Beginner Diving In: multi-batch snus

[F4MN]

I have been using snus for a few years now and switched to loose and I have now decided I would like to start making my own. I have the general idea but I do have a question that I haven't seen discussions for in previous threads.
I have ordered some Burley, Virginia, Dark Air Cured, and Kentucky Fire Cured and I am going to want to test how they are on their own and how they mix with each other. The first thing I was wondering is when I start the cook if I put multiple bags(in pressure cooker) or jars in a slow cooker do they have to be the same blend? A follow up to that is, if I can put different tobaccos in without there being "cross contamination" of flavors are tobaccos able to be blended after the first cook? I am just thinking for the purposes of doing a lot of different blends without having to do 4 different cooks for each type of tobacco I bought then again to test different blend ratios. I am also torn between trying to turn my slow cooker into a sous vide machine or just buying a pressure cooker. If I am doing a cook with the slow cooker does it stay on 24 hours a day for however many days the cook is and are there resting periods or are there just as many different ways and opinions are there are options?

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum. Be sure to scan through our Index of Key Forum Threads for topics of interest. It is linked in the menu bar.

The separate containers processed in the same device simultaneously will not mingle their properties, and you can use the completely finished varieties as ingredients for blending trials. I'll defer to other members for cooking details.

Bob

 

[wruk53]

I have been using snus for a few years now and switched to loose and I have now decided I would like to start making my own. I have the general idea but I do have a question that I haven't seen discussions for in previous threads.
I have ordered some Burley, Virginia, Dark Air Cured, and Kentucky Fire Cured and I am going to want to test how they are on their own and how they mix with each other. The first thing I was wondering is when I start the cook if I put multiple bags(in pressure cooker) or jars in a slow cooker do they have to be the same blend? A follow up to that is, if I can put different tobaccos in without there being "cross contamination" of flavors are tobaccos able to be blended after the first cook? I am just thinking for the purposes of doing a lot of different blends without having to do 4 different cooks for each type of tobacco I bought then again to test different blend ratios. I am also torn between trying to turn my slow cooker into a sous vide machine or just buying a pressure cooker. If I am doing a cook with the slow cooker does it stay on 24 hours a day for however many days the cook is and are there resting periods or are there just as many different ways and opinions are there are options?

I have frequently blended separate batches of different varieties. For example, I recently cooked a batch of straight Little Dutch and I found that it was too light on the nicotine and too heavy on taste, so I blended it with a previously cooked batch of Small Stalk Black Mammoth and it raised the nicotine level and toned down the strong taste. It turned out to be my best batch of snus yet.

 

[Alpine]

Welcome to FTT

pier

 

[Bottenslam]

I dont make snus in pressure cooker, but in oven you can do separate yars at the same time. Taste The water you have in the pressure cooker, If it tastes like tobacco you will have cross contamination.
That beeing said, mixing them together efter baking will yeald a bit different resoults than blendig before baking, atleast on a theorethical level, as you will havet different molecular interactions during the bake.

 

[loui loui]

I have only made snus in jars in the oven and it was a very good method. I used 1 litre Ikea Korken jars. I used one kilo of tobacco flour and filled four jars perfectly filled.
How much tobacco do have?

 

[F4MN]

I got my leaves dried enough to make into tobacco flour so will be attempting a cook soon! Will update here how it goes. I got an old crockpot slow cooker I am going to try out, hopefully it heats properly.

 

[deluxestogie]

You may wish to discuss your smokeless adventure in a new thread in the Smokeless forum, so others can locate the information in the future.

Bob

 

[loui loui]

I got my leaves dried enough to make into tobacco flour so will be attempting a cook soon! Will update here how it goes. I got an old crockpot slow cooker I am going to try out, hopefully it heats properly.

Do you know what temperature you will cook in?

 

[F4MN]

Do you know what temperature you will cook in?

It starts at 130f and raises up to 165f and then it maintains a few degrees in that range. I will let it cook 24 hours and stir it and keep a close eye on it after the first 24 hours.

 

[loui loui]

It starts at 130f and raises up to 165f and then it maintains a few degrees in that range. I will let it cook 24 hours and stir it and keep a close eye on it after the first 24 hours.

Here you have cooking times for different temperatures. You can try something else but it may be a good starting point.
Do you have a cooking thermometer?

I can translate some for you but you may want to use chrome browser and translate more.

50-60 °C= 6 days
60-70 °C= 5-6 days
70-80 °C= 4-5 days
80-90 °C = 2-3 days
90-97 °C = 24 + 12 hour

Temperaturen eget snus

Temperaturen är en viktig faktor när du gör ditt eget snus

www.tilbudet.se

 

[F4MN]

Completed my cook 24 hours at 195f-206f then around 175f for 12 hours after alkalizing. I am now letting it air a bit in bags while I wash the jars for long term storage. Are glycerin and glycol added before or after the aging process? A new thread will be made showing everything once it is completed.

 

[wruk53]

I like to wait a few weeks after alkalizing before I add anything. My understanding is that the alkalization is a chemical process that takes a few weeks to complete. I just don't want to take a chance on interrupting the process. I may be completely wrong but that's what I do.

 

[loui loui]

In this post you will find instructions from a swedish snus manufacturer.

Post in thread 'DIY snus Kit with pictures' https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/diy-snus-kit-with-pictures.11597/post-206916

I followed instructions and added the glycerol and propylene glycol after adding the sodium carbonate but before I did put the snus in the fridge.

 

[deluxestogie]

It might be interesting to measure the tobacco preparation's pH just prior to adding alkali, then check it at daily intervals, to see when it stops changing significantly.

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Bob

 

[loui loui]

It might be interesting to measure the tobacco preparation's pH just prior to adding alkali, then check it at daily intervals, to see when it stops changing significantly.

Hydrion 93 S/R Insta-Check pH Test Paper Dispenser Level 0-13

Designed for general purpose testing, Hydrion 93 S/R Insta-Check pH paper offers quick and easy pH level testing! These paper strips have a distinct color match at each full pH unit, making it easy for the user to identify the correct pH level. Simply tear off a small strip of pH paper, dip into...

www.webstaurantstore.com

Bob

Yes meausurements are nice but I took a snus right after I had mixed in the sodium carbonate and the snus did burn a lot under the lip.
I guess the sodium carbonate did fret a little on the gum. The burning sensation did go away after the snus had been stored in the fridge for three or four weeks.
Also the snus did smell rather bad while the chemical reaction was active.

I do not bake the snus in the oven after I add the sodium carbonate, a second bake is unnecessary.
The chemical reaction occur faster in the oven than in the fridge but within three or four weeks in the fridge the snus will have a nice odour and taste good without burning sensation under the lip.