Destemming, the removal of the central vein from a leaf, done by hand for wrapper and binder and by hand or machine for filler. Full destemming splits the leaf into two halves; partial stripping removes only the thick lower portion of the vein.
Why it matters
The stem burns poorly and carries harshness, so how much of it is removed affects both draw and taste, and hand destemming without tearing is a skilled job in its own right.
In context
"The despalillo room was all women working by feel, stripping veins without nicking the lamina."