Hog rings and hog ring plyers

[shyzabrau]

Dang. I wish I lived near you - I could learn so much...

 

[indaswamp]

Dang. I wish I lived near you - I could learn so much...

I have been blessed to have extended family that held on to the old school recipes. I make andouille, boudin, hog head cheese, sausages, and hams.

I planned to smoke my Canadian bacon sunday, went fishing instead. The wind has been blowing brutal offshore for about 3 weeks, we finally caught a calm period so I took advantage of it. CB hits the smoker tomorrow. 2 maple, 1 maple/BP, 1 with ham spice.

 

[shyzabrau]

My family has nearly zero cooking traditions, so I've started from scratch. That's both good and bad - no rich collection of recipes, but no attitude about "this is how it's done because this is how it's always been done."

Fun to learn, though!

I'm really enjoying experimenting with sausage.

 

[indaswamp]

My family has nearly zero cooking traditions, so I've started from scratch. That's both good and bad - no rich collection of recipes, but no attitude about "this is how it's done because this is how it's always been done."

Fun to learn, though!

I'm really enjoying experimenting with sausage.

When we make a big family batch of 120# of andouille, we grind and stuff all in one day. It's too much of a bother to grind it one day, mix the cure in with a little water to release the Actocin and myosin proteins (natural binding agent) and let the cure begin to penetrate for 24 hours. We will be resting the links after stuffing anyways so we do it all at once, then let the grind cure and bind stuffed in the casing. This is how I have always made sausage. I understand that some professional butchers like to mix the cure in early to let it start penetrating, and mix the first grind to release binding proteins. So, if one does this first, the cure does not need time to penetrate after stuffing.

Also, commercial processors want to shorten the time from production to final product...time is money to them. Thus the use of cure accelerators. I am not selling what I produce.

I am working up a duck/pork/brisket fat hot grilling link recipe and will post when I make it.....

 

[indaswamp]

 
Usually you don't need anything....   Pinch the casings to separate the links...   alternate directions to roll the link....    left, right, left etc... that way you can leave the links laying right on the table or sheet pan and you don't have to pick them up...   Make sense ???   Do that as you are stuffing the casing so you will know just how full to fill the casing...  As you are rolling it will become clear that only every other link needs rolling...  I roll 2 revolutions..  a 24 hour rest in the fridge will allow the casing to firm up...  cut into manageable lengths....

Collagen casings, I have some problems with...  they seem to want to tear and rip...   Same deal, pinch into wanted length...   some collagen casing you can't hang.. some you can..  therefore some are delicate and tear easily..  Anyhow, I find....   pinch... wrap the pinched area a full circle and then some...  with elec. fence wire...   pinch gently with pliers and cut the wire to length...  I just try to keep the casing from opening up while it is curing and drying...   For hanging sausages, string is best... the wire is pretty small in diameter and can cut the collagen casing...   If the casings you use permit a wire tie, the aluminum is soft enough to loop and twist easily... 

Yea, I do that with 26~32 mm hog casing sausages, never use string or hog rings on those, just twist as you mentioned and tie knots in the ends. I am not a fan of collagen casings, for the reasons you mention.

Thanks for the input dave. really appreciate it. It'll either be aluminum wire or zip ties for the small batch of andouille I plan on making.

 

[crazymoon]

Sorry for my ignorance, but how (and when) do you use them? Advantages/disadvantages?

S, They work well on fibrous casings which IMHO  are tougher to tie up then natural casings.

 

[blaise]

The big advantage is one handed and one person crimping on large sausage-----bologna and summer sausage----helps if ring pliers are spring loaded.

Blaise

 

[skeletoil]

Waste of money, simple twist of your 2 times and your done.

 

[crankybuzzard]

Waste of money, simple twist of your 2 times and your done.

Try that again.

Simple twist of what?

Simply twisting collagen casings, plastic bags, etc is t going to work.

2" hog middles are a bit tough too.

 

[SmokyMose]

 
I do like the zip tie idea. I love zip ties and use them like duct tap around here!

The 50mm salumi kits from UMAi actually come with little zip ties. Very nice.

I've only used rings for balogna. Still getting the hang of it...

 

[indaswamp]

 

 
I do like the zip tie idea. I love zip ties and use them like duct tap around here!

The 50mm salumi kits from UMAi actually come with little zip ties. Very nice.

I've only used rings for balogna. Still getting the hang of it...

I've never made balogna but I do have some canada goose breasts that a buddy gave me and he says goose balogna is pretty damn good. Might try it.

 

[mds51]

I use the Spring loaded Hog Ring Pliers from The Sausage Maker Company and the 1/2 and 3/8 inch rings to go with it. The Spring loaded plier cost more but make it much easier to hold the twisted end of the casing and the pliers in the other hand. The ring is held in the jaws of the plier and cannot slip out. The larger handle is much easier to hold and apply pressure. Depending on the size casing you are using they will tell you what size hog ring you need. I smoke and hot water bath my Salami and the Flat Collagen casings with one side pre-tied  and the other twisted and hog ringed work best for me and have not failed in my cooking procedure.

mds51

 

[poacherjoe]

Why don't you just use butchers twine and tie it off . I use 2.5" x 20: casings for my summer sausage and one end already has the twime in a loop. I just tie off the other end with twine and hang them in the smoker.

 

[daveomak]

Why don't you just use butchers twine and tie it off . I use 2.5" x 20: casings for my summer sausage and one end already has the twime in a loop. I just tie off the other end with twine and hang them in the smoker.

As the meat dries, it shrinks and the wrap becomes loose... making it ineffective to the drying process....

 

[cmayna]

I used hog rings with pliers when I re-upholsterered my old chevy truck's seats.

Oops, wrong forum

 

[Polka]

I'm with the pinch, and then zip-ties. Works with my collagen casings.
R

 

[bill ace 350]

I have a pair from Gander Mountain. I use 3/8" rings on my summer sausage casings. twist the casing and crimp on a ring.

Very easy, very cheap, very secure.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I only use the rings when i make SS with the cloth bags. I tie my ends.

 

[daveomak]

Try electric fence aluminum wire to tie the casings... It's really cheap... bends easily.... you don't need pliers to bend it.. just to cut it....