Lowering RH with Rice?

[JonnyKu]

So, i've seen a lot of times my mother would put a few pieces of Rice into let's say a salt shaker, and when asked why she did that, she says it's to keep it dry.

And I guess that makes sense. So if someone is struggling to lower their RH% and the PG stuff just isn't work as well, wouldn't a small perforated bottle of rice in a Humidor lower the RH significantly and I don't think they leave too strong a odor behind that might stay.

 

[wk-mang]

I agree... that would work. Probably a better solution (and better aroma) would be by using cigar boxes, cedar sleeves, cedar inserts/partitions. Just be sure they are dry (you could put them in the oven for awhile) then place the dry wood in the overhumidified unit and voila! It's not a quick fix but this will work to help bring down excess RH and will add a nice cedar aroma!

Aloha,

Wade

 

[vewyphishy]

So, i've seen a lot of times my mother would put a few pieces of Rice into let's say a salt shaker, and when asked why she did that, she says it's to keep it dry.

I heard it was to prevent the salt from coming out too quickly and to prevent the holes from being stopped up. Dunno.

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Forgot to include the real point of this message...

I'm not sure if the rice would work. I think it takes a certain amount of heat to break open through the starch covering on the rice kernels before it can start absorbing some moisture.

 

[Matt R]

Another way to do it is to take those little moisture absobing packs taht come in your coat, pants, etc. and put one of those in there. Need to watch them close though, they work real well. Or, just put some beads in a cup and don't put water in them.

 

[MiamiCubano]

So, i've seen a lot of times my mother would put a few pieces of Rice into let's say a salt shaker, and when asked why she did that, she says it's to keep it dry.

And I guess that makes sense. So if someone is struggling to lower their RH% and the PG stuff just isn't work as well, wouldn't a small perforated bottle of rice in a Humidor lower the RH significantly and I don't think they leave too strong a odor behind that might stay.

I've seen that so many times - mostly in those "kiss my grits, Mel, Alice, Flo" style greasy spoon places - and I never had any idea why it was done. Afraid I can't offer any greater insight into this theory either.

 

[Matt R]

The rice in the salt shaker is indeed to absorb moisture so that the holes do not become plugged up.

 

[Treamayne]

So, i've seen a lot of times my mother would put a few pieces of Rice into let's say a salt shaker, and when asked why she did that, she says it's to keep it dry.

I heard it was to prevent the salt from coming out too quickly and to prevent the holes from being stopped up. Dunno.

---

Forgot to include the real point of this message...

I'm not sure if the rice would work. I think it takes a certain amount of heat to break open through the starch covering on the rice kernels before it can start absorbing some moisture.

The rice in the salt shaker is indeed to absorb moisture so that the holes do not become plugged up.

Sound like you're splitting the difference. Rice in a salt shaker (or any seasoning jar) is to absorb the moisture. This is because in high humidity places like Okinawa (my current home) a salt shaker will become one solid salt lick in about 2-3 weeks without it. hole plugging isn't a factor because all the grains create 1 large clump and the salt becomes useless (I shudder to think of a recipe that would need that much salt at once.....) Here we use it in most of our seasoning jars, from Garlic powder to meat tenderizer, anything that can absorb moisture and stick gets a bit of rice that absodbs it all faster and protects the seasoning.

That said I would probably go with the cedar sheets first to see if they help since they would only add some cedar-y goodness. Don't have beads over here, so I can't speak to that. In an extreme case, out work Humi (yes we keep one at work so the boys can relax during debrief after flying) get opened frequently enough that we've had to pull the sponge and microwave the moisture out of it because it was retaining so much water.

Well... guess it was funnier if you were there.....

 

[Lee]

I used to keep a little rice in my drawers to keep the "boys" moisture free.

Now I use Gold Bond.......

 

[Matt R]

(I shudder to think of a recipe that would need that much salt at once.....) .....

Ever had a #3 at McDonald's??

 

[blair]

So, i've seen a lot of times my mother would put a few pieces of Rice into let's say a salt shaker, and when asked why she did that, she says it's to keep it dry.

And I guess that makes sense. So if someone is struggling to lower their RH% and the PG stuff just isn't work as well, wouldn't a small perforated bottle of rice in a Humidor lower the RH significantly and I don't think they leave too strong a odor behind that might stay.

So it has gotten to that point, has it? The point where you can't have a simple little conversation (with your mother, no less) without turning it somehow into thoughts of cigars.

As soon as you admit that you have a problem, you can begin your journey on the road to recovery.












...wait a minute...

Who wants to quit?! Carry on, my good man! Carry on!