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High Temperature Cured Tobacco

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Markw

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I was thinking today about an idea, I have no idea if it would work so I am asking you what the results would be.

I have some solar vacuum tubes I was thinking of putting tobacco into them, I could only put the tobacco in there like a long rolled cigar, or shredded. each tube holds about half a gallon.

The internal temperature of the tubes can get over 200c or for you over 400f when the sun is out, at night time they cool down a lot, the next day the heat up again,

The big question is what would this do to the tobacco. I don't think you could call it flue cured.

Mark
 

deluxestogie

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I believe it would simply ruin a half-gallon of tobacco at a time.

Flue-curing is performed on green leaf, and is a scheduled, gradual increase in temperature, starting at ~90-100ºF, until the leaf is fully yellowed, then taken in steps to ~165ºF. The humidity must also be controlled.

Kilning is usually performed on color-cured leaf between 120 and 130ºF, with relative humidity between 65 and 80%.

What you're describing would, if it didn't destroy the leaf, result in black tobacco that would likely still need to age for a long time.

Bob
 

darren1979

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Hi Mark, I believe taking the tobacco to such a high temp will kill the enzymes needed for the aging process. If i remember Bobs thread correctly the temp cant go above 140f before killing the enzymes.
 

SmokesAhoy

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yeah i think it'll char it real good.

wth though, put some in and find out, the worst that can happen is you waste what you put in and have to clean out that nifty device i've never heard of before.
 

Markw

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Hi Bob and Darren.
I was thinking that would be the answer. especially at that temperature. Smokesahoy I will give it a bash anyway and try some, I have three small tubes about 2 foot long that won't take to much tobacco to fill. I am going to do one for 1 day one for 2 days and the last for 3 days. It will be fun to see how it turns out.
It might be like smoking the mother in laws underwear Ha Ha . I will post some pictures It will be a laugh anyway. what would you think would be best . Burley / Turkish or VG

Mark W
 

Chicken

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i agree, with what has been stated, i belive the temp. your predecting is way too high..
 

marksctm

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Just put it in the oven at 200c or 400f, and see what does.
Would this be for color curing, If so I would think it would flash cure it green.
For aging, I think it would be too hot for any aging to take place.
 

indianjoe

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Markw,
could you possibly cover part of the tube and control temperature better? Humidity might be controlled if enclosed environment, hey it is worth a shot.
 

leverhead

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Flue-curing is NOT easy! Since my seeds were sprouted, I read every scrap of information I could get my hands on. The good stuff I've read several times and still there are unanswered questions. From yellowing up through the end of leaf drying is the fussiest part, temperature affects the time line. The right relative humidity depends on the leaf, how much moisture it has in it and how fast it can give it up. Any of the numbers could have a wide range of values and still a good cure would be possible. Any situation taken by itself you would want the numbers to be in a much smaller range because they are all interrelated and it's a balancing act to get a good product. In a few years I might look back and laugh, or I might still be scratching my head. Backing up on temperature is never a good thing, condensation will leave from brown spots to a brown mess.
 

Steve2md

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You said they were vacuum tubes, but will the tobacco be under vacuum? just curing or kilning under vacuum alone could make for an interesting experiment
 

Markw

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Hi All and thanks for all of your replies.
Just to cover some of your questions you have mentioned, I am planning the following, I am not planning on putting in green leaves as I expect that these would end up as mush. I am only planning on using color cured low case leaves. These tubes normally have a heat pipe heat exchanger in them and are run off solar for heating water, I have removed the HE and plan to use the internal space.
I have cooked food in these tubes and take one fishing with me to make a brew, all it needs is sun. they get very hot and all joints near the heat exchanger need to be braised not soldered .
Steve the tobacco will not be under vacuum but I think that would be an interesting test. I can keep the humidity in the tube or add additional liquids as these will turn into steam. you could have some control over to upper limits of the temp but not that much I was only looking at playing around to see how it turns out
I could toast it in the oven but then I have gas fumes with my tobacco.. All I am looking at it could be a good way of flavoring tobacco if I added stuff with it or if it was held at a high temperature for a day or so would it smoke better, at the end of the day they don't cost a cent to run, just load them up and leave them out in the sun while you are at work.

Markw
 
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