New guy needing help

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robwcormack

Newbie
Original poster
Oct 26, 2015
14
10
Clayton, NC
I bought and used some lem natural sheep casings (home pack) over the weekend and I am afraid I may have messed up, but I want to ask before I throw away 15 pounds of sausage and a lot of work and time put in making it. 

I soaked the casings in a bowl of water which was about 90 degrees when I put them in it.  I worked them around in the bowl of water immediately until they were all loose and separated in the water and stirred them around by hand for a minute or two.  I then put the bowl in the refrigerator and let them sit in there the rest of the day and overnight (about 18-20 hrs).  When I took them out of the fridge, I poured the water out and put in new water and stirred them around a bit, then poured that water out and put in new water again and stirred and then let them sit for an hour. 

What I did NOT do is run water through the inside of the casings before I stuffed them.  This is the only thing I’m worried about, as I realized after the fact that I had forgotten that step.  So my question is, how crucial is that step, and is it necessary for sanitary reasons or is it just to rinse the remaining salt out of the casing so it will slide on the horn better.  If it is only a matter of a little additional salt, I’m not worried.  This is my first time stuffing sausage though, and to be honest I was a little freaked out by the whole intestine thing anyway, so I don’t want to make my family sick from any sort of remaining stuff I was supposed to rinse out before using the sheep casings.

Lesson learned as I will definitely not be using poop chute casings anymore as they were a real pain in the butt.  Gonna be collagen next time. 

I have frozen the sausage, so it’s not urgent that I receive an answer immediately, but if you could let me know for sure if it is safe to eat I’d really appreciate it.
 
You don't have to wash out the inside of the casing as they are pre washed from the manufacturer. keep them soaking for about a  week changing the water frequently and use cold tap water and keep them refrigerated... more than likely you have casings that are bits and pieces....

Casings are not the intestine itself like chitterlings. it is a layer of the intestine called the sub-mucosa

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/159729/how-to-handle-natural-casings

Welcome to SMF

Joe
 
So why does everything say to flush the inside? And since I only soaked them for a day, am I still fine or should I throw out this 15 lbs of meat?
 
If you noticed.. Boykjo is the super moderator of the sausage section... the reason he is super mod is because he knows he's stuff when it comes to sausage... As he says.. everything will be ok.. yes.. they may be a little saltier (not much) than if they had been rinsed inside ... it's all good ....
 
I'm sorry, I wasn't questioning his knowledge or expertise. He said soak them for a week and I only did 1 day, so I was just trying to get a better understanding. You guys are the experts. That's why I came here. Just want to be safe with my wife and little boy eating this stuff, and I felt stupid for missing that step. Thanks for the replies
 
Casing is permeable. Any salt on the inside will dissolve and pass through into the soaking water. Rinsing the inside just opens them up and lubricates them so they slide on the horn easier. The Poop is long gone but the mental picture makes people think otherwise and rinsing gives peace of mind....JJ 
 
The main reason I rinse the inside is to see if there are any tears in the casing.  I like to have long runs when possible, and a tear ticks me off. 
 
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