Author Topic: Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans  (Read 1314 times)

Louie

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 17
    • Santa Barbara, CA
    • View Profile
Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans
« on: February 06, 2018, 12:08:49 PM »
I was looking for some help on the next steps for this vanilla bean.  I got the bean to set in the beginning of October 2017 and all of the information i found online says they are ready to cure in 4-6 months.  However that is about the clearest information i can find online.  Does the bean cure on the vine, do i pick it and cure it inside.  Any tips would be greatly appreciated as i am totally confused as to what to do next.




561MangoFanatic

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 289
    • Loxahatchee, FL
    • View Profile
Re: Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2018, 01:45:34 PM »
https://youtu.be/UUZXIPL2TEY  @ 4:13 she starts to explain the curing process
Sergio

fyliu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3216
    • Burbank/Covina, CA 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2018, 02:07:20 PM »
I heard curing on the vine is best, but obviously not practical for commercial. Don't know if excess heat other things can spoil it.

Finca La Isla

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2123
    • Costa Rica, Southern Caribbean coast
    • View Profile
    • finca la isla
Re: Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2018, 06:31:41 PM »
Pick the beans when they barely start to turn yellow.
Curing is a process of fermenting combined with drying.  The beans are often immersed in very hot water for a minute or two or left in the sun in plastic to heat up.  Then they are wrapped up in a towel, put in a box to sweat, then after a day or two put in the sun to dry a bit.  Back and forth from the box to the sun for about 3weeks.
It’s very hard to know, without experience, whether at any given time the beans need more sun or more sweating.  Too much sun they dry out.  Too much sweating they get mold.  Suerte!
Peter

Chupa King

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 152
    • Puna, Hawai'i
    • View Profile
Re: Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2018, 03:46:16 AM »
"Kill" the beans in hot water for several minutes. You could sweat cure them as stated above... Or put them in a foam cooler during your sweating periods.

We skipped the sweating process and slowly dried them... Havnt noticed any difference in flavor doing this. Ive tried many other beans and nothing beats hime grown ones.
Biodiversity is key.

Louie

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 17
    • Santa Barbara, CA
    • View Profile
Re: Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2018, 12:48:24 AM »
Thanks for all the tips, I've got a good bit of info to sort through!