Whisk in your milk to a saucepan over medium heat. Add in your vanilla bean pod. Bring the milk to a simmer and then remove from the heat. Do not boil.
Turn the heat off and remove the vanilla bean pod. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife's dull (non-cutting) side. Whisk the vanilla bean seed in to your milk mixture.
Cover your bowl with plastic wrap, making sure to have the plastic wrap touching the surface of the ice cream base so it does not get a skin. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.