What is this film on the outside of my casings?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

robin0925

Newbie
Original poster
Apr 29, 2017
7
10
IN
I'm pretty new to casing up sausage, so maybe I'm overreacting here.  But I just used some of my first batch of casing from Syracuse to make some brats...  and I'm not overly pleased.  There's some kind of weird stuff all over the outside of them, as you can see in the pics below. I don't see this in other people's pics (long time lurker here), nor do I see this on sausage I have bought from butchers.  I have used Home Pak and didn't have any of this problem, but those had other problems so I wanted to try something 'better'...  is this normal???  Should I complain?  Can I eat this?  


 
I occasionally have small patches on my casings (I use Syracuse) that look kind of like that, always figured it was just natural variation in the intestine. Thats a lot more then I've ever had though.
 
Honestly, every casing will be different and there isn't much you can do about it. The effect is hopefully cosmetic only. I have seen some odd casing textures and attribute it to something having to do with the life of the animal and exclude it from the pictures I post. It may not be visually appealing, but that doesn't make it bad for you.
 
Thanks for the replies... I kind of figured it was not going to kill me.  But I just couldn't accept it.  I decided to pull out another tube of casing, took it off the plastic to get a close look and it was basically flawless.  Clear as I was expecting.  I uncased the brats and re-stuffed them. I guess I'll just have to take a better look before stuffing from now on, a learning experience.  I feel a lot better about them now, and hey, extra practice.  I think these are the best looking and most even size links I've made so far.
 
Last edited:
I seem to remember reading, Syracuse hand scrapes their casing. The little stringy things are normal connective tissue that holds the lining in place. To remove the lining the intestine is turned inside out and hand or mechanically scraped. Mechanical scrapers turn the casing smooth side out. Other processors typically do to but stuff happens and you get scary strings on the sausage. I have seen this so many times l don't notice, even on commercial sausage like Johnsonville...JJ
 
Last edited:
I use Syracuse casings. Remember these are natural and will have imperfections, veins and other things. If however you have slimy to them the casings are bad.

Caul fat type webbing can be on natural casings. No worries.
 
Nothing wrong with those casings other than appearance. Once they're cooked, you won't be able to tell the difference.
 
I must be blind (and I'm looking at the pictures on my phone) but I don't see anything wrong with the casings. I don't see the film mentioned in the thread title.
 
Here is a good picture showing the variation in natural casings (LEM hog casings). Both sets of sausages are the the same, just a different casing. (Just after stuffing. Went into the fridge to dry/cure for 36 hours before smoking.)

 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Clicky