Tobacco processing

[ashauler]

Here are the steps that I will use in the tobacco plant project to process the tobacco:

1. pick the leaves
2. hang the leaves up to color-cure (dry) takes about 3-5 weeks on average.
3. ferment the leaves
4. age the leaves
5. roll the leaves
6. age the rolled leaves
7. smoke the rolled up leaves

I will accomplish 1-2-4-5-6-7 the traditional way, using methods that have been used for hundreds of years. Nothing modern except a few coat hangers to replace the thread.

Step 3....ah, the fermenting process.
Fraught with danger and very, very, particular in it's conditions, depending on the desired result. The traditional way is to use pilones, or very large stacks of leaves piled up with a thermometer buried in the middle. The internal temperature is monitored very closely, with certain temperature ranges and time durations producing different characteristics in the tobacco, i.e., higher heat for longer times = darker, sweeter tobacco...bingo, the maduro.

Pilones are very labor intensive. This process can take another 3-5 weeks.....and sometimes the tobacco is allowed to "dry" again and age for awhile, then brought back into case (re-hydrated) and fermented again!! Think of the triple fermented wrapper on the Diamond Crown.....three cycles of this entire process with very precisely controlled conditions.

Now, let's talk my reality. I ain't gonna be making any pilones. I ain't gonna be stacking and restacking. Here's what I'm gonna do, it's called sweating:
Once the leaves are color-cured, I'm gonna get me a big ass ziplock baggie. I'm going to bring the leaves back into case, stuff some in a ziplock and put it in the direct sun. I'll take them out every evening, shake them off, let them dry out a bit and then put them back in.....wash/rinse/repeat untill the ammonia smell stops and the sweet tobacco smell takes over. This process should take me about 2-3 weeks per ziplock to ferment to a dark shade....less dark = less time.

I will most likely process 1/3 of my harvest using this manner yet this year. The rest will be aged until next spring and then fermented.

So, whaddya think? Does this constitute "cooking" the tobacco? Would you consider this an adulteration of the tobacco?