Made some Chaw

[Michibacy]

My recent experience has taught me that if your tobacco is too "tobacco" tasting or too raw, a simple diluted molasses syrup cures that pretty easily. As bad as it is, when I chew I don't like to taste the tobacco too much, I'm all about the flavorings.

The molasses turns into what I have officially began to call the "base flavor". It is on the low end of flavors that you don't really notice in tobacco. For a "high end" or top flavor I use mint oils (food grade) and dilute them with a bit of alcohol and water and then apply to the shredded tobacco (5 times through the pasta maker). It will make a strong smelling soggy mess. I let that soak for about 3 hours, then began to aerate the container of tobacco, it begins to clump and fluff. After 12 hours it has dried (enough). I deposit it into a used chew can. The "right amount of humidity" for me is enough to be noticeably moist, but once squeezed it doesn't ring out any fluid.

My recipe:

6 YTB Leaves stemmed, cleaned (to remove debris)

Base flavor:
1 ounce molasses
1 table spoon water
1 pinch of salt
(mix to slurry)

Top flavor:
5 drops peppermint oil (not extract)
1 table spoon vodka/gin
1 table spoon water
(mix, the liquid may turn slightly yellow)


Apply bottom flavor, let it soak up the proper amount of fluid, don't just dump it all in.

Then apply top flavor and mix well, close in container.

Enjoy after a few hours of soaking and drying.

This makes a really nice peppermint chew. Not too fine cut, and actually tastes like mint, not shredded cardboard with toothpaste.


As a side not, if you're making a chew that's not mint, substituting the molasses for honey does the trick just as well.

 

[quo155]

Great thread...THANK YOU!

I'm going to attempt this in the near future...and I like peppermint!

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. When making chewing tobacco you really should use a non caloric sweetener. Why keep a wad of sugar laden tobacco in your mouth all day? It may taste good now but you'll feel the pain later at the dentist's office. There are several places that sell pure, non caloric sweeteners. You want the pure product because the stuff you buy in the grocery store (in little packets) is mostly maltodextrin which not only tastes "odd" but will raise blood sugar levels just as regular sugar does.

 

[quo155]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. When making chewing tobacco you really should use a non caloric sweetener. Why keep a wad of sugar laden tobacco in your mouth all day? It may taste good now but you'll feel the pain later at the dentist's office. There are several places that sell pure, non caloric sweeteners. You want the pure product because the stuff you buy in the grocery store (in little packets) is mostly maltodextrin which not only tastes "odd" but will raise blood sugar levels just as regular sugar does.

Great point...and that's what I struggle with. I don't like "sweet" dip so I'd not put sugar in mine. I do like peppermint at times...but I prefer natural (Copenhagen Long Cut) "flavor".

 

[Smokin Harley]

nice and simple . I used to chew Beech Nut wintergreen , It was a nice flavor I could handle all day without the heavy bite like Skoal has. I'll have to try your recipe for leaf chew . What variety of tobacco is your blend or base?

 

[Michibacy]

Typically Yellow Twist Bud, it might have a mix of VBL or something similar in it but usually just 1 variety.