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Making Black Cavendish with dried, slightly green tobacco

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Michibacy

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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!
 

Rectifier

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Years now since the OP, but I have some crummy leaves that dried partially green / green on the back and was just wondering if they could be salvaged by the Cavendish process. Has anyone else tried this?

I was hoping to try to make some Cavendish anyways so if I can use up these wasted leaves at the same time I would be pretty happy!
 

Jitterbugdude

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The easiest way to make Cavendish is to use the method Chinavoodoo came up with. Just pack some moist tobacco in to mason jars. Place in pressure cooker and cook for 4 to 8 hours. Done!
 

ChinaVoodoo

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The easiest way to make Cavendish is to use the method Chinavoodoo came up with. Just pack some moist tobacco in to mason jars. Place in pressure cooker and cook for 4 to 8 hours. Done!

I don't think I would go more than 5hours. At 5, the flammability seems to really drop off. I've been doing 3 hours lately.
 

Rectifier

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I'll have to give it a try I guess. I can try some Cavendish from properly cured leaf and some of the partially green leaf, though I'm really not the right guy to be doing the experiment (first year growing tobacco and such)

How long should leaf be cured before the pressure/steam treatment or does it matter?
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Looks pretty good! You used your pressure cooker process?
How does it smell?

It was pressure cooked for 3 hours at 14.75lbs. It was packed into a jar with enough water that it would absorb all of it, but could be easily squeezed out with minimal pressure. This particular batch was made with Japan 8. It doesn't change the flavour as much as cavendishing bright or Maryland does. It seems to deepen the Japan 8, make it more licoricey and earthy, gets rid of off flavours from the poor cure my friend did, makes it burn cooler and stay hydrated longer. I recently tried it with a few drops of bitters. It almost makes a blend become more leathery in taste if that makes sense.
 

Smokin Harley

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Hey China...I'm doing a test batch of pressure cooker Cavendish right now. Just a jar packed with some Little Dutch with a little whisky,rum combo cocktail in it . I have a 4 qt PC I'm using , how full can I fill it to get 3-4 hours out of it??...I only filled it with enough water to come up to the bottom of the jar which is the suspension plate inside the bottom of the cooker. Didn't last more than about 20 minutes once the jiggler started dancing til it got tired . Letting it cool now to refill and go again.
 

Smokin Harley

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that sounds like a lot ...I only did it I guess a full hour ,maybe 1:20 ...looks considerably darker. all the whisky and rum I sprayed on has all but vanished as far as I can smell. I have more leaf, Theres always another time .
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Hey China...I'm doing a test batch of pressure cooker Cavendish right now. Just a jar packed with some Little Dutch with a little whisky,rum combo cocktail in it . I have a 4 qt PC I'm using , how full can I fill it to get 3-4 hours out of it??...I only filled it with enough water to come up to the bottom of the jar which is the suspension plate inside the bottom of the cooker. Didn't last more than about 20 minutes once the jiggler started dancing til it got tired . Letting it cool now to refill and go again.

Like Bob said. And, for clarification for others who might not read what I mentioned in that other thread. When a weighted pressure cooker starts to jiggle, it means it's reached the maximum temperature and pressure. At that point, you should turn the heat way down until it only jiggles a few times per minute. The more the weight jiggles, the faster the water disappears. It does not get any hotter. I fill mine half full, and after 4 hours, it's about a quarter full.
 

Jitterbugdude

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As for me, I fill mine about 1/4 full and after 4 hours it has plenty of water left. As for adding things like Rum, it's best to add after you are done cooking. I tried Perique once and the heat process just made it nasty. You will notice a huge increase in flavor with anything that has sugar in it such as Flue Cured, not so much with everything else.
 

Smokin Harley

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Like Bob said. And, for clarification for others who might not read what I mentioned in that other thread. When a weighted pressure cooker starts to jiggle, it means it's reached the maximum temperature and pressure. At that point, you should turn the heat way down until it only jiggles a few times per minute. The more the weight jiggles, the faster the water disappears. It does not get any hotter. I fill mine half full, and after 4 hours, it's about a quarter full.

Now you tell me...ok now I know ..for next time. Thanks Chinavoodoo
 

Smokin Harley

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As for me, I fill mine about 1/4 full and after 4 hours it has plenty of water left. As for adding things like Rum, it's best to add after you are done cooking. I tried Perique once and the heat process just made it nasty. You will notice a huge increase in flavor with anything that has sugar in it such as Flue Cured, not so much with everything else.

Next time I get time at home which could be Monday ,I'll set up another cavendish steaming session and try it with more water in the pot and turning it down to minimal jiggling...This was my first time ever using a pressure cooker .
 
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