Closing Casings

[chopsaw]

For fresh sausage or smoking already twisted and cut links, it seem just twisting and cutting would cause it to unravel...

If your casings are soaked long enough so they are soft and flexible , and you let the sausage dry after it's stuffed , a twist is all you should need on fresh casings .

twisting every other link.

Yup every other one . Don't have to be fast , just take your time .
I'll tie the casing at the start , then run off 6 or 8 inches at the end .
Starting at the tied end , I work towards the open end .
You can make the space between links longer if you want . I pinch a space with my fingers .
I think the casing prep plays a big part in your concerns . I'm getting ready to stuff 15 lbs right now .
Did these a few weeks ago . Sheep casings . I leave them twisted to dry . You can see the long ends . When dry and kind of sticky to the touch , I cut apart and freeze on a tray .

 

[smokinbarrles]

If your casings are soaked long enough so they are soft and flexible , and you let the sausage dry after it's stuffed , a twist is all you should need on fresh casings .

Yup every other one . Don't have to be fast , just take your time .
I'll tie the casing at the start , then run off 6 or 8 inches at the end .
Starting at the tied end , I work towards the open end .
You can make the space between links longer if you want . I pinch a space with my fingers .
I think the casing prep plays a big part in your concerns . I'm getting ready to stuff 15 lbs right now .
Did these a few weeks ago . Sheep casings . I leave them twisted to dry . You can see the long ends . When dry and kind of sticky to the touch , I cut apart and freeze on a tray .
View attachment 406946 View attachment 406947

Ahh the drying before smoking or freezing seals them up a bit...Thanks!

 

[Polka]

I use alot of collagen casings -- 4" zip ties works great for smoking / poaching.

 

[smokinbarrles]

Another question. Seems i have seen it on here before, but can you smoke sausage until you get the color and smoke amount you want the throw them in a water bath to finish? does this effect the casing or texture? i assume you cant do it in the bags? should you still ice bath and bloom?

 

[tallbm]

Another question. Seems i have seen it on here before, but can you smoke sausage until you get the color and smoke amount you want the throw them in a water bath to finish? does this effect the casing or texture? i assume you cant do it in the bags? should you still ice bath and bloom?

Yes you can smoke for color and amount of smoke and then finish in water bath.
I've never done that practice BUT I THINK it does affect casing texture, at least for hog casings not sure about sheep. The casings seem to be crisp and snap the longer they are in the smoker (air and heat enviornment), hog casings can get tough and chewy if/when they get rehydrated (boiling).

I would assume you can water bath in vac sealed bags to cook them out. People do that with non smoked sausages using a Sous Vide machine anyhow so doing the same thing with a smoked sausage should be no different.
I would still ice bath and bloom if you vac sealed and finished cooking with a water bath.

I hope this info helps some :)

 

[smokinbarrles]

Yes you can smoke for color and amount of smoke and then finish in water bath.
I've never done that practice BUT I THINK it does affect casing texture, at least for hog casings not sure about sheep. The casings seem to be crisp and snap the longer they are in the smoker (air and heat enviornment), hog casings can get tough and chewy if/when they get rehydrated (boiling).

I would assume you can water bath in vac sealed bags to cook them out. People do that with non smoked sausages using a Sous Vide machine anyhow so doing the same thing with a smoked sausage should be no different.
I would still ice bath and bloom if you vac sealed and finished cooking with a water bath.

I hope this info helps some :)

Thanks i definitely do not want a tough casing. My last batch of smoked venison sausage came out with a tough casing (using natural hog casing) and Im not really sure why...possibly under stuffed or from a little fat out? Im new to all this, will have to keep working at it.

 

[chopsaw]

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/how-to-handle-natural-casings.159729/
Look thru that thread , and seriously consider storing your casing this way . It's night and day difference on the whole operation , from start to finish .
If I'm going to poach I use cellulose casings . They get peeled off after cooking . I just did some hot dogs . Smoked , then poached in sv . Same with some weisswurst , just no smoke .

 

[Winterrider]

Out of curiosity, with fibrous summer sausage casings, has anyone ever used the poly bag tape and machine?
At smoker temps I don't think the tape would melt, not sure about the adhesive loosening up. I would still hang with cotton twine but would it would be super fast to be able to just seal up the ends with this stuff like the poly bags for ground meat/sausage :)
Have used this in initial making, but have always tied or hog ringed afterwards. Never trusted alone just in case temps would crawl a little higher than normal, which could cause melt or slippage.

 

[chopsaw]

Just got done stuffing . I twist as I go now , but when I first started , like I mentioned above I leave one end open and work that way . I pinch in between the links . This way you can move the meat paste towards the open end . Size the links , then twist .

Now days I twist , skip , twist still working to the open end . Dry under a fan then fridge . I don't separate until I get ready to pack them up .

 

[tallbm]

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/how-to-handle-natural-casings.159729/
Look thru that thread , and seriously consider storing your casing this way . It's night and day difference on the whole operation , from start to finish .
If I'm going to poach I use cellulose casings . They get peeled off after cooking . I just did some hot dogs . Smoked , then poached in sv . Same with some weisswurst , just no smoke .
View attachment 406996 View attachment 406995
View attachment 406997

Hey chop do you have a post on using those cellulose or plastic casings you peel off? The ones with the black stripe.

Also do they take smoke very well?
I have read that they are a pain in the butt to work with but would really like to try them for my pork franks if I could this year. Time is a major factor in my decision making so if it takes longer than handling natural hog casings please let me know as well :)

 

[chopsaw]

Here's a post I did on the first time I used them . I did not smoke . Cook start to finish in the SV . Casings come right of . The sausage just squirts right out .
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/skinless-hot-dogs.281922/

Also do they take smoke very well?
Yes .
Pre smoked

Not the best lookin , taste and texture is really good . I use TSM Wiener sausage mix .

These were 25 mm . I think others have bought 26 mm . First time they were a bit small for what we like . Second time I cranked 'em tight . Surprised how much they stretched . I did split a few when I tried to hang them .


I have read that they are a pain in the butt to work with but would really like to try them for my pork franks if I could this year. Time is a major factor in my decision making so if it takes longer than handling natural hog casings please let me know as well :)

I didn't have any trouble . Heard the same about sheep . No trouble with those either . I guess it's a trade off between prep of the natural , and tying the plastic .
I would suggest a test run , before you have a table full of meat to stuff and decide you don't like them .
For me , I like them . I'll buy more when needed .

 

[tallbm]

Here's a post I did on the first time I used them . I did not smoke . Cook start to finish in the SV . Casings come right of . The sausage just squirts right out .
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/skinless-hot-dogs.281922/




I didn't have any trouble . Heard the same about sheep . No trouble with those either . I guess it's a trade off between prep of the natural , and tying the plastic .
I would suggest a test run , before you have a table full of meat to stuff and decide you don't like them .
For me , I like them . I'll buy more when needed .

Thanks for the info buddy. So no smoke on the cellulose ones. They sure did look nice and red, great work on them! :)

I may buy a package and just run like 5 pounds through it this year to see how it turns out. No time for me to try before then lol.

How are the sausages on the grill? I know they are already cooked but just wondering if they give any semblance of a grilled frank vs being SV and then grilled to eat.

 

[chopsaw]

So no smoke on the cellulose ones. They sure did look nice and red, great work on them! :)

I screwed that reply up . Got mixed in with the quote and I couldn't change it .
The first time I used them I did not smoke them . That was the thread I posted .
The second time I did smoke them . They take smoke really well . The pics I posted above are , pre smoked , smoked and peeled .

They cook up nice . I grill them to serve .

 

[tallbm]

I screwed that reply up . Got mixed in with the quote and I couldn't change it .
The first time I used them I did not smoke them . That was the thread I posted .
The second time I did smoke them . They take smoke really well . The pics I posted above are , pre smoked , smoked and peeled .

They cook up nice . I grill them to serve .

Ooooh nice to know! I'm think I am going to give it a shot this year with like a 10 pound batch. With the amount of processing I'm going to do I don't want to do too many in the cellulose casings because it messes up my operation.
I normally stuff in natural hog casings and then I can vac seal and freeze. At a later date I can smoke or just grill them up. With the cellulose casings I am pretty much committing to adding a cooking/smoke step ON TOP of all my other work and man adding more work is setting myself up for punishment since I'm usually a 1 man show for 12-14hrs a day for 5-6 days in a row.
If I could stuff in the cellulose casings and then vac seal them now that would be the ticket lol.

 

[Winterrider]

chopsaw , going to be making a batch of wieners soon with cellulose casings. After smoking, did you peel the casings off while they were still warm, after icing , or before grilling? These are new to me.

 

[chopsaw]

After smoking, did you peel the casings off while they were still warm, after icing ,

Winter , I took them out of the casing after the ice bath . They " slip " right out . I think you will like these casings after getting used to them . Post it up .

 

[Winterrider]

chopsaw , thank you. . .