Sausage Casing issues, any help or advice?

What do you mean by using fresh collagen casings?
All collagen casings are man made and come in two types. One type is for making fresh sausages and the other type is designed for smoking.

I understand that, fresh and processed is how they are labeled where i buy them. The fresh ones are thinner i think.

sausagemaking.org is one I just came acrossed. Give it at try. Ive never used the cologen casings, therefore no help. Srry and good luck

Mike

I have a few questions for you before I give you my advice. 1st how are you useing theem, wet or dry? What I mean is are you pre soaking these or are you just placeing the colligan stick over your stuffing horn and filling it directly. Next thing to look at is not the casing but your product if it is high in grease or water content the caseing will cook off. next prossiblity is the smoker, if it holds the moister from the product in the cooking chamber to long and it builds up steam in stead of a dry heat this could be you rubbery casing problem.
Sorry about all the options thier is a alot to explore before trashing the casings.
Also if you have left over casing keep them in a air tite bag and in a cooler or refergerator. This keep them from drying out between uses and breaking while you try to stuff it.

David,

My understanding is cologen casing are to be used dry, not soaked, so that is the way I use them. I keep mine in plastic bags in a refridgerator in the basement. The shop I buy them from has them in a cooler.

The meat i usually use for Pig is pork butts ground at the local store i deal with. The Cow products is usually 85/15 or 90/10 burger, sometimes from Sam's or Wally World.

The last stuff i did I used 1/3 cup of water with the seasoning mix i used to 2 pounds of meat, this was to do beef or snack sticks, which I then hung in my Cabela's dehydrator for about 7 hours at 155, I think that is the highest temp it will go to.

For the Kolbassi that I made I don't remember how much water it called for, but I think i used 12oz to about 13# of meat. This was done in 32mm casing and hung in my propane smoker, It was the first time for this type of product in this smoker, as i just bought it a few months ago. I treid to keep the temp down to 170 but I was unable to do that. While unattended it rose to 205 i cut the flame and closed some of the dampers to keep some of the heat and smoke in. I don't recall what the meat temp was but i think it was in the low 140 area, After the smoker temp cooled to 160's I relit it with the dampers almost fully open and cooked till i hit 155 on the meat then took out and rinsed with cold water to about 115.

The taste was good and it was cooked through but the casing still peels away.

I have tried the same item in my CS with the same type of results.

I am not sure it is a problem with the casing, more than likely something I am doing or not doing.

I took some of the beef stick to the shop where i buy the casings and he wasn't sure what to tell me. He liked the meat and didn't think the casing was needed just peel it away.

If you have any advice i am willing to give just about anything a shot.

thanks

I came acrossed this forum from a woodworking forum. Might want to check this place out for some help. Sausagemaking.com

Mike

I have done the same thing as you in the past (and present) meaning that I have cooked some sausage that the casing cooked off. The cooking cycle that I use for a 32 mil and a 19 mil caseing is 2 hours ,200 degress, smoke on 1st hour and smoke off 2nd hour, damper closed 1st hour and 1/2 open 2nd hour.
The brand name I had aproblem with escapes me, but the brand that I use now for polish, brats, sticks ,and summer sausage is Devroe.

some info from my sausage making book..rinsing and flushing the casing..then putting in the fridge overnight will help as salt itself can help toughen the casings. Do not put stuffed sausage in a hot smokehouse..The gradual raising of the temp. will prevent toughening of the sausage. To much heat is almost a guarantee that the casing will be tough...Is your nozzle the right size..not too large..that could be a problem with them breaking. Make sure you stuff the sausage firmly..Never put sausage in boiling water..start in cold water and bring temp up gradually..Just a thought..are you able to get the natural hog casings..I live in a small town and am able to but them from the grocery store here..I have good luck with these..also they are cheap :-]..I've never had a problem with them separating or being tough..other than the one time my heat was too high...hope this helps..its so frustrating when things don't turn out..might I also recommend a good sausage making book, it explains alot about technique ect.

also, there are man made casings..collagen ones are not, they are made from the hides of cattle

I love natural hog casings. when done, youu can't tell thereis even one on that darn thing. No snap no nasty casing.

Pro:
So thinn and good.
Con:
Stuff slower so you don't break.
Time consuming to rince out.

Here is a link you can use
http://www.theingredientstore.com/generalstore/product_details/855.htm