Sun curing- Whole vs shredded leaf?

[GWLee]

I was literally just about to ask the exact same question and post that exact same video except I had no idea what variety tobacco they were curing other than it is a large possibly bright leaf...based on other videos such as this:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsTJmEL0ZwY

this may be Thailand

Man that are some sure sharp knifes!!! And that machine is something else as well!

Cheers

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Would you recommend either of those varieties to grow and air cure for use in a cigarette blend?

Mmmm, well, mayyybeeeee. That's what Indonesians use them for. They wouldn't make a Canadian or American cigarette.
Samporis is more sweet and acidic with some pungency. Needs air cured in the pipe to tone down tongue bite. Kasturi is really high in nicotine. Gives me hiccups. It's a beast. In the pipe it's easy on the tongue though.

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

Mmmm, well, mayyybeeeee. That's what Indonesians use them for. They wouldn't make a Canadian or American cigarette.
Samporis is more sweet and acidic with some pungency. Needs air cured in the pipe to tone down tongue bite. Kasturi is really high in nicotine. Gives me hiccups. It's a beast. In the pipe it's easy on the tongue though.

Ha! I'm glad somebody else gets occasional hiccups from smoking. I thought there was something wrong with me.

 

[BCgoatfarmer]

Rajangan Delhi-34 which is a Canadian bright leaf is not as sweet as flue cured Delhi-34. Rajangan'd it burns the nose before its aged and is the only tobacco I've ever had that effect from.

Did you ever process rajangan from costello leaves? How did it turn out?

I remeber in your rajangan thread you said something to the effect that you would make mostly ranjangan (vs flue, sun, air cured whole leaf?) If it were not for the processed tobacco limits here in canada. Has time/experiance altered this opinion?

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Did you ever process rajangan from costello leaves? How did it turn out?

I remeber in your rajangan thread you said something to the effect that you would make mostly ranjangan (vs flue, sun, air cured whole leaf?) If it were not for the processed tobacco limits here in canada. Has time/experiance altered this opinion?

My sun curing whole leaf worked really well last year, and I think it's better as a blending component with my air cured and fire cured tobaccos because it's more acidic/sweet than rajangan would be.

If I were to grow only one tobacco, I think rajangan would be better because it seemed to have a higher pH, making it better for smoking it straight.

I would say, overall, that whole leaf is higher quality, and that rajangan is the most convenient because its easier to shred it green/yellow than cured.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Did you ever process rajangan from costello leaves?

I haven't grown Costello again.
I've rajangan cured Delhi-34 which is a Canadian flue cured. It comes out darker, spicier, and higher pH than when sun cured as whole leaf. I don't see why you couldn't try it with any flue or sun-cured variety.

 

[BCgoatfarmer]

My sun curing whole leaf worked really well last year, and I think it's better as a blending component with my air cured and fire cured tobaccos because it's more acidic/sweet than rajangan would be.

If I were to grow only one tobacco, I think rajangan would be better because it seemed to have a higher pH, making it better for smoking it straight.

I would say, overall, that whole leaf is higher quality, and that rajangan is the most convenient because its easier to shred it green/yellow than cured.

Thanks for the post study overview. Had wondered how your opinions of it might be now compared to then.

I certainly plan to try making some with this years grow. More for the ease than the quality, I think all that surface area/cut lamina must cause some amount of dissipation of scent compounds during evaporation.

Sounds like you still think its decent, which is encouraging for me.

So you find it has less of an acidic bite requiring less/no blending components to bring the PH to an optimal smoking level?

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Thanks for the post study overview. Had wondered how your opinions of it might be now compared to then.

I certainly plan to try making some with this years grow. More for the ease than the quality, I think all that surface area/cut lamina must cause some amount of dissipation of scent compounds during evaporation.

Sounds like you still think its decent, which is encouraging for me.

So you find it has less of an acidic bite requiring less/no blending components to bring the PH to an optimal smoking level?

I think it's more complex

My hypothesis is:
1. That it cures faster because it's losing water faster, and risks extra protein content. That would make it harsher, and it would taste different.

2. When cellular contents are exposed to air directly, enzymatic and chemical reactions occur that are different from if they weren't. I would therefore equate it with black tea oxidation (if they didn't manhandle the crap out of it)

 

[BCgoatfarmer]

Interesting, so youre saying faster drying time due to incresed surface area leaves less time for the proteins to be converted. While at the same time it accelerates enzimatic and chemical rections.

Makes sense, do you feel the latter factor can render positive changes to the final outcome?

Did you ever try with any costello? Feel like it said so in your original thred but cant remeber the results.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Interesting, so youre saying faster drying time due to incresed surface area leaves less time for the proteins to be converted.

Not exactly. I am saying that water has a means to leak out once you cut it and rupture cells.

While at the same time it accelerates enzimatic and chemical rections.

I'm saying that the enzymes normally act inside the leaf but are now acting all over the leaf.

Did you ever try with any costello?

I can't remember, sorry.

Makes sense, do you feel the latter factor can render positive changes to the final outcome?

Some people liked it. Some didn't. It's a different product and you don't necessarily have to compare it to other curing methods.