With the help of fermentation, people have learned to change the properties and composition of products, improve their taste and prolong their preservation. Yogurt, kvass, sauerkraut, tea, jamon and parmesan - the list goes on. Likewise, tobacco is not consumed simply dried, but fermentation is used for cooking.
What is tobacco fermentation?
The process itself consists in undergoing a chemical reaction in the leaves under certain conditions. Under the influence of humidity and temperature, a huge number of changes occur:
- the taste and aroma improves, the smoking mixture acquires a characteristic aroma;
- strength is reduced and bitterness is eliminated;
- the amount of pitches decreases;
- the properties of essential oils change;
- dry green color acquires uniform tones of brown, brown and olive shades;
- moisture capacity decreases and mold resistance increases;
- the combustibility of leaves increases and the aromatic properties of smoke improve.
Fermentation is the final step in making tobacco. First, the collected leaves must be dried. Drying is carried out by various methods, in vivo or by blowing with hot air, smoke or steam, which also affects the properties of the final product.Did you know? The most popular goods in the world are cigarettes. About 1 million units are sold in 1 minute.
Methods of fermentation at home
The desire to obtain tobacco suitable for smoking at home is due to both the increasing cost of purchased tobacco products and the content of chemical impurities and artificial flavors in them to the detriment of natural properties. And if there is no particular trouble with growing and drying, the question of how to ferment and flavor tobacco yourself, so as not to spoil the raw materials, requires certain knowledge and adherence to the technological process.
Recently, a microwave oven has been increasingly used for fermentation. instead of traditional methods that take a long time. This method is easily applicable in a city apartment throughout the year, takes a minimum of time and allows you to get several product options in a short time, using different microwave modes for the process.
Important! Bacteria on infected leaves during fermentation will multiply rapidly and spoil the entire batch of tobacco.
Preparing tobacco for microwave fermentation
Dry leaves are sorted, discarding dirty, rotten or diseased. Selected raw materials are evenly moistened with water from a spray bottle. Then they are stacked and covered with a damp cloth for 2-3 hours. After the specified time, the leaves stop breaking and crumbling, gain elasticity and should freely compress in a fist.
If the surface looks wet, they need to be slightly dried. If desired, you can cook the leaves as a whole, or with a removed central vein or cut into strips. The uppermost leaves of the bushes are the most fragrant, they are fermented whole and intended for the manufacture of cigars.
Basic rules for microwave fermentation of tobacco
The optimal conditions for the process are to maintain the temperature at + 50–55 ° С and humidity 60–70%. Prepared leaves are placed in a clean, dry glass or plastic container and covered with a lid. Laying should be as tight as possible. Having placed the dishes with raw materials in the microwave, set the minimum power and stand for 30-40 minutes. After this time, the containers are removed and set to cool to room temperature. To achieve readiness, 3 such cycles are carried out.
Important! If condensation has formed on the walls of the cans, the leaves should be removed immediately and excess moisture removed.
Fermentation makes tobacco completely suitable for smoking, and many have the question of why various additives and flavorings are put in tobacco mixtures. First of all, this is done to improve the taste of tobacco, soften its harshness, roughness and lower acidity. To do this, make saucing by adding aqueous solutions with honey, berry, alcohol and other tastes. To improve the aroma without changing the taste, alcohol-based aromatic mixtures are used.
Desired additives are added both before and after fermentation
Rules for storing tobacco after fermentation
After cooling completely, the leaves are removed from the dishes and dried until a humidity suitable for smoking is reached. For storage, they are placed in sealed containers and placed in a dark, dry place - in such conditions, home-made tobacco retains its qualities throughout the year. Slow fermentation continues in the leaves and during storage in a dry form, gradually improving their taste and smell.
Did you know? Due to the ability of nicotine to dull hunger, at the beginning of the 20th century, Western doctors recommended his pregnant women to control weight.
Thus, the use of a microwave makes it possible to experiment with small batches of tobacco mixtures, experimentally selecting modes, power and number of cycles. This allows you to try many options for changing taste sensations.
