I have air cured some PA red and some WSO, some of which dried too quickly and stayed green, I'll be documenting the process in it's entirety. Sort of.
I've only just recently read you can use slightly green tobacco (air cured, and dry) tobacco to make black cavendish. (Thanks Deluxstogie for this tip even though it wasn't directed to me)
As an experiment I thought I would try this as some of this tobacco isn't worth selling or keeping for cigars. (Maybe mix it for cigarettes though after kilning).
I tossed a quarter pound of leaves in the crock pot on top of a metal strainer basket that fits perfectly inside.
I sat this in the garage (unheated) and filled it with water to within 1'' from the bottom of the strainer. I have it running on a constant high setting (it's been about 35*F out the past few days, today it's near 50*F) I replaced the lid and let 'er sit.
I realized this would/could slow down the steaming process but said hey what the hey? after steaming Friday, Saturday and Sunday the leaves are a nice dark brown, nearly black.
I didn't think to document this process as I figured it would just turned out into another iffy kind of tobacco that isn't worth smoking much.
SO! I'll start the process again tomorrow with more green-ish tobacco and get full pictures along the way. I'm also considering drying these leaves to proper case, making them into a brick, and steaming the brick again to see what results I may get.
Stay tuned!
I've only just recently read you can use slightly green tobacco (air cured, and dry) tobacco to make black cavendish. (Thanks Deluxstogie for this tip even though it wasn't directed to me)
As an experiment I thought I would try this as some of this tobacco isn't worth selling or keeping for cigars. (Maybe mix it for cigarettes though after kilning).
I tossed a quarter pound of leaves in the crock pot on top of a metal strainer basket that fits perfectly inside.
I sat this in the garage (unheated) and filled it with water to within 1'' from the bottom of the strainer. I have it running on a constant high setting (it's been about 35*F out the past few days, today it's near 50*F) I replaced the lid and let 'er sit.
I realized this would/could slow down the steaming process but said hey what the hey? after steaming Friday, Saturday and Sunday the leaves are a nice dark brown, nearly black.
I didn't think to document this process as I figured it would just turned out into another iffy kind of tobacco that isn't worth smoking much.
SO! I'll start the process again tomorrow with more green-ish tobacco and get full pictures along the way. I'm also considering drying these leaves to proper case, making them into a brick, and steaming the brick again to see what results I may get.
Stay tuned!