DIY Flavored Extracts

• Produce

  • 1 Lemon, large
  • 1/2 cup Mint, leaves
  • 1 Navel orange, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 3 Vanilla beans, whole

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 4 Vodka

Found on justputzing.com

Description

Ingredients

• 3 whole vanilla beans
• Vodka (You can also use bourbon)
• ½ cup mint leaves
• Vodka
• 1 large navel orange
• Vodka
• 1 large lemon
• Vodka

Directions

• Cut your vanilla beans in half, then split open each half to expose the vanilla seeds on the inside of the pod.
• Place cut vanilla beans inside your glass bottle.
• Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle.
• Seal tightly and store bottle in a cool, dry place.
• Every few days, tilt your bottle upside down to gently mix the liquid inside.
• After 5-6 weeks, you have extract! (If you leave in your vanilla beans, when you start running low, just add more vodka and wait a little.)
• Stuff mint leaves into your glass bottle.
• Using a chopstick, skewer, or other poking device, lightly bruise/crush the leaves inside the bottle.
• Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle.
• Every few days, tilt your bottle upside down to gently mix the liquid inside.
• After 5-6 weeks, you have extract! (I’m not sure if, like vanilla extract, you can just leave the mint leaves inside. Since it’s leafy plant matter which disintegrates more easily, it may be a good idea to take it out. My leaves went from a vibrant green in the beginning to kind of a dull brown by the end so I took them out just to be safe – I poured my mint extract into another container through a sieve and discarded the mint leaves, then poured the filtered extract back into the bottle.)
• Peel thin strips of zest from ½ of your orange.
• Place zest into your glass bottle.
• Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle.
• Every few days, tilt your bottle upside down to gently mix the liquid inside.
• After 5-6 weeks, you have extract! (I think with citrus peels the acid (and alcohol bath), it’s probably safe to leave the peels inside the bottle like a vanilla bean for re-fill purposes. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, take it out!)
• Peel thin strips of zest from your lemon.
• Place zest into your glass bottle.
• Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle.
• Every few days, tilt your bottle upside down to gently mix the liquid inside.
• After 5-6 weeks, you have extract!