Crushing the stem for faster, better curing?

[mrthing2000]

Sort of a dumb question, but would smashing/crushing the main stem help with curing? I'm air curing these and will attempt a flue cure.

I would think it might cause mold or make it really ugly, but I'm mainly making chew, cigs, and pipe stuff. My rolling technique ain't up for cigars yet.

I could see merit during kilning perhaps.

Sorry for the dumb question but I'd heard it was a strategy. Just can't find it on the forums here, probably telling me its a bad idea.

 

[AmaxB]

To what point? When the time comes to remove it an undamaged stem would be much easier.

 

[mrthing2000]

He was thinking it might cure faster since the sap would be released, or that the sugars might absorb into the leaf differently (less?).

It sounds like a dumb idea--and I totally agree its easier to strip a stem that isn't all mooshed. Be my luck that the sap would burn holes in the leaves, make them unpalatable, or just make a huge mess.

 

[Bex]

While this may not be accurate, I have also read that the sap contains some kind of substance in it that is damaging to the leaf during curing - because of this, I actually avoid damaging the midrib at all. Probably some of the gurus here know more about this.....
I have a friend who is trying to flue cure his leaves, and he removes the midrib prior to doing so. However, he has some difficulty keeping the RH up in his chamber when he does this. I think that the midrib serves a purpose by feeding the leaf long enough for it to color cure. IMHO, of course

 

[mrthing2000]

Thanks for this.

I forgot to mention, apparently idea to squish the midrib came from the coffin nails guy. I don't know him personally, but we read it on his page.

From this page:
http://www.coffinails.com/curing_tobacco.html

<<You can speed up the process slightly by crushing the mid-rib, but be warned that the sap in the mid-rib is like an acid to the other tobacco leaves. If you crush the mid-rib, you must hang your tobacco up within a couple of hours.>>

Still sounds like a bad idea to speed up the process. Makes sense the stem might feed it moisture or leftover nutrients.

 

[squeezyjohn]

I have done this occasionally when I've had leaf hanging with a midrib that refuses to dry out before the onset of very damp and cold weather (I'm in the UK where leaf hanging in a shed outside will quickly go mouldy once November hits) ... it kind of works at that stage of the process when there is very little sap left anyway - and I would only ever do it as a last resort, my other technique at that point would be to remove the midrib completely and age the tobacco without it.

I certainly wouldn't try and crush the midrib at the start of the cure though - not only is it far too juicy, it also maintains the leafs integrity making it far easier to handle.

 

[Bex]

Thanks for this.

I forgot to mention, apparently idea to squish the midrib came from the coffin nails guy. I don't know him personally, but we read it on his page.

From this page:
http://www.coffinails.com/curing_tobacco.html

<<You can speed up the process slightly by crushing the mid-rib, but be warned that the sap in the mid-rib is like an acid to the other tobacco leaves. If you crush the mid-rib, you must hang your tobacco up within a couple of hours.>>

Still sounds like a bad idea to speed up the process. Makes sense the stem might feed it moisture or leftover nutrients.

This guy is also suggesting that you run at a constant 54C temp in your chamber - he's obviously not flue curing. And I don't think that cigarette companies use those barns with the air flowing through anymore - they seem to be doing all in metal containers. I saw this guy's site before I started trying to do this on my own...and must say that I found far better information by asking on this forum, than taking this guy's info at face value....

 

[BigBonner]

You can take a knife and split the stems and they will dry faster .
Faster may mean that the leaf does not color cure properly .

Smashing or bruising may also cause color cured green spots in the leaves after curing .

Best colors of a cure leaf is not as soon as it has dried to a brown . Leaf color will change for the better after it has come in and out of case several times after the leaf has dried .

 

[SmokesAhoy]

There were many resources on the web prior to ftt that spread a whole lot of things that may not necessarily be entirely accurate. It's fun to read the web but before doing something costly it's a great idea to check in here first like the op did.

 

[Ben Brand]

Personally I think its to much trouble crushing the midrib, but I must add that in SA I`m struggling to stop my tobacco drying to fast. I also do all my tobacco stalk curing.

 

[squeezyjohn]

It's definitely true that if you can get your leaf to air cure successfully with the midrib intact then it produces a better colour - it's been a good curing season for me here and all my air-cured is looking very happy - only 2 strings of Bolivian Criollo Black to finish off - the earlier primings are all a nice sort of mahogany colour and the top ones seem to be curing a darker brown.