for 3-6 months before using. I did not know you good do a instead one. Thank you. Your sister and you are awesome.
Making this Becky, I bought a bottle of Rum today and ordered 12 Madagascar vanilla beans and they will be here in a few days...I have wanted to do this ever since i saw this video...you always push me to try new things ...like canning chicken ...its in the canner now lol ❤ Love you Becky..
Its even more expensive now. I found out the hard way when i needed more vanilla for holiday baking. Getting everything ordered this week to make my own. Thank you.
Becky I love watching your videos. I've learned so much about cooking different things. I love your garden you are such amazing lady. Please keep up the good works I watch you every day, every chance I get.
I've had a 1/2 gallon bottle of Vanilla extract going since 2013 but Ina Garten has one going for over 30 years! I just add vanilla beans occasionally and whatever booze I have on hand so I've added bourbon, vodka and rum. It is so superior to anything store bought. Great video! I predict you'll have 100K subscribers by Christmas if not before! You're fabulous!!!
Really? I’m so curious. So I can start with any liquor and vanilla beans? Just continue to add any liquor to the bottle to keep it going? How often do you add or/and remove the beans?
We I say liquor I know it’s not peach schnapps. Bourbon, vodka, rum, any others?
@@terrytt2932 thank you
@@trinapeddicord she does hers with vodka and also takes beans out snips the end and squeezes out the seeds for recipes. So she's always adding to it and using it.
So, you never have to take the beans out? When you add more alcohol, doesn’t it dilute what you already have in the bottle? I guess it doesn’t do too much, so you can’t use it right away? I just bought stuff to buy like she did, but now realize I need a LOT more vanilla beans. 😂 Waiting 2 years is a long time to wait, using spiced rum. 🫤
The wife and I generally give handmade gifts around the holidays (she knits and I do some crafting with leather and wood) and I feel like this is going to be a solid addition to our gifts this year!
Oh I love that!
You should!! I did this for my friends a couple of years ago and told the one's I know don't cook that it was a vanilla cocktail mix... Lol. The ladies all baked with it and wanted more, and the guys tended to drink it. Everyone had a good time. It also tastes much better than store bought I've found. I added a bit of red and white bakers twine and a cute tag. Super easy and I think I spent maybe 20$ for the whole thing for like 10 people.
Last year I made vanilla, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, orange and almond extract’s.
I placed a bottle of each along with favorite family recipes to each one of my sons and daughters and their spouses along with family specific items…
Jams for one, hot sauces for another, pepper sauces for one and teas for the last one.
Each family loved it, used the recipes and extracts and now have some family recipes to pass on to the next generations!!
They love
How do you make chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, orange and almond extract? What size bottles do you use?
Following
@@kimgowers486
Please share recipe or share a link
I would love to know how to do all the ones you listed, especially the orange!
I did the same thing. I went crazy and made one of everything I could think of. ☺️ Vanilla beans are expensive but I just love making homemade extracts! God bless you all. 💜🙏
I opened a small made-to-order bakery three weeks ago and I have been going through SO many vanilla bottles. I can't find big enough bottles of vanilla and even the small bottles cost so much. I ordered vanilla beans about five seconds after watching this video. I can't wait to try!
for your vanilla to be equal to or better than store bought you need AT LEAST 1 ounce of beans to every 8 ounces of clear liquor and steep for one year (18 mos for brandy or dark rum), else you just have vanilla flavored alcohol. HTH
Indri vanilla is very trustworthy.
@@JazzyMamaInAKvery, very true, the longer you wait, the stronger it is. But instant pot hack will speed it up. Just don't go too long, or you'll get cloudy extract!
Becky, you should do a holiday edition and add clips for homemade gifts this 2023! Now that your viewership is increasing many people would love to see the remix.
Found your channel a few days ago. You and your husband live exactly like my wife and I are working towards and you truly are inspiring and motivating. I always get slack from my co-workers because I’m 35 and trying to live a more simple and self reliant life. No one understands like another homesteader (or amateur-steader as I call myself) does. It’s truly our passion and I can see it’s yours. You’re super smart and I love your videos! So, hello from your new subscribers from Alaska!
Oh I’m so glad you are here!! My co workers don’t get it either
Aw, you let Emily wear your apron! Becky, you're an influencer. I bought a smock-type apron after seeing yours.
Side note, because Emily's extract was made with American potato vodka, those are kosher for Passover.
I love this idea!!!
Also gluten free, which makes me happy.
I try to make something every year for Christmas instead of buying gifts. I’ve made mango habanero jelly with a recipe to use it on ribs. Cranberry habanero jelly that’s yummy on turkey sandwich. Last year I made apple pie moonshine that was a total hit and have been wracking my brain on what to make this year that would top the moonshine. I think this is it! I found a recipe for a warm spiced vanilla cocktail that I’ll add to the gift along with some of the ingredients (cinnamon sticks, anise, maple syrup & nutmeg) in a box so they can make the drink. (There’s definitely a pattern here lol) for those that don’t drink I’ll include a vanilla pancake or ice cream recipe.
Thank you for this idea!! I already have them started!! ♥️
homemade limoncello 🍋!! always a hit at christmas
homemade limoncello 🍋!! always a hit at christmas
I just adore you. You never fail to make me smile or give me a great idea. How lovely to see you with your sister. Thanks for a great tutorial!
Aw thanks Jamie!
I made double strength vanilla bourbon extract last year. It smells and tastes great.
If you make it twice as strong you can make it last 2x as long by using half as much in recipes.
Also some more sensitive recipes benefit from less liquid being added. 50 beans in 1.75L cost about $80. At $1.35 per ounce, that's really closer to half that ($0.70 cents per ounce, rounding) because it goes so much further.
This year I'll probably make 3 or 4 kinds and have gifts for next year. Double strength: bourbon, rum, vodka, and brandy based vanillas. Maybe I'll let people smell them and pick their own variety or I'll give 'em a few ounces of each. I'll probably try testing a blend of all 4 in a whipped cream or ice cream recipe and see what that's like, too.
I made vanilla extract probably 7 or 8 years ago using those exact same bottles. I gave several as gifts and still have a few. Far superior to store bought.
I've made my own before but then gave it to my daughter when I moved across the country. 😭😭😭I've extremely missed it. It can't compare to the grocery store stuff. Mine was so, so, so much stronger! My son just sent me vanilla beans from Hawaii making more extract now!
Thank you so much for this amazing gift idea! I was having anxiety over what to gift my family for Christmas after losing my job and this has totally changed my attitude towards Christmas this year!
Oh I’m so sorry to hear that! I’m glad this helped
When I was growing up, the years that we didn't have much money - or any money at all - were the most creative, and even the most fun Christmases. My kids are adults now, and the Christmas that they remember most fondly was the one in which they got no presents. At all. I was surprised. I mean, at the time, they were saying how great Christmas had been. They were about 10 and 19, I think. We focused on doing meaningful things together.
Homemade gifts are always best, in my opinion, because of the love inherent in the making. Isn't that why we give gifts, anyway?
I hope you are landing on your feet, Demi. I hope your job search - or whatever is going on in your life - is going well.
@@Romans828girl Thank you so much for your kind words Lela. Your comment has made my day! 🌻🧡
WOW! Very inspiring! Love your attitude! Good look with getting a new job too, or did you get one already? And/or good luck with earning/making money in other ways! We don't do gifts in our house, a zero waste thing.. for quite some years now, we talked about it and the family agreed.. I also didn't have a job when we started with this, but mostly for eco-friendly reasons.. maybe some give some small things like chocolate or such, it's optional and not 'obligatory' gifts...
I now do my own vanilla and I looooooove it. So worth it.
Vanilla is an art form..U can't rush it...Real good Vanilla should sit for no less then 30 months...
Love that there is a way to make it instant for gifts!
Hey everyone! I have been making homemade vanilla for years and use grain alcohol or have even used moonshine that I was gifted, comes out great. Also, dont forget to shake the bottle from time to time, really helps make it a stronger infusion.
Oh good idea
Where's the best place to buy the vanilla beans!? I have a hard time finding them in my little town
@@rebeccaorozco8222 she has the link for the beans she got in the description.
@@rebeccaorozco8222 Join a Co-op.Vanilla Bean Kings are a great place to start.The prices are extremely reasonable.
Costco is cheaper 9.99 for 10 beans
Found your channel by accident, have been isolating with covid these last few days and you have kept me sane, I’ve binge watched so many of your videos. You are so refreshing to watch. You make a mistake or do things in the wrong order and show us that it doesn’t have to be perfect to turn out great! Thanks for being you and best wishes from Ireland
Hi Becky, My name is Maricef from the Philippines, I always view your channel and have learned so much from you I specially love your vlog abount this making your own vanilla extract... which is very much costly here in the Philippines because they are imported but to make my own using your method will be much affordable, thank you so much.
Everyone from your family seems so cool. Super self sufficient, smart, talented and hard working. Still amazed.
Becky how many beans to your half gallon? Such a great idea. Will definitely be doing this. You’re the best.
When I make mine in a full bottle I use 15-25 depending on the grade of the vanilla bean. The more you put the more potent it is.
1 oz beans per 8 oz liquor
There are about 12 beans per oz.It's best to get a scale.The rule of measure is 1oz of beans to 8oz of alcohol.There are 8 cups in a half gallon.So you would need 8oz's of beans or 96 beans.
Omg, who knew that Christmas this year was really about vanilla? There will be a lot of people in this world getting it for a gift from now on;)
I opened my bottle of spiced rum vanilla today.. oh my goodness, it smells amazing!
I love this I make homemade vanilla in half gallon jar. I have one that has been in fusing for two years. It is the best I’ve ever made.
Vodka bottle with vanilla beans has been my easy reliable supply for years. Thanks girls for new gifting presentation ideas 👌
The shrink wrap!!!! I never thought about how that works for at home applications! I’ve heard homemade vanilla and homemade brown sugar are the best!
I ordered my vanilla beans yesterday and am looking so forward to gifting the extract next Christmas‼️🎄 I also plan to use the pressure cooker method to have some until the other is ready! Thank you so much for sharing; you're awesome‼️😀
I love using a good vanilla when baking so my daughter, who often goes cruising to faraway places, always brings me home exquisite vanilla! I didn’t know it was this easy to make! I’m going to make some and give as gifts to loved ones this year. Thanks for this helpful video
Love both of these ways for making homemade vanilla. Makes me want to go out and buy an instant pot just so I can make the quick version. LOL. Tell Emily she needs to share the recipe for her cocktail she mentioned. And would love to see a picture of your sweet niece too
Thank you! You will love an instant pot
@@AcreHomestead My sister just bought me one and I LOVE IT!
Another awesome, inspiring video! One tip: be sure to fully submerge the vanilla beans in the liquid, or mold/slime may develop where the bean sticks out of the liquid. You could cut your beans in half to fit in the jar. I can’t wait to try the Instant pot method! Thank you!
I often wondered if you could make your own vanilla, now I know
HOLY HANNAH MONTANA!!! I've been trying to figure out how to do this! You ladies are AWESOME!!
Thanks for sharing Becky and Emily 9-9-2021👍🏽👍🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I'm going to recommend joining the Vanilla Bean Co-Op, they're on facebook. The beans are superior quality and SOOOOOO much cheaper than you'll find on amazon or other retail places. I currently have about 4 gallons of vanilla going in my closet right now :)
That shrink-wrap hot water thing is so cool! I love the idea of those being gifts.
my beans came in! I accidentally ordered 2-25 bean packages! Going to buy the Spiced rum in the morning and will have fun getting it prepped and sitting until Christmas. Purchased 9 bottles too, with a wire bale. They came with cute labels. Can't wait to gift real vanilla.
I have two quart jars with homemade vanilla. When I use one down about a quarter of the way, I just add more white rum, and put that one in back to start processing again, and use the vanilla from the other quart jars. I'm able to give it away, and I never run out!
Thanks for sharing the insta pot method. That's fantastic!
Loved this! I have made vanilla for some time now and in fact recently did up a couple of half gallon jugs for use this Christmas. What I especially enjoyed was seeing the Instant Pot option as a means for rapid curing, so to speak. I also loved the shrink wrap tops which is a game changer if you want to possibly use for selling. Also, as a side note, I’ve done a couple for family or friends that wouldn’t require a sealed top, and I purchased beautiful glass decanters, or cut glass bottles and used for the vanilla. The clear glass shows the rich color and it’s beautiful. I always tell the recipient to keep it out of direct light if they want to have it on a counter. Otherwise, dark bottles are best.
Thank you Becky, I loved this!
I always keep vanilla in my fridge. It's dark and it's cold...I know it's not necessary, but the good stuff is expensive, and I want to keep it fresher for longer.
@@applegal3058 vanilla should not be stored in the refrigerator. It's a tropical plant, it does not like cold.
I knew how to make it the long wait way but had no idea that you could do it fast! Thanks ladies! You always inspire me!
Thumbs up to both of you and thank you for sharing this!!! I bake a LOT and will be doing this! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤️
Here in Germany we use vanilla sugar instead of liquid Vanilla. I put vanilla beans in powered sugar and let that infuse.. when I get low on powered sugar I just add more to it. And every time I have used vanilla bean I put that one in the jar too.
But I’m so willing to try this method.. I just have to buy Rum ..
Hi! I do this too and have some on my counter! I use bakers sugar which is not a fine as powdered sugar and not as grainy as regular sugar. It is somewhere in between. The sugar takes on a beautiful vanilla taste and fragrance. By the way, use both for an even more vanilla flavor.
Liquor is so cheap in Germany, oh how I miss it there🇨🇦
i recently got into making vanilla and there’s a ratio for beans to vodka you want to hit to make actual vanilla and not imitation vanilla. for a single fold, it’s 13.35 oz of beans per gallon of alcohol and a double fold is double the beans so 26.70 oz. Double fold is twice as sweet and vanillin so you can get more of a vanilla flavor without altering the moisture in what you’re making. so then you just do the math to see how many oz you’ll need for what jar you use. depending on the beans you get, it may be many pods to equal what you need but hey, that’s just going to be more beans you can extract the seeds from. also, you don’t have to slice your beans, you can leave them whole, you’ll just have to wait longer to use your vanilla but that way, you have intact pods to extract the pulp from later on.
Oh wow good to know
@@Ana-hz5fw 4 liters is just over a gallon so id say around 3 oz of vanilla beans 🤷♀️
so the way to figure it is 1 gal is 128 oz. 1 liter is 33.8 oz so if you divide 128 by the volume you have, 33.8, you get 3.78. then you divide the bean oz by that same number. 13.35/3.78 is about 3.5 oz of beans and double fold would need 7 oz!
also, as you use it and beans become exposed, you’ll want to add more vodka to keep them covered. if you don’t, they can mold. it will eventually start to dilute your extract so just periodically add some new beans to keep it strong. you can keep this process going indefinitely! so while at first it may not be cost effective, it’ll be worth it when 30 years from now, you’ve never had to buy vanilla extract again.
I want to make a bulk version of vanilla so how many beans do I put in a full gallon?
Save your greasy paper towels for fire starters. Good for wood burners, charcoal bbq, camp fires, open fireplace firepit etc. Can also melt the last bit of a candle jar by standing in hot water and pour the wax onto the paper towel as another fuel source.
Does your sister have a channel? She has a great presence on camera and seems very confident. Thanks for having her on!
Holy smokes! Wish I’d seen the instant pot method before I made mine. It cured for a year but I’m completely stocked up. Now I know for next time. Also, don’t throw the pods away! There’s still plenty of flavor. Dry them out completely and then pop into sugar. Let sit and you have homemade vanilla sugar. Yummy.
You continue to inspire me ! I've now made brown sugar, and now will try vanilla. Love the videos !
I made the brown sugar as well, who knew it was that easy
Becky I enjoy watching you cook! Girl you got energy and motivation!
I'm embarrassed that I didn't think of evaporation of alcohol, I would've just simmered it on the stove. So smart!
I love the idea of making the vanilla for gifts. Also, if you make the hemade jars of cookie/muffin/cake/bread mixes, you could add this with it to make a cute gift basket for any occasion.
Love this
Becky, how many vanilla beans did you use for the1/2 gallon of rum? And how long did it have to sit before using?
I love your channel :) I have made vanilla extract for many years - and I currently have gallons of it brewing. What you have made is not vanilla extract though - its vanilla infused alcohol. To be vanilla extract you need to have 2.64oz of vanilla beans to 750ml of alcohol for regular single fold vanilla. The easiest way I have found is to just go with 1oz of beans for every 1 cup of alcohol. While pressure cooking it can help speed it up, it can also be very dangerous to have alcohol under that much heat/pressure. Best bet to speed it up is to "sous vide" it (some pressure cookers have that function). I do a combination - I throw my beans in a bottle (I don't cut them as I like to preserve the caviar for other things) and throw them in my sous vide container and turn it on for ~72 hours. Depending on the type of bean, I will get a satisfactory vanilla rather quickly. Other beans I let sit and may even repeat the sous vide if I have the time.
Wow thank you! I love this
Can we use a crock pot for 72 hours if sous vide is not a possibility?
I have been wanting to make this for gifts, but never got around early enough! Thanks for the soup vide tip! My instantpot has a sour vide function. How long should I set it for? Thanks!
I'm completely impressed & befuddled. So if i leave it for 3 months, is it vanilla extract? Would i use this in baking just like what I buy at the store? Also, what does this do to the alcohol content, as I use this in baking for my family? Does it cook off in the baking process?
@@lousylou the alcohol will do nothing to your family.
I am so glad I found you. I am GrandMama Tee in TN. 62 yrs young. I will be making vanilla. Thanks and God bless.😇🙏💖
I’m so glad too, Teresa!
Thank you sooooooo much!! Way better vanilla your way and saving money too. The gift idea is great too
Love this! I love handmade/homemade gifts rather than something store bought. I have been doing handmade gifts for the past two years and it has been a hit. I am definitely going to add this to my gifts for this year!
Tiffany, would you mind sharing what homemade gifts you made? I am always looking for ideas. Thank you.
@@bnbtemple5936 I make cold process soap, soy candles, bath salts, resin coasters and dominos, homemade applesauce, homemade hot cocoa mix, spiced tea mix, tea towels & cloth napkins, wood door signs and porch signs. I also make a whipped Punic soap that I make for my mechanic and gardeners in the family. This year we are all going to be making a homemade gift for at least part of the gift.
You are awesome! I had thought about making homemade vanilla once ... another video I watched suggested it took TWO years to extract! I love that you put links to the bottles and the labels as well! Pretty much a do-it-yourself vanilla for Christmas kit! I do use a lot of vanilla as I like to bake a lot, particularly during the holidays. I have ordered my bottles, beans, and labels! Thank you!!
Me too! LOL bottles should be here tomorrow and I will be all ready!
Proper extraction can take up to 2 years. Depending on the type of alcohol used. Dark, flavored alcohol take longer, clear, neutral alcohol needs about a year or for complete extraction.
The shrink wrap! 🤯 I’m excited about making this.
I literally just made it Becky’s way yesterday!! I was told it needs to sit much longer than 3 months though. I was told at least a year and that 18 months is even better. I will be testing it in a few months now though! Thanks for the awesome gift idea and it was fun seeing your sister join you!
Give it a shake from time to time. Works even faster when you do
I heard this too.
The longer it sits the stronger the vaniila flavor gets. If i let mine sit for a year then I don't have to use as much as the recipe calls for.
Oh, that would be great - make several bottles and try them at various “ages”!
I've heard that too from other channels. Three months is a good start but for yourself it will continue to "brew". Just keep adding beans and booze when the level goes down. It can go on forever!
I've been making my own extracts for a few years. I'm like you Becky, I just put my beans in the bottle of alcohol. I've got a 1.75 liter bottle of rum and vanilla AND a bottle of rum and apricot kernels (noyau) for almond extract. Its a little over a year old but I still have some left over from my last batch, so it will be awhile before I break into those. I also have lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit, but I only made pints of those.
Do u break the apricot kernel to get to the seeds? Or do u just infuse the whole kernel?
@@CG-mj8tk if you have apricot seeds fresh from the fruit, yes, you'll have to break it open. To much work for me. So I just order them from Amazon
How many vanilla beans do you need for a 1.75L bottle?
We just made our 1st bat h of vanilla extract thanks to yall! Thank you so much!
I've been watching your subscriber number skyrocket and I'm so excited for you! Thank you so much for your content. I've have learned loads. Mostly that's it's possible to get stuff done! 💜. (Though I'm a pastry chef so I knew this one 😉).
Definitely going to make this vanilla! I ran out at Christmas and the stores are just too expensive! We usually get ours from a local Mexican store, as it’s cheaper, but we’ve been too busy to go there, so I started looking for how to make homemade vanilla and was suddenly surprised! I think I will try your method and your sister’s method! You two are so cute together! It’s always more fun to cook with someone else! My daughters and I like to do things together! Hope to see more of of you and your sister! Love the labels and the bottles! I used to make homemade Irish Creme for Christmas gifts and used similar bottles!
This is so great! I'm constantly running out of vanilla extract because I'm baking all the time. So this instant vanilla extract is perfect for me. Thank you!
Oh good!!
Thank you ladies for sharing this information! I'm allergic to vodka and I didn't know I could use rum yum!!! Great video I'm definitely trying the spiced rum one!!
I'm definitely going to do this for Christmas gifts, I'm going to include vanilla forward recipes. Do you have any other ideas for easy homemade gifts? Love it, thanks!
I thought about Becky's homemade ranch and taco seasoning as gifts. I have done the Instant pot vanilla and worked well. My amazon bottles did not come with the shrink wrap. May have to look into that. Good luck
She’s made soap before! :-))
I grow mint and I've made my own mint extract. Super easy and cheap.
I know that I would personally appreciate homegrown dehydrated tea blends ;)
You can make a dry cake or cookie mix like the box ones from the store so people can just add the eggs,butter, ect plus they can use the vanilla you made them
I must do this!! Thanks Becky!!
oh my I AM doing this.. The Instant Pot idea was so help full. I always do local crafters & my home made stuff for my family for Christmas Thank You for this video.
I've made vanilla the long way for a long time. It's certainly not the way to go if you're in a hurry. Thank you for the work you do to make these educational an entertaining videos for us. Stay well, be safe, love from Texas.
Love this! I've never tried the instant pot version. I can't wait to try that. I made bourbon vanilla this year that was delicious in homemade ice cream! We have a local organic vodka distillery so I started some vanilla with that vodka last month (patiently waiting for it to be ready).
This video came just in time! I wanted to make homemade vanilla last year but didn't have 3 months to let it work. I'm ordering everything I need NOW!
Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for! Another video I watched said to let it sit for 1-2 YEARS! No way! I think I've binged watched all your videos. Just got to this one, just in time for Christmas.
Hi!! Late to the party!! Found your channel a couple of months ago, and still catching up on your old videos. Love love this!! What a great idea! Definitely doing this for Christmas 2022. One question, the big bottle that you have Becky, do you refresh it when it starts getting low? And if yes, how? Thanks again for all your great videos and time.💕
Hi Becky! I love the idea of the half gallon of vanilla...how many vanilla beans do you add to your spiced rum? Also, how often do you add more? Love your channel! ❤ I have learned so much from you!
Love this video, meeting your family is always great 👍 I want to make vanilla too! I love all the ideas I get from you! Thank you so much for sharing! 👍❤️👍
Becky and sis you two won me over. I am up for saving money as well as having a better tasting product. Many blessings🙏and much love❤from California🌴👍🏻🌞
What a great idea .. really! I'm definitely going to give this a try. I understand that the longer you keep in in the jar, the better it tastes. QUESTION: Which tastes better? The rum or the vodka? 🌹
Is there a difference in flavor to the instant pot one and the aged one? Love your videos
Oh I love this! You make things so much easier! Thank you
So cute!! Homemade gifts are the best!
Love this. I make several of my own flavorings. I never thought of using Spiced Rum or my insta pot. Guess what I'll be doing this weekend!!😉😉
Ps) How tight should I screw the canning jar lids before putting them in the insta pot?
We need your recipes..plesae
Outstanding ladies, thank you. Subscribed, bell rung, commented, upvoted, liked, shared .... may the algorithm gods smile favorably upon your channel.
I’m making homemade vanilla as we speak! I’ve made it before and came back to your post to do it again! Thank you both!
Yay ty for sharing, I’m making a few of your recipes for gifts this year for Christmas
I love this! I was fortunate enough to meet another Military wife over in Seoul, Korea & she showed us after galavanting to the store & each person buying Dark Rum or Vodka! It is one of the best Military wives functions I attended in my own home! :) I love learning about how I can bring back homemade tastes in the year 2021! You & your sister are so awesome! Carry On!!!
The price of vanilla has come way down since you made this video last year BUT I will still make this for Christmas gifts even though it may cost me more to do so. What a lovely gift. I ordered my supplies and thank you so much!
What I have learned by making this is that the quality of the vanilla beans has a big impact on the vanilla concentration. I've bought beans on Amazon and if you don't buy quality beans your mixture can sit for months without getting stronger. Some will come very dried out . I've never made it this way but it looks like a much quicker process.
Thank you!!
I will definitely be trying this for myself and a Christmas gift.
Becky, I am so thrilled for you and Josh! What a beautiful place to call Home. I can't wait to be with you vicariously through your channel. You guys have really inspired me to keep holding on to my dreams as well. Xoxo
This one other lady I watch she buys her vanilla beans on Amazon she gets the ones from Maraco? I think it's spelled that way. She gets 75 in a package.She also says that depending where you buy them will protean to how strong the flavor of the bean will be. She cuts them in half then split them down the middle leaving the ends in tact. Then she adds 3 half beans to each 1 pint jars. She also adds liquor to her beans. And wait for 3-6 months before using. I did not know you good do a instead one. Thank you. Your sister and you are awesome.
Yes to the insta pot vanilla extract , going to try this method for sure. Thanks to your sister and you
I use my homemade vanilla in some freshly squeezed lemonade. It's really good!
I made homemade vanilla a few years ago for Christmas. They were a big hit!!
Perfect timing...I'm excited about making my own cause I hate paying so much. thank you!
I like the small bottles with the shrink wrap as a gift idea.
Making this Becky, I bought a bottle of Rum today and ordered 12 Madagascar vanilla beans and they will be here in a few days...I have wanted to do this ever since i saw this video...you always push me to try new things ...like canning chicken ...its in the canner now lol ❤ Love you Becky..
Its even more expensive now. I found out the hard way when i needed more vanilla for holiday baking. Getting everything ordered this week to make my own. Thank you.
I love watching videos where your family is featured! So fun! 🥰
Becky I love watching your videos. I've learned so much about cooking different things. I love your garden you are such amazing lady. Please keep up the good works I watch you every day, every chance I get.
This was very informative and simple to follow. Thanks for sharing!
Just watched this for the second time ,really enjoyed it ,
Lovely to meet ur sister too ,x
My Mind is BLOWN!!! I know what everyone is getting for Christmas!!!
Becky, Lol every time I see one of videos I say, this was my favorite video! Thank you for the inspiration Happy holidays