Drying Baccy Leaves for Snus Making...

[snupy]

I finally took the plunge and ordered 4 packs of tobacco seeds from seedman, which were two packs each of Virginia Gold and Samsun Turkish. I always did like a good Virginia/Turkish Blend when I smoked and want to grow some baccy to make my own snus. Hopefully a mild Virginia cut with the lighter Turkish will allow a nicotine hit not too far over the edge for me.

My only question has to do with leaf preparation. We know the leaves won't require curing, which is essentially fermenting, since snus is pasteurized and not fermented. Wikipedia notes the following:

"Swedish snus is made from air dried tobacco from various parts of the world. In earlier times tobacco for making snus used to be laid out for drying in Scania and Mälardalen"

Does this mean I can hang the leaves dry for a month or two, then proceed with pasteurization? I have found the threads here regarding recipes and have an excellent supplier for natural flavors (mmmm pomegranate!), but really only need to know how to prepare the leaves prior to grinding and pasteurization.

[MrAbstracto]

I would assume that it depends on the humidity where you hang them.

[RobsanX]

Don't forget about the baking soda, salt, and humectants...

[snupy]

I would assume that it depends on the humidity where you hang them.

But only need to dry them, not cure them, correct?

Since snus is pasteurized instead of fermented, curing isn't necessary, but drying is? Is that right?

[hoss]

I'm planning on doing the same thing growing stag horn tobacco

My understanding is air drying is all you need. Just hang and age in the garage for 6 months or so. Some people let it age up to three years. Check out snufftalk.com, theres a guy there called snuffgrinder who does all kinds of stuff & is very knowledgeable.

[justintempler]

Fiedler & Lundgren has some video in Swedish

South Swedish Tobacco Farming
http://www.flsnus.se/sw22956.asp

watch "Film 6: Mats’ drying barn in Rinkaby"

[snupy]

I'm planning on doing the same thing growing stag horn tobacco .

Excellent, but I haven't even heard of that type of tobacco.

My understanding is air drying is all you need. Just hang and age in the garage for 6 months or so.

That is what I understand also.

Some people let it age up to three years.

It was my understanding that would be the same as curing, but take longer.

Check out snufftalk.com, theres a guy there called snuffgrinder who does all kinds of stuff & is very knowledgeable.

Thanks for the reference. I am nosing my way through it presently. It looks to be as I suspected. The pasteurization takes care of what the fermenting would for smoking tobacco, so air drying is all that is necessary.