Instructions

INSTANT POT RECIPE:

1. Wash 4 glass (12 oz each) canning jars in hot soapy water and dry them. With a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean pods lengthwise down the middle leaving it attached at both ends. Then cut in half. Add 3 whole beans to each jar.  Since I used 12 ounce jars, I added an extra half of a vanilla bean pod to each.  
2. Pour vodka into each of your canning jars, leaving about an inch at the top. This extra room will allow for the liquid to expand while it is in the Instant Pot. Even though my jars were 12 ounces, I added just slightly over a cup of alcohol to each jar.
3. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot.  Place a trivet into the bottom of the Instant Pot.
4. Place a canning lid on each jar and finger tighten with ring. Place the jars in the Instant Pot on the trivet. Secure the lid and make sure the valve is set to SEALING.  
5. Select the MANUAL SETTING or HIGH PRESSURE COOK for a cook time of 45 minutes.
6. Once the cook time ends, let the pressure NATURALLY RELEASE FOR 1 HOUR.***
7. After the hour has passed, turn the valve to VENTING and carefully open the lid away from your face.
8. The jars will still be very hot. In fact, the liquid will still be bubbling. Use a potholder to transfer the jars somewhere to safely cool. You could even turn your Instant Pot off, unplug it, and allow them to cool right there.
9. Once the liquid has cooled, transfer the extract to individual bottles using a small funnel or leave it in the original jar for use later.

TRADITIONAL VANILLA EXTRACT METHOD:

1. Wash a quart size mason jar in hot soapy water and dry.
2. With a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean pods lengthwise down the middle leaving it attached at both ends. Add 12 whole beans to the jar. 
3. Pour 4 cups of vodka into the glass container, covering the vanilla bean pods completely.
4. Seal it and store it in a cool, dark place.  Shake it once a week until ready to use.