By Lisa Sheffer
Please note this blog is a compendium of information taken from posts originally written for Indri's Vanilla Bean Group on Facebook. Links that go to that Facebook group will not work unless you are a member of the group and logged in to Facebook on the browser you are using.
Hey friends, you know we love you, right? We also love your eyebrows AND your ceilings too. And because we love your eyebrows and your ceilings and all of you, please, please do not put alcohol under pressure! There's some internet recipes floating around out there for vanilla extract made in an electric pressure cooker that recommend dangerous things. Please remember: Alcohol is extremely combustible, especially as it gets hot. When you put alcohol extracts under pressure, at best, you run the risk of burning off too much alcohol and exposing your beans to potential spoilage, and at worst, you could cause a fire or explosion. And I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that you don't want a fire or explosion resulting from your vanilla extract.
Hey friends, you know we love you, right? We also love your eyebrows AND your ceilings too. And because we love your eyebrows and your ceilings and all of you, please, please do not put alcohol under pressure! There's some internet recipes floating around out there for vanilla extract made in an electric pressure cooker that recommend dangerous things. Please remember: Alcohol is extremely combustible, especially as it gets hot. When you put alcohol extracts under pressure, at best, you run the risk of burning off too much alcohol and exposing your beans to potential spoilage, and at worst, you could cause a fire or explosion. And I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that you don't want a fire or explosion resulting from your vanilla extract.
(We understand many of you have tried this method and it worked ok. Great. I'm glad you still have your eyebrows and ceilings! Don't do it any more, m'kay?)
Please don't do it, folks. It's just not worth it. 
The safest methods for making vanilla extract are also the simplest: Put the vanilla beans in the bottle with the appropriate ratio of liquor, put a lid on it, and let it sit. This method has never failed us, but it can take a year or longer to fully develop in flavor. If you're wanting to go faster than that, here's some options. Remember, nothing can replace time. Your vanilla extract is ready when you enjoy its flavor. Experiment, have fun, be safe, and when you find what you like, do it with confidence!
1. Sous Vide Warming
1. Sous Vide Warming
You can gently warm your vanilla extract with a Sous Vide machine or a very carefully controlled warm water bath. Remember to keep the temperature below 130 degrees Fahrenheit/54 degrees Celsius. You can warm it for 1-10 days, as long as you keep it carefully controlled and follow manufacturer's directions. Here's some posts from Indri's Vanilla Bean Group about this method.
2. Split/scrape/cut the vanilla beans
Cutting open your vanilla beans will increase the surface area, expose the caviar and the flavorful membrane holding them in to the alcohol, and generally increases the amount of vanilla goodness that the alcohol can penetrate.
Pros to splitting:
-extract may be usable faster
-extract may have vanilla caviar floating in it that will pour into recipes
Pros to leaving whole:
-beans can be preserved to use the caviar in specific recipes rather than every time you use your extract.
-if you change your mind and want to make paste with the beans later you have that flexibility.
-Less work to get the extract going.
-You always have the option to cut up the beans later, but you can’t put them back together into whole beans.
We don't believe that splitting/scraping/cutting vanilla beans is necessary, nor do we believe it's wrong. You'll get a fantastic vanilla extract either way you go! Here's some more information:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/2118374261680648
Use a seam ripper!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/1783434311841313/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/2118374261680648
Use a seam ripper!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/1783434311841313/
Splitting/Scraping AND warming taste test:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/1441238256060922/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/1441238256060922/
Splitting/scraping/chopping result:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/1791870227664388/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/1791870227664388/
3. Shaking
Shaking your vanilla extract can help re-distribute the solids, dissolve the oils, and help the extract along. Commercial extract machinery agitates the extract constantly as it is produced. However, even daily shaking isn't sufficient to drastically affect the overall extraction time. There's also a risk of dropping the bottle every time you pick it up. So, we suggest shaking it well prior to use, and if you enjoy shaking it and looking at it as it develops, go for it. Just don't drop it. Have fun!
4. Vacuum Sealing
Vacuum sealing your jars removes air bubbles and forces the alcohol deep into the vanilla beans. Some people like to vacuum seal, release, and vacuum seal again multiple times to enhance this effect. One of the drawbacks of this method is that it requires specialized equipment. People who have used this method definitely see a change of color faster, but color is not necessarily an indication of flavor. Our only warning is to use safe vacuum sealing equipment. Don't heat seal/boiling water bath/pressure can your vanilla extract.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/2353456194839119/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/848812811970139/posts/2353456194839119/
5. Other
We often hear about other equipment, methods, and ideas for speeding up the vanilla extraction process, with varying costs and efficacy. It all comes down to the same thing though: this is YOUR extract! Have fun with it! If trying new gadgets and experimental methods is fun for you, go for it! We love hearing your results! If you hate the unknown and experimenting stresses you out, just put the beans in a bottle of vodka and call it a day. As long as you are enjoying yourself, you're doing it right.