BigCasino
Well-Known Member
does anyone have an idea on how an electric smoker would work for kilning/curing leaf? maybe even a latakia type of processing?
electric Smoker
- Thread starter BigCasino
- Start date
- Status
Heat is heat. Use a perforated foil pack to hold the splintered wood or chips. The heat will cause the wood to smoke and not burn. Hold the well-exposed leaf at a temp below 130ºF. It will go faster if you start with yellowed leaf. Fire-up the smoker two or three times a day for about a week, and see how it looks. It will still need to age for weeks to months afterwards.
I fire-cured Shirazi several times a day for 30 days. That's still not long enough to get Latakia--which is fired for 3+ months of continuous smoke. But it makes some tasty leaf. I would suggest starting with a single variety of wood chips.
Bob
I fire-cured Shirazi several times a day for 30 days. That's still not long enough to get Latakia--which is fired for 3+ months of continuous smoke. But it makes some tasty leaf. I would suggest starting with a single variety of wood chips.
Bob
BigCasino
Well-Known Member
thanks for the help and advice I really appreciate it.
Am i wrong? I thought all leaves had to yellow b4 harvesting or they would stay green and unless I was planning on rolling those green cigars which the names eludes me right was undesired?
Am i wrong? I thought all leaves had to yellow b4 harvesting or they would stay green and unless I was planning on rolling those green cigars which the names eludes me right was undesired?
BigCasino
Well-Known Member
oh and would that be a constant 130 degrees or just during the firing process?
DonH
Well-Known Member
They don't have to be totally yellow. They are ripe when they are partially yellow and thick and alligator-like.
Also, remember that you can use your smoker either for fire curing or for normal curing like a kiln and they are two totally different processes.
DonH
Well-Known Member
Here is the thread on leaf ripeness. http://wholeleaftobaccollc.com/forum/showthread.php?174-Ripe-tobacco-leaf
Picking earlier than ripe-ripe or overripe (all yellow) results in a milder smoke but makes it harder to color cure. When I pick lugs that are still green, I stack them in the garage for two to three days, restacking them at least once a day, putting the outer ones in the middle, until the leaves yellow. This is good for early in the curing season when curing sheds are hot and have lower humidity.
And remember that Burley has less chlorophyll so it tends to yellow on the stalk much faster than other varieties. And you would want to pick leaves that are just ripe (some yellow, not lots) for flue curing. For cigar wrapper you want mature leaves (before they get ripe). Confused yet?
Picking earlier than ripe-ripe or overripe (all yellow) results in a milder smoke but makes it harder to color cure. When I pick lugs that are still green, I stack them in the garage for two to three days, restacking them at least once a day, putting the outer ones in the middle, until the leaves yellow. This is good for early in the curing season when curing sheds are hot and have lower humidity.
And remember that Burley has less chlorophyll so it tends to yellow on the stalk much faster than other varieties. And you would want to pick leaves that are just ripe (some yellow, not lots) for flue curing. For cigar wrapper you want mature leaves (before they get ripe). Confused yet?
BigCasino
Well-Known Member
HAHA ummm yeah, I think I get some of it, wait till leaves begin to yellow and they can be picked and/or should be picked if burley or for flue curing? or Burley can be totally yellow b4 picking?, for other varieties and or curing the more yellow the better?
It depends on your taste to some degree. The more ripe the leaf, the stronger the taste and nicotine will be higher. The lower leaves of a plant are more mild, and as you go higher up the plant, the stronger and higher in nicotine. The lower leaves can be harvested riper than the upper leaves without being too strong.
Cigar varieties are harvested when they are mature, rather than ripe, you have to watch them and when they turn a paler shade of green, they are mature.
DonH
Well-Known Member
Not necessarily the more yellow the better. Overripe leaves can end up worse than ripe. It's tricky. Leverhead mentioned that the leaves can end up too thick and leathery and not burn well.
For Burley, it can be easier to stalk cure. If you do that the lower leaves will be totally yellow, some starting to turn brown and the top leaves will be a little under-ripe and the middle ones just right.
And this is just from what I've read. Last year I experimented with early priming (2 weeks after topping). The end result is a nice "light" cigarette. The Burley doesn't have to be toasted or anything, it's very mild yet has that Burley flavor. But the leaves are thin and sometimes it tastes a little too light, and they burn too fast, so this year I'm experimenting with picking later. Hopefully some of the more experienced growers will chime in.
CHIME!
Too mild has seldom been a problem with my leaf. Harsh and strong is easy. Smooth and flavorful is hard.
With white-stem burleys, I prime the lowest leaf when fully yellow, and continue to do that until most of the plant is ready for stalk harvesting (most of it at least beginning to yellow).
I harvest dark-air varieties (like Little Yellow) when a little yellow. They are intended to be potent.
For flue-curing, I prime mature, light green VA Bright leaf. It will yellow in the flue-cure chamber.
For spicy cigar filler (like Jalapa), I prime between mature (still all green) and ripe (yellowed).
For most leaf that will air-cure--nearly everything else, I prime the leaf when mature (sometimes a tiny tip of yellowing), rather than waiting for it to ripen. The yellowing happens in the shed. If your shed conditions are too dry, you may need to allow more yellowing in the field.
For Orientals, I always prime the leaf at mature, not ripe. It is mostly air-cured, though I have flue-cured some of it with success.
For fire-curing, you can start with green leaf (mature), but it will still need several days in the fire-cure chamber to yellow, which must be accomplished below 104ºF, or the leaf will cook green. If you yellow the leaf in the shed first, then you can safely place it into the fire-curing chamber, which should be kept below 130ºF. I kept mine at about 115ºF more or less.
For Perique (pressure method), the leaf is harvested either at mature or ripe, allowed to color-cure to brown in the shed, then stemmed and started in the Perique press.
Whew!
Bob
Too mild has seldom been a problem with my leaf. Harsh and strong is easy. Smooth and flavorful is hard.
With white-stem burleys, I prime the lowest leaf when fully yellow, and continue to do that until most of the plant is ready for stalk harvesting (most of it at least beginning to yellow).
I harvest dark-air varieties (like Little Yellow) when a little yellow. They are intended to be potent.
For flue-curing, I prime mature, light green VA Bright leaf. It will yellow in the flue-cure chamber.
For spicy cigar filler (like Jalapa), I prime between mature (still all green) and ripe (yellowed).
For most leaf that will air-cure--nearly everything else, I prime the leaf when mature (sometimes a tiny tip of yellowing), rather than waiting for it to ripen. The yellowing happens in the shed. If your shed conditions are too dry, you may need to allow more yellowing in the field.
For Orientals, I always prime the leaf at mature, not ripe. It is mostly air-cured, though I have flue-cured some of it with success.
For fire-curing, you can start with green leaf (mature), but it will still need several days in the fire-cure chamber to yellow, which must be accomplished below 104ºF, or the leaf will cook green. If you yellow the leaf in the shed first, then you can safely place it into the fire-curing chamber, which should be kept below 130ºF. I kept mine at about 115ºF more or less.
For Perique (pressure method), the leaf is harvested either at mature or ripe, allowed to color-cure to brown in the shed, then stemmed and started in the Perique press.
Whew!
Bob
Great explanation Bob. That's exactly what I meant to say but couldn't get the words out. 
BigCasino
Well-Known Member
Thanks fellas, that makes it much easier for me to grasp It's good to know I dont have to wait for it all to turn completely yellow!
Webby
Well-Known Member
This one adds smoke at cool temps so could be purposed either for flue or curing.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/home-livin...y/bbqs/smokers-steamers/auction-582973651.htm
Don't know that they are available outside NZ yet but would not be hard to imitate.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/home-livin...y/bbqs/smokers-steamers/auction-582973651.htm
Don't know that they are available outside NZ yet but would not be hard to imitate.
- Status
