Casing questions

[Waterville Jesse]

I used the Walton's clear collagen casings for hot dogs last month. I found that I could not twist link them also. I ended up hand tying every 6 inches. Right after I finished linking, I tried to hang on my dowels to load in the smoker, and the links were breaking right at the ties. So instead of hanging in my smoker, I laid them on racks and smoked them. When I was laying on the racks, I tried to hang them on the dowels, and they hung fine with no breakage. I still used my temp probe, but inserted right by the ties.
Although I had issues, I still think that the collagens are the better casing for hot dogs. The bite thru is much nicer than you get with a hog casing.

 

[Waterville Jesse]

I should add that I waited a day to smoke the hot dogs as I was smoking LJ and pepper stick on dowels also and had to wait until they were done to load with racks. If that makes sense.

 

[tallbm]

Interesting jesse. Is the breakage due to weight or is the casing just very delicate?

 

[jimmyinsd]

Interesting jesse. Is the breakage due to weight or is the casing just very delicate?

I am wondering if he didnt get the "fresh" sausage casings instead of the "smoked" casings. the "fresh" collagens will not handle the weight of hanging.

 

[kit s]

I just got done making sausages with hog casings. It was good and I was thinking about making deer dogs. So, I go onto Sausage Maker and Sheep casings are in 24mm to 26mm are $43 :eek: and only do 45# of meat

What would be the problem with using fresh clear casings in 25, 28mm or even 30mm to make the deer dogs. Would it be noticeable? Would I have issues stuffing or twisting links? I can get casings to do 30# for $16 on amazon or Sausage maker with shipping for $13

Really how much better are natural to be that expensive? Starting to wounder if I should be learning to clean deer intestines. :rolleyes:

They have size you want in sheep casing at http://www.butcher-packer.com for $13 makes up to 15lbs you would be able to make 60# which is cheaper than 43# for $45

 

[Waterville Jesse]

They were the Clear casings. I even called Walton's about it. They weren't much help. They sed they twist link em all the time. I think it might have been a moisture issue, and when they had dried a little they were strong enough to hang. If I can figure it out, I will use the collagens alot more, the prep time is non existent, everything comes out straight, easy shelf storage, etc...

 

[jimmyinsd]

They were the Clear casings. I even called Walton's about it. They weren't much help. They sed they twist link em all the time. I think it might have been a moisture issue, and when they had dried a little they were strong enough to hang. If I can figure it out, I will use the collagens alot more, the prep time is non existent, everything comes out straight, easy shelf storage, etc...

were they over stuffed to begin with? twisting adds even more pressure to the meat product and can split the casing.

 

[Waterville Jesse]

Nope, left plenty of room for linking. They would just un-twist.

 

[archeryrob]

Here is a refresh on this. I tried the hot dog recipe again and was very happy with it. The orginal recipe I got off of here had way too much water in it! I reduced the water and use 1 cup only for 5# and it was perfect.

I had some left over Walton 26mm cellulose casings. I ran the stuffed casing with crinkles, loosely packed across the island. The tied every 5.25" and made 9 to 10 links per section to make a loop to hang in my smokehouse. Tied the two ends together and tried to hang it this way and this is where I messed up. Many of the tied loose ends can't support the weight and the string slipped off the casings landing on the rack over my drip pan. Made a couple doggy hotdogs for the open casings. Next time I will tie a loop in the middle of the casing rope and hang from there.

My thought;

• These casings are cheap and worked very well.
  
• I still had issues inserting probes for monitoring the IT. Tight dogs want to pop a loose dog will take the probe
  
• I just cleaned the sink and cut the links into the sink when done. I little fat was on the casings and I just squeezed the hot dogs out of the casings and vacuum packed them up.
  
• I found I didn't really need an IT probe for hotdogs. Smoke at 125 for a hour, slow raise to 160 - 165 and once there for an hour I can insert an hand probe and they should have been over 145 for a long while.
  
• My wife said she could taste the smoke but I didn't notice. So that would mean to me they take some light penitration as I am smoking over a natural cherry wood fire. Smoke away boys!!

I will use them again for deer dogs.

 

[donr]

Both Butcher-Packer and Sausage Maker sells some smaller dia. hog casings (29/32mm). That is in the neighborhood of the size collagen casings you are talking about using.
My guess is they would give you something like 1/4lb dogs. They would just take longer to cook.

Don

 

[tallbm]

Here is a refresh on this. I tried the hot dog recipe again and was very happy with it. The orginal recipe I got off of here had way too much water in it! I reduced the water and use 1 cup only for 5# and it was perfect.

I had some left over Walton 26mm cellulose casings. I ran the stuffed casing with crinkles, loosely packed across the island. The tied every 5.25" and made 9 to 10 links per section to make a loop to hang in my smokehouse. Tied the two ends together and tried to hang it this way and this is where I messed up. Many of the tied loose ends can't support the weight and the string slipped off the casings landing on the rack over my drip pan. Made a couple doggy hotdogs for the open casings. Next time I will tie a loop in the middle of the casing rope and hang from there.

My thought;

• These casings are cheap and worked very well.
  
• I still had issues inserting probes for monitoring the IT. Tight dogs want to pop a loose dog will take the probe
  
• I just cleaned the sink and cut the links into the sink when done. I little fat was on the casings and I just squeezed the hot dogs out of the casings and vacuum packed them up.
  
• I found I didn't really need an IT probe for hotdogs. Smoke at 125 for a hour, slow raise to 160 - 165 and once there for an hour I can insert an hand probe and they should have been over 145 for a long while.
  
• My wife said she could taste the smoke but I didn't notice. So that would mean to me they take some light penitration as I am smoking over a natural cherry wood fire. Smoke away boys!!

I will use them again for deer dogs.

Man that is good info!

Jesse you also may be hitting on the same thing that archeryrob is running into. So far when you guys have less moisture/water or drier casings they seem to work better.

Also, less plump castings and tying them off with string to make more plump seems to be the ticket.
Putting the probe in after some time of smoking seems to be the way to go as well to avoid blowouts.
I'm taking notes for sure :)

I wonder if tying off the ends of the casing into a knot and then tying cotton twine under the knots would allow the casings to hold on the dowel via the cotton twine without the twine slipping or the case breaking.

I may be making some sausage again soon and now I'm getting the itch to try this out hahaha. I have plenty of Franks seasoning on hand as well! :D

 

[LanceR]

This is an interesting thread. Thanks!

I've never seen a collagen casing that's as tender as a good hog or sheep casing of the same size. Personally I use sheep or hog casings for most things. If your hog casings as less tender than collagen casings I suspect that you need another casing supplier. Or maybe I need to try someone else's collagen casings...

I prefer Syracuse Casings. All their prices include shipping. Their hog casings are 100% US sourced and processed in Syracuse. Their sheep casings come from New Zealand and, like the hog casings, are all finished in the Syracuse facility. I've been in their production facility a few times and it has always been spotless and fresh smelling.

Sheep casings are expensive as they are labor intensive and there aren't as many sheep as there are pigs. But you can't beat them for a tender but still distinct bite. If it's going to be eaten out of hand and not in a bun I always try to use sheep casings.

My experience with collagen casings is that they all benefit from sitting in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight after stuffing to hydrate before linking as they seem much less prone to tears then. I've never had luck twisting them (they always unravel in the smoker) and either tie them in links or smoke them as ropes. I have a couple of diameters of smoke sticks and use large 1" sticks for collagen as it is pretty fragile.

 

[Waterville Jesse]

I will be doing another batch soon, using the clear 26mm collagen casings from Walton's. I plan to string link them right after stuffing. Then let them sit in the fridge over night to get rid of some of the moisture before attempting to hang on dowels. The bite on the collagens is softer and I have found that folks like that better than the chewy hog casings. And sheep casings are a PITA.