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Pressure Canner Cavendish v2.0

Planter

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Although it's said that pressure cookers allow for a Maillard reaction, mine probably does not go high enough in pressure/temperature. There's some browning when I apply ChinaVoodoo's method for several hours, but the smoking properties do not change sufficiently for my taste.


Here's what I do alternatively, based on the idea of baking "Pumpernickel" bread:


I fill canning jars (i.e. with twist-off lid) with relatively dry tobacco and add the same weight in water. (A bit less would probably do, but the tobacco does indeed absorb all that water in my experience, and is easy to dry out later).


I put them in the kitchen oven and slowly heat it up to 150 degrees Celsius (302 degrees Fahrenheit). I leave it at that for 1-2 hours. Then the temperature is lowered to 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit) for another 3-10 hours (I let the smell decide). After that I let it cool down in the oven overnight.


I did that with flue-cured Prilep (very bright colour) and the result looks, smells and smokes very similar to old-fashioned stoved Virginia. Black, somewhat sweet, tangy, raisin-fruity with very slow burn. During the first hour or so in the oven the smell from the jars may not be the most pleasant, but later on it becomes very typical (like candy and raisins, not at all a bad fragrance to have in the house - SHE who hates tobacco did not complain).
Interestingly, the high temperature did not scorch the tobacco nor was the leaf cooked soft. Somewhat surprisingly, some Prilep aroma still comes through in the smoke. Also, the seals of the lids do not seem to suffer from the heat. While still very moist, the tobacco does not feel overly soggy, and is drying fast afterwards.


That process also rescued a batch of Oriental I added too much Petimezi (concentrated grape juice as an invert sugar source) to. Before it was sticky and burned with an ashy note, if it burned at all. Now it's "dry", notably sweet, burns well to white ashes and has a grape aroma.
Since Chinavoodoo found the Bright Flue Cured best, giving a mild (invert) sugar casing to low-sugar tobaccos like Burley before processing may be worth a try. More reducing sugars should actually promote the Maillard reaction.
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Your method sounds awfully close to mine. I suspect a good sealed jar in the oven is a pressure vessel in and of itself. Too little water, and they might burst due to air pressure. But you already planned for that.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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For those of us who may be tempted to try this, how full do the jars *look* when you're ready to put them in? Are they wet to the recommended headspace as if you were canning jam or jelly? Also, do you go finger-tight with the lids, as in normal canning?
 

ChinaVoodoo

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For those of us who may be tempted to try this, how full do the jars *look* when you're ready to put them in? Are they wet to the recommended headspace as if you were canning jam or jelly? Also, do you go finger-tight with the lids, as in normal canning?

Just barely grabbing with the lids, finger tight , canned like anything else you would in regards to head space but you could go higher.

Something else. I did another batch. Now, I was a little unsure on how much water I added to the bright flue cured the first time. I reported 75g water and 70g tobacco, but it could have been as high as 80g water. This second batch wasn't nearly as good as the first and i went 50/50. Water content as far as I can tell was the only variable.
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Correction. One more variable. The first time I just scrunched the tobacco in. The second time I piled leaves and rolled them up and slid the roll into the jar. I believe that the colour isn't as consistent either. I believe less space between leaves and less water should have been compensated for by adding an hour of processing.
 

LordPipestoke

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Fantastic thread, this.

Admittedly, I'm some months away from having any form of leaf to do anything with at all. Currently, my seedlings are about the size of something you'd flick off your hand because it's crawling across it, but I'm trying to educate myself in good time for when I'll hopefully have the leaf to work with.

How do you reckon Havana leaf would work in this process?

Another question: I assume that before one can give it the Cavendish treatment, the leaf has to be fully cured to smokable state (browned/kilned etc.), after which one would be able to do this?
 

Jitterbugdude

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I would think that Havana leaf would not work well for this process. It needs sugar, which Havana is lacking. You could try spraying your leafs with a sugar solution.

I've processed 7 jars. As an experiment I used different moisture levels. It appears that only minimal water is needed. The tobacco that I lightly spritzed with water came out just as nice as the tobacco that I soaked in water.
The spritzed tobacco had a 20% moisture content and the soaked tobacco had a 45% moisture content.

I also processed a pint of VaPer. The process seemed to really dull down the flavor. I'd suggest if you want to make a VaPer to process the flue cured, then add your Perique.

Also, might lids were as tight as I could make them.
 

LordPipestoke

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Thanks, JBD.

I have some Virginia, Izmir and Yenidje seeds on the way but it's possible I won't be getting them in time to make much of a grow out of it this upcoming summer. I'll almost certainly give it a go however. Basically, December is the start of summer here, so we'll see.
 

Jitterbugdude

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The Turkish are quick growers. I'll bet you have time to seed, then transplant them and get a harvest. You might have to baby them a little though due to planting so late.
 

LordPipestoke

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I hope so, JBD. I'll certainly be giving it a go. I'll try with the Virginia as well.

One nice thing about where I am, is that we don't really get frost, except in the middle of winter and even then it's only very patchy. The hottest month of Summer here is February, so I'm hoping that if I let the growing go through to March, I should be OK.

If I get some Virginia out of it, I'll definitely be trying this method for making cavendish.
 

ChinaVoodoo

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I'm doing my third batch of cavendish in the pressure canner. Here are some photos.

I destemmed the leaves.
IMG_20160122_042528.jpg

I packed 50g of it into a 250mL jar and added 65g water, then pressed it by hand to ensure absorption.
IMG_20160122_042503.jpg

As you can see, almost all of the water was absorbed.
IMG_20160122_042437.jpg

The jar of homegrown seemed more moist. I believe this is because the leaf is thinner than the tobacco from WLT.
IMG_20160122_042417.jpg

The water level in the canner is about 2/3 of the way up the jars.
IMG_20160122_042340.jpg

With the 15lb weight on the canner, it's running at just under 14lbs of pressure.
IMG_20160122_042312.jpg

Here are my notes.
IMG_20160122_042240.jpg

My next post will demonstrate the results.
 

Jitterbugdude

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Perfect timing. My 3rd batch will be going into the pressure cooker in about another hour or so. I'm going to try 1 1/2 hrs this time instead of 4. Just need to experiment. I'' be doing the following:
1. Brightleaf
2. Brightleaf with honey/water
3. Red Leaf
4. Read Leaf with honey/water
5. Yellow Twist Bud with honey/water

Then I'll sit back and wait for the Blizzard!
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Perfect timing. My 3rd batch will be going into the pressure cooker in about another hour or so. I'm going to try 1 1/2 hrs this time instead of 4. Just need to experiment. I'' be doing the following:
1. Brightleaf
2. Brightleaf with honey/water
3. Red Leaf
4. Read Leaf with honey/water
5. Yellow Twist Bud with honey/water

Then I'll sit back and wait for the Blizzard!

Be sure to summarize t the results. I'm interested to know how your trial goes. I'm afraid to use less water because I don't see how it would hurt and I'm afraid the jars might break. If excess moisture is irrelevant, and it's just a fear of blowing up jars, then I'd like to try it with retort bags instead.
https://www.halfordsmailorder.com/e...ETORT-lV4B-PKRETORT-lV5B-PKRETORT.aspx?store=

And boy, 1.5hrs would be nice.

Previously, I dried my tobacco in the oven. I'm currently drying it in my kiln at 125F. I feel the oven caramelized it. I've also noticed that the tobacco is rather light in colour when I open the jars, but darkens substantially within minutes, and i theorize that a slower drying period should produce darker tobacco.

The little bits of my home grown that are dry enough to smoke in a small briar are tasty.

This is a shot of the Red FCV cavendish so far.
IMG_20160123_003823.jpg
 

Jitterbugdude

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All 5 are drying now. They are not nearly as dark as the 4 hr ones. They smell the same though. It'll be a few days before I can try them. I'll probably be plowing most of the day.. and then tonight.. and then some tomorrow.
 

ChinaVoodoo

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To dry, I placed the tobacco in the kiln at 125F. This took a full 24 hrs.
IMG_20160123_171148.jpg

So, they were all dried down to around 44-46g. I spritzed them back up to 50g. This is one reason why notes are important.
IMG_20160123_170942.jpg

Then put the tobacco back in the jars, sealed, and into the kiln for the moisture to redistribute evenly in the tobacco.
IMG_20160123_170917.jpg
 

ChinaVoodoo

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All 5 are drying now. They are not nearly as dark as the 4 hr ones. They smell the same though. It'll be a few days before I can try them. I'll probably be plowing most of the day.. and then tonight.. and then some tomorrow.

From what I've tasted, under steamed has more flavour, but over steamed is smother. The 2nd batch I did that came out lighter had a lot of tongue bite. Still, the first batch I did at 4 hours where the tobacco was not as dark as this one was the best. I might try 3 next time.
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Caramelized it is, and it shows! Looks fantastic! I've got to do this!

I'm still zeroing in on the right parameters.

My first attempt was 4 hours and amazing.
Second attempt, 4 hours, packed too tightly is too acidic and has bad tongue bite.
Third attempt 5 hours is less flavourful, but darker and difficult to burn.
Baking soda is darker, even less flavourful, and even more difficult to burn
Red flue cured was better on the 5 hour experiment than the Bright. The homegrown was the best of the lot this time.
 
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