Some Tips and Tricks for Using Vanilla Beans

If you watch any of the cooking shows on the Food Network, you’ve probably seen chefs on these shows scraping out a vanilla bean to use in some fancy dish. The process of scraping the bean seems so simple when they do it. They take a very sharp knife and cut the bean lengthwise, then scrape the tiny seeds out of the pod. These “seeds” stick together (like a paste, since they are wet and sticky) when the knife is passed through the pod.

If you’ve tried this at home, only to find that it’s not as easy to cut the pod lengthwise because it’s tough and leathery, try this trick. Soften the pod by steaming it for 1 to 2 minutes in a steamer or colander over boiling water, then cool slightly. It will be much easier to cut. Also, when scraping the seeds, scrape them onto a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Otherwise, you will lose some of the precious seeds because they will stick to your hands or even get under your fingernails when you try to pick them up.

Vanilla beans are expensive. Once you’ve scraped out the beans, don’t throw away that precious pod! Use it to make delicious vanilla sugar for your coffee or to sprinkle on your cereal.

To make vanilla sugar, you will need a clean, empty jar with a tight-fitting lid. Place the scraped vanilla bean in the jar and cover with granulated sugar, then place the lid on the jar. Place the jar out of direct sunlight and let it sit for several weeks until the vanilla bean is flavored with all the sugar. As you use up some of the vanilla sugar from the jar, top the jar with more granulated sugar.

Follow these simple tips and tricks and you’ll soon be using vanilla beans as skillfully as any of those TV chefs!