Preparing plug tobacco

[PipedJimmy]

Hey guys, just been looking at Mick McQuaid's Plug Cut and it seems mighty tasty, I'm just a bit apprehensive of the preparation it takes to ready a pipeful, any advice?

 

[Carlos]

I have always used a sharp knife to shave off a little pile. Then rub that out a bit as it drys for 20 -30 minutes or so on paper. But some have had success cutting plugs into little cubes and gravity feeding. Not packing it tightly to give it room to expand. I would think that some very fine chopped as tinder on top would help to get it lit. And then someone I read uses a vegetable peeler to slice thin pieces from a plug. I think that has good possibilities.

 

[PipedJimmy]

Hey vegetable peeler sounds like a good idea! Though it might make it too close to ribbon cut for me, think your method of rubbing it out and whilst drying sounds like a good plan, cheers!

 

[Eulenburg]

Mick McQuaid's Cut Plug

It's an already sliced plug: flake. You can rub it, or dice the flakes (slices) with scissors, but I prefer just to stuff them whole into the bowl. This way they can be hard to light, but they burn more slowly, stay cooler and show a more intense flavour.

 

[Carlos]

Mick McQuaid's Cut Plug

It's an already sliced plug: flake. You can rub it, or dice the flakes (slices) with scissors, but I prefer just to stuff them whole into the bowl. This way they can be hard to light, but they burn more slowly, stay cooler and show a more intense flavour.

It would not surprise me if it comes both ways. It's not sold here in the US now, so it's pretty rare.

 

[Eulenburg]

I have never seen it as an uncut plug; they might sell that in Germany, though they are not big on plug tobacco. Anyway, he's got the cut plug.

 

[erratum]

I've seen in for sale both ways ... the only type I've had (& have) is the plug, in different packaging than displayed below.

With the plug, I have had great luck if I just shave off little chunks or dice it up & gravity fill a pipe. It takes a bit to get it going to start with, but once I get it started, I have very little trouble the rest of the way through the bowl. The stuffs a great tobacco & very much worth the extra effort, no matter how you try & prepare it.