It'S Gold

[Copenhagen Forever]

If I could change anything in my process to have more continuity, it would be this;
"
I can add at least 2/3's of the solution and then adjust it from there. It's probably 40% water by weight to start the cooking with. I'll be adding just plain water every time I take it out to stir it, every day."
...........................................................................................................
I got the amount of water for cooking from a recipe that was for 1 kilo of tobacco 2.2 lbs. When I converted it for a small batch, It doesn't come out right. It's gonna need more water than 1 cup / 8 oz. of tobacco. I've been compensating by making extra solution and just going by the look of the tobacco. It needs to be pretty dry. I probably only added 1/2 of the pan of salt water that I made.

 

[deluxestogie]

Water loss during heating is dependent on the exposed surface area of the batch. A tiny quantity is likely to have a greater surface area to volume ratio, so may need more water per time interval (at the same temperature) than a larger batch.

Bob

 

[squeezyjohn]

Congratulations on your success! It's a very similar process to my own favoured recipe and it sounds like the final product is just as good. I'm very happy to have helped! Leaving out all the flavouring compounds means that the quality of tobacco you are using is key to all the flavours you get at in the end product ... and you're using some of the best.

A little note on the amount of water in a recipe: From my experiments I'm pretty sure that the wetness of the mixture while it cooks doesn't really affect the cooking process provided the tobacco is hydrated. Because of this I tend to err on the side of making a mixture that is potentially too dry - and I only adjust to the texture I want by adding liquid right at the end of the process (it's quite nice if this is a spirit like whisky, rum, brandy etc. instead of water!)

 

[Copenhagen Forever]

Thanks squeezy, I am happy that you gave approval. After all, it is only what I've learned here that got me able to make a good quality dip. Sticky worthy? Maybe. I'd prefer this sticky to be at the bottom of the list. I can't build a better mouse trap that you guys but I'm handy with a camera.

I like the idea of adding water a little at a time till after the cooking and breathing, the finish has the best content of moisture. While I got you here. I'll be at the point were I need to freeze some. I would like to free up the jars. I'm worried about two things. Freezer burn and the dip wilting like freezing lettuce. How do you process you dip for going into the freezer?

 

[squeezyjohn]

This stuff freezes pretty well actually. It will get freezer burn after long storage, but you can minimise that by packing tightly in a good airtight container or even better using a vacuum sealer.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I've frozen my dip for up to about 3 months in plastic ziplock bags. No freezer burn yet.

 

[Smokin Harley]

I have my bags of bulk chew in the garage right now...and its currently -2 out ,high of 3*F.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Omg all this talk of cold is giving me flashbacks to filling my Tahoe today with winds gusting to like 30mph. From a slow pump.

I've never had problems freezing dip. Couple years ago I subjected fire cured to the full cook process and got the resulting burnt rubber taste. A year? Maybe, I forget, in plastic wrap didn't have any freezer taste and most of the burnt rubber flavor was gone. Fresh frozen homemade cookies take a freezer taste in 2 weeks, but the dip seems immune to it.

 

[Smokin Harley]

I tried a cheek sample of the wintergreen and fire cured combination about a 4/1...better than either alone.

 

[Copenhagen Forever]

Good! Sounds promising. My wife says we have a vacuum sealer but I have to find some bags. It shouldn't be to hard to find. Most deer hunters process there own deer meat and the shelves at the local store should be full of bags. I go thru about 4 oz a week so I'll divide it up like that. I have 24 oz done breathing today and another 24 sunday.

I have to do something else about cans. Now that I've been using the brass cans, I can see that the alkaline is getting under the beeswax I coated on and the flavor is changing. I wish they had stainless steel cans. I might have to go to the plastic.

 

[Copenhagen Forever]

That's the way to go!

I forgot we owned one. The last time I used this was in 2006 when I bagged a moose.

Like shooting fish in a barrel! Sorry you Bass lovers.

There's one jar freed up.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[RyanM22]

Let me know if you find a good spot for plastic cans

 

[deluxestogie]

This was found with a google search of "plastic snus containers":
http://cooljarz.com/collections/can...proof-airtight-wholesale-two-fluid-ounce-jars

CoolJarz Tobacco Chew Jar.

Bob

EDIT: The sample (linked above) is $12 for 10 jars--5 large and 5 smaller (shipping included). At qty 500, they're ~26 cents each ($130), and drops to a 16 cents each at qty 1000 ($160). If you can put together a group of 10 or more people, then the quantity 1000 becomes reasonable.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Lots of options for cans.

Plenty on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-37-Empt...071058?hash=item41b8e7c452:g:zToAAOSwxp9W12OG
mrsnuff/com: https://mrsnuff.com/gold-snuff-dish-p-2499.html

 

[RyanM22]

Those Cooljarz ones look good. I'd be interested in going in on a group buy, but wouldn't costs add up pretty quick after shipping?

 

[Smokin Harley]

That's the way to go!

View attachment 19654 I forgot we owned one. The last time I used this was in 2006 when I bagged a moose.

View attachment 19655 Like shooting fish in a barrel! Sorry you Bass lovers.

View attachment 19656 There's one jar freed up.

Thanks for the tip.

Now you got me trying to find a bag that a moose will fit in...

 

[Smokin Harley]

This was found with a google search of "plastic snus containers":
http://cooljarz.com/collections/can...proof-airtight-wholesale-two-fluid-ounce-jars

CoolJarz Tobacco Chew Jar.

Bob

EDIT: The sample (linked above) is $12 for 10 jars--5 large and 5 smaller (shipping included). At qty 500, they're ~26 cents each ($130), and drops to a 16 cents each at qty 1000 ($160). If you can put together a group of 10 or more people, then the quantity 1000 becomes reasonable.

wow, Looks like I'll have to just follow around the guys I work with from time to time and grab their empties. My dad used to chew skoal years ago by the sleeve. He used to save the empties for ice fishing ,stored hooks and ice flies in them, kept the wax worms in em . More sturdy and user friendly than the tiny plastic "condiment containers" they would sell them in.

 

[Copenhagen Forever]

The black ones are more elegant. Pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance. The frost ones, I dono.

 

[Copenhagen Forever]

Well yesterday this batch was finished breathing. I vacuum sealed and froze all. I wish that I could describe the taste with eloquence, but I have only a limited vocabulary. Scrumptious is the best that I can come up with and maybe a dash of delicious. I can taste the difference of this batch without fire cured but in a good way. Slightly milder in flavor but yet not losing any of the nicotine zing. Another success story.

 

[Hasse SWE]

If you ain't need match of those plastic "snus containers" I perhaps could send some. I have alot of them. I clean them and filling them with new oral-snuff.. Just send me a pm if you need a few