Question. So after you go through the process of soaking the pods, how do you store the seeds you push out? Same way you would store the vanilla extract you make from the rum?

Yes, I would also be curious to know how long the seeds will last once squeezed out-- or do you just leave the pods in the rum jar until you will use them?

For cheap vanilla beans, be sure to check out your local co-op. A lot of them buy vanilla beans in bulk and wrap them up in little bundles to sell cheaply. I got a bundle of 4 beautiful, plump pods for about $3-- much cheaper and better quality than those jars in the spice aisle. Online is also an option, though you might need to split the package with a few people to make it manageable.

Good question, AllieRose88 and foodefafa.

I imagine that you could just leave the pods in the rum until you need them. The alcohol would act as a preservative. After all, vanilla extract is simply vanilla beans and some sort of alcohol, usually bourbon or vodka. It may not last this way forever, but I'm sure longer than 2 1/2 weeks.

Thanks for the inexpensive vanilla pod hints!

I've purchased my vanilla here http://www.theposter.com/vanilla2.html for years. I've never heard of this tip but I'm going to try this right away!

I use this method because I keep all my vanilla beans in alcohol for storage (rather than keeping them in dry storage). I use cognac or vodka, rather than rum, though only because I don't care for rum so never have it in my house. The beans flavor the alcohol, so I have extra-strength vanilla extract on hand always (just 2-3 beans in a bottle will do the trick but I usually have many more in there), plus I need never worry about an expensive pod *drying out*. When I need vanilla bean seeds for a recipe, I simply pull out a bean, snip the ends and push the seeds out. Then I split and air dry the bean - afterwards adding it to a jar of granulated sugar to make vanilla-flavored sugar. While I tend to clear out my pantry every 12-18 months, just to be certain everything on the shelves is fresh, from my own experience the beans keep in the alcohol indefinitely.

Oops, I didn't write the tail end of that properly! I should have written: While I tend to clear out my vanilla every 12-18 months, and start a new batch, it never seems to have gone bad. Also as I remove extract - I generally top off the jar with alcohol to keep the beans submerged.

I saw this tip a while back but I still get down on the cut and scrape method. No matter if they're soaked or not, the pod still leaves a ton of seeds inside when you do it this way. I just think you get more out by scraping but both valid ways for getting to your vanilla.

And second to Rucy's idea. I store most of mine in rum so I always have a big bottle of amazing extract ready to go when not using seeds.

Two and a half weeks? "Saves you so much time!?"

will leaving the beans in the jar dilute the flavor of the seeds at all? I recently bought a bunch of vanilla beans and am concerned about them drying out.

I mean possibly leaving them in for a month or more.

Sounds like an answer to a problem that's not really a problem.

I love when you think of a question & the universe brings you the answer. In the wee hours last night I decided to bake only to find my bottle of bourbon vanilla extract empty & mere vanilla bean pods in my cabinet. I surely couldnt bake at that moment but I was stumped as to the best method for the pods. Thank you for sharing your education with us!

Cheers!
Heather @ Find That Warm Fuzzy Feeling

We're all being seriously robbed by grocery stores selling 3-4 pods for like $8. I went onto ebay, bought a whole pound of pods for about $22. I made enough vanilla to last me about 10 years, some for my friends too, and still have about a quarter pound left over.

@teresacooks, no, it won't. Plump beans usually begin drying out in my climate (fog/sun) after a year but if you're living in a drier climate storing them in alcohol preserves your 'investment'.

This is another great resource for affordable vanilla beans (and Saffron!). They are based in SF, for those in the Bay Area.

http://www.saffron.com/

For those who wonder why, I have never had much luck scraping seeds out of vanilla beans. They stick to the knife and I end up losing quite a bit, every time. This strikes me as a brilliant way to avoid the hassle. Plus, the weapons-grade vanilla extract that you get at the end.

Rucy, thanks for the tips. You answered my lingering questions about storage.

I do both when I want the seeds (i.e. when not too lazy!)- yank vanilla bean out of vodka/rum/random alcohol that it is infusing in, squeeze out seeds, slice open, get remaining seeds.

I am with sharms: ebay for vanilla beans. The beans I buy by the lb are as good as or better than ones I have bought for much, much more in stores (though peob not as good as trult premium vanilla beans- they are not dried out though). I store some in alcohol, some triple sealed in ziploc bags.

The best part about the vanilla beans being so inexpensive? I can grind them (used) with my coffee and add them to my tea.

Oddly enough, World Market often has vanilla beans for $2 or $3 for 2-3 pods. Definitely cheaper than the grocery store at $10 for 2 pods.