Madagascar vanilla drying: preparing Planifolia vanilla
Madagascar vanilla is dried during the Planifolia preparation process. Several months after the flowers have been fertilized by hand, the green pods have been harvested, washed, scalded and steamed… Now it’s time to reduce their moisture content. But why is this step necessary? Does it influence the pod’s aromas and shelf life?
NOROHY invites you to find out more about this essential step in the preparation of Planifolia vanilla, or Madagascar Bourbon vanilla. Let’s find out more about this stage and its impact on vanilla quality.
How is Madagascar vanilla dried?
Drying Madagascar vanilla involves significantly drying the steamed beans. When they come out of the steamer, the vanilla beans have taken on their chocolate color… But before they can take on their black color, they need to lose almost 50% of their moisture content. Green pods are scalded, drained and steamed. They emerge from this stage of preparation of the Planifolia with a moisture content of around 80-85%. To reduce this high moisture content, there’s only one solution: dry Madagascar vanilla.
How is Madagascar vanilla dried?
First-rate pods…In Madagascar, vanilla beans
Planifolia
are meticulously lined up by hand on large tarpaulins. The pods are arranged side by side, in a single layer. They are then transported to their display case for a few hours’ daily exposure.
If the aim is to dry the pods, roasting is out of the question! Large blankets or tarpaulins supporting the fruit are laid out directly on cement drying patios or raised drying tables. This prevents the development of mold and mildew through better aeration, but also avoids any dampness in the soil.
The pods are exposed to direct sunlight for a few hours a day, depending on the weather. This perfects the color of the pods and ensures gradual drying. The pods are regularly turned over to ensure even drying. Gentle, gradual sun-drying is important to preserve all the organoleptic characteristics of the pods.
In the evening, the pods shave been carefully returned to the workshop in their blankets, in order to maintain the high temperature required to continue the aromatic development process. During sun drying, which lasts 2 to 3 weeks, the pods begin to be sorted. The only selection criterion is based on the experience of the preparer. He rolls the pod between three fingers to assess its moisture and suppleness. By simply touching the pods, he determines which have become suitable for drying, and continues drying in the shade in the workshop, on racks that will allow him to observe the qualitative evolution of the pods for a few days, in order to orientate them according to the qualities expected (extraction, gourmet…).
The ballet described above is repeated for each batch over several weeks. The time it takes to dry each pod varies according to its size and initial moisture content. Of course, other factors also come into play… The vagaries of the weather can change conditions: wind, sunshine, humidity! The length of time is therefore to be assessed individually, pod by pod…
While this stage undoubtedly contributes to the aromatic development of the pods, its main purpose is to stabilize their condition. The pod gradually becomes truly flexible. Brittle when it comes out of the oven, it becomes bendy during pre-drying, then flexible when it comes out! A quality pod produces an oil that makes it slightly oily and supple. To gauge this, nothing beats the knot test! If it can be tied without breaking, the pod has been prepared with the requisite care. Finally, to maintain its suppleness, the spice must not become too dry. Madagascar vanilla beans should retain a moisture content of between 32% and 38%. This criterion is also part of NOROHY’s specifications. In partnership with our processors and refiners, we ensure that this criterion is met.
There are a number of risks that can affect the proper drying of Madagascar vanilla. These include weather conditions during drying, as well as the risk of contamination. Indeed, without good ventilation, drying can be too slow. Mould or contamination by micro-organisms can spoil the pod. During daily sorting, each damaged pod is removed so as not to contaminate the other pods.
Finally, too much or too prolonged sunlight cangsunlight would totally dry out the pods and limit their aromatic profile.
Although seemingly trivial, drying Madagascar vanilla requires real know-how. It may seem empirical, but it can only be acquired through years of experience. If you’d like to do the knot test yourself and roll the pod between your fingers, order NOROHY organic Madagascar vanilla beans in tubes of 3 pods, in 125g, 250g or 2.5kg for professionals. And discover all the work that goes intorefining vanilla beans after they’ve been dried!