2 1/2” Fibrous casing sticking to summer sausage.

[hangmanli]

hey fellas,

I’m new to smoking. Got a Bradley 4 shelf digital smoker recently.

I had venison summer sausage with 40% fat in the mix. I used the LEM seasoning package with Instacure.

I soaked the fibrous casings for almost an hour. Then after stuffing them I let them dry in the Bradley oven (without smoke) at 120° For 1 hour.

I then started smoking and set the temperature to 140°. It took many hours to finally get the internal temperature up to 160°.

Being a newbie I brought the internal
Temperature to 160. Then I read other people are bringing the sausage up to 152° or 155°

After smoking I let the sausages hang at room temperature for a couple of hours. Then put them in the fridge.

What causes the residual layer of fibrous casing to be stuck to the summer sausage?

Since then I’ve learned about the hot water bath system. I ordered a 26 quart turkey roaster which arrives Thursday.

I want to make sure the second time around I get the correct results.

Thanks for any helpful advice.

 

[rick sours]

I have smoked hundreds of pounds of venison sausage using the Lem casings. I have also made most of the mistakes one possibly could in the beginning. I'm now quite satisfied with the product.
I smoke starting @ 130 for an hour, 140 for an hour and bump it up to 165-170.
Smoke to an internal temperature of 156 degrees.
Move from smoker to an ice bath immediately until an internal temperature of 100 is achieved.
Finally, I let it age in the refrigerator for 1-2 days for the flavor to mature.

Hope this helps

 

[ol smoky]

That’s normal, at least for me. It’s not part of the casing from what I can see from the pics

 

[hangmanli]

I have smoked hundreds of pounds of venison sausage using the Lem casings. I have also made most of the mistakes one possibly could in the beginning. I'm now quite satisfied with the product.
I smoke starting @ 130 for an hour, 140 for an hour and bump it up to 165-170.
Smoke to an internal temperature of 156 degrees.
Move from smoker to an ice bath immediately until an internal temperature of 100 is achieved.
Finally, I let it age in the refrigerator for 1-2 days for the flavor to mature.

Hope this helps

I forgot to mention that I did the ice bath as well until the internal temperature is @ 100 degrees.

But this hard residual layer left behind the casing is not edible. So I’m
Assuming that it’s a residual layer of the casing itself. Am I wrong?

I’ve been cutting the sausage into slices, peel the outer skin off, then take a paring knife and then cut away this hard inedible residual layer.

What causes this hard layer underneath the casing which is not edible?

Also how much “shrinkage” is normal during the smoking process.

I started with 2 1/2” diameter casings which were packed well. Now they’re 2 1/4” in diameter.

 

[daveomak]

From Walton's website...
Fibrous Casings should be submerged in 80ºF to 100ºF water for 30 minutes prior to stuffing..
Well they said they had a help page... I couldn't find help about fibrous casings... Sooooo......
The hard "stuff" that's left after peeling the casing free, MY GUESS.... case hardening... meat that has dried out and hardened like leather...
A small tin with water, in the smoker, while doing sausage or anything stuffed, wrapped, netting, collagen... will benefit from a slight increase in humidity.... Not FOG... anyway, I've read that enough, it must be true... soooo, I like a tuna can, with hot water in it, to put in the smoker... Just to up the humidity a bit... don't know if it helps.. some say it does.. the EXPERTS say it helps... I quit reading blogs, and u-tube for correct information awhile back.. process and spices mostly is what I search for...
Hope that case hardening is a satisfactory answer.. It's close, if nothing else..

 

[hangmanli]

I got to go with Ol Smoky, from your pictures it looks like the casing came off. I wondering if what you are seeing is a rind that formed from smoking them so long. Didn't you say you smoked them for 24 hours?

Yes. I used the Bradley Smoker for the first time. I had 20 lbs in 2 1/2” casings hanging from hooks. It was packed but nothing touching each other or the walls.
It took that long to reach 160° internal temperature. Then afterwards I’m reading the guys are finishing the sausage at 152°, 155° or 156°. Maybe that makes a difference.


After realizing how long it was taking I knew that I probably overloaded the oven.

Remaining 5 pounds took @ 8 Hours in the Smoker.

Now I’ve learned about the hot water bath method. I’m planing on using that the next time around. Maybe that helps solve this problem?

 

[hangmanli]

Honestly I don’t know! I put all casings in the refrigerator in a pile! I didn’t separate them.

Now I’ve learned that guys only smoke for @ 4 or 5 hours. Then just use the oven until the sausages reach a certain internal temperature. Then move them to the hot water bath.

What internal temperature should I remove the sausages from the Bradley smoker to the Hot Water bath?

My next project is Bologna in 7 1/2” casings when the turkey roaster arrives . Any special tips on this one?

Thanks again!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

• Fibrous Casings
  
  Fibrous suasage casings are made from wood cellulose (essentially paper) permeated with protein. Fibrous casings are the toughest casings produced and are inedible. They are used where maximum uniformity of the finished product diameter, whether sausage or smoked meat, is desired. The uniformity of product stuffed in the casings make them ideal for slicing for prepackaging. These casings do not require refrigeration.
  
  
• Synthetic Casings
  
  Synthetic sausage casings are made from alginates, and the casings themselves require no refrigeration. Synthetic casings are used by mass producers and can be made in different colors. They are the most uniform and strong of all types of casings.

 

[buzzy]

I just found this info on this site recently. That u need to have at least 15 degrees difference between smoker temp & IT temp trying to reach. If ur running at 165-170 (ideal temp) it would take a long time to get IT of 160. Just my thinking

 

[rick sours]

Some of my first mistakes resulted in a sausage with a hard layer. It was a matter of taking too long to reach IT of 156 degrees and the sausage began to dry too much. At the same you don't want to move your smoker temp up too quickly or you will end up with dry sausage and fat laying at the bottom of your sausage stick. It typically takes me 7-8 hours to properly smoke a 25 pound batch.

 

[daveomak]

be aware that the internal meat temperature trails the temperature of the smokehouse by about 25° F

Marianski, Stanley. Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages (Kindle Locations 1532-1533). Bookmagic LLC. Kindle Edition.