LEM collagen casings

[kelbro]

I’ve seen these at the store in 32mm. Has anybody used them for smoked or Polish sausages? It said not to get them wet but my stuffer likes a wet mix.

I didn’t care for the collagen snack sticks so I’m not sure about spending $20 on a pack.

Thanks

 

[Dave in AZ]

I’ve seen these at the store in 32mm. Has anybody used them for smoked or Polish sausages? It said not to get them wet but my stuffer likes a wet mix.

I didn’t care for the collagen snack sticks so I’m not sure about spending $20 on a pack.

Thanks

I have seen folks say they like the collagen for brats etc, but I have tried them and think they are terrible. Every manufacturer and sell labels them differently, but here are the basics... this is from Austin Walton at Waltons.com:
"I prefer the bite to the “fresh” style casings. It is just lighter, but still snappy. Typically, “fresh” is the thinnest casing, then “clear”, and then “smoked”. However, there are subvariants to each of those that can change and that pattern not hold true.
Here is an excerpt from one of the descriptions to help explain the differences.
“Fine-H casings are a heavier walled casing than the Fresh or Fine-T, but not as strong as the Processed Stix. The Fine-H casings are specifically designed to be a replacement for “Hog Gut” casings”
So order would be Fresh, Fine-T, Fine-H, Stix.
Fresh are labeled as “Fresh”
Fine-T are typically clear in color in sizes up to 30 mm.
Fine-H are clears in 32mm and larger, or Smoke in sizes larger than 23mm
Stix are Smoke colored and sizes 23mm or less

Fresh and Fine-T are my preference for brats and sausage like that. Fine-T to Fine-H for a smoked sausage like German Sausage, and Stix for snack sticks. Fine-H will have a bite and mouthfeel almost identical to hog casings. As close as you can possibly be there. They are much tougher and snappier than Fresh/Fine-T"

From Dave: These are names for cellulose casings from Devro, sold by Waltons. I do not agree that the FineT or the FineH in larger sizes, approximate hog casings too well. To me, with a 4-5 hr smoke or a smoke plus sous vide, I find both of these thicker casings to be very tough and even difficult to cut with a knife. Maybe a faster cook, pure smoker at say 200F, would give better brat results. But IMO, either use FRESH COLLAGEN casings or use natural.

 

[DougE]

I got a free pack of LEM 32mm collagen casings with my stuffer. I tried brats (along with their free seasoning). I ended up stripping the casings off because they were tough. Their brat spice mix was also too salty for me, but edible with the casings stripped off.

Made some smoked kielbasa with them and, again stripped them off before using the kielbasa.

I used the last of them on a couple batches of chicken sausage, again stripping the casings off the finished sausage.

YMMV, but the only use I have found for collagen casings is as a tube to stuff meat into and discard once the sausage is finished. Cellulose casings are better for this purpose.

 

[kelbro]

Thanks. The ones that I saw were LEM 'Edible' collagen casings.

LEM 32 mm Edible Collagen Casing | Academy

Outdoors, Outdoor Cooking, Game + Food Processing Equipment, Sausage Stuffers + Jerky Guns

www.academy.com

The reviews are not good :)

 

[DougE]

Thanks. The ones that I saw were LEM 'Edible' collagen casings.

They are edible, just not overly appetizing. Handled right, good quality natural casings are the way to go for most sausages.

 

[cptnding]

I have seen folks say they like the collagen for brats etc, but I have tried them and think they are terrible. Every manufacturer and sell labels them differently, but here are the basics... this is from Austin Walton at Waltons.com:
"I prefer the bite to the “fresh” style casings. It is just lighter, but still snappy. Typically, “fresh” is the thinnest casing, then “clear”, and then “smoked”. However, there are subvariants to each of those that can change and that pattern not hold true.
Here is an excerpt from one of the descriptions to help explain the differences.
“Fine-H casings are a heavier walled casing than the Fresh or Fine-T, but not as strong as the Processed Stix. The Fine-H casings are specifically designed to be a replacement for “Hog Gut” casings”
So order would be Fresh, Fine-T, Fine-H, Stix.
Fresh are labeled as “Fresh”
Fine-T are typically clear in color in sizes up to 30 mm.
Fine-H are clears in 32mm and larger, or Smoke in sizes larger than 23mm
Stix are Smoke colored and sizes 23mm or less

Fresh and Fine-T are my preference for brats and sausage like that. Fine-T to Fine-H for a smoked sausage like German Sausage, and Stix for snack sticks. Fine-H will have a bite and mouthfeel almost identical to hog casings. As close as you can possibly be there. They are much tougher and snappier than Fresh/Fine-T"

From Dave: These are names for cellulose casings from Devro, sold by Waltons. I do not agree that the FineT or the FineH in larger sizes, approximate hog casings too well. To me, with a 4-5 hr smoke or a smoke plus sous vide, I find both of these thicker casings to be very tough and even difficult to cut with a knife. Maybe a faster cook, pure smoker at say 200F, would give better brat results. But IMO, either use FRESH COLLAGEN casings or use natural.

D Dave in AZ Have you used the fresh collagen casings? Do you know if they can be used in the sous vide?
I'm guessing something like this is what the large commercial producers use?

 

[DougE]

D Dave in AZ Have you used the fresh collagen casings? Do you know if they can be used in the sous vide?
I'm guessing something like this is what the large commercial producers use?

I've done collagen naked in SV. They get really mushy but hold together okay.

 

[DougE]

I've done collagen naked in SV. They get really mushy but hold together okay.

Cellulose is a better choice if making "skinless" sausages. It's smoke permeable for the smoking part and will finish fine in SV.

 

[chopsaw]

The ones that I saw were LEM 'Edible' collagen casings.

Waltons has a really good video on collagen casings . It goes over the different types for different applications . D Dave in AZ was referring to that above I believe .
Collagen are edible , but if you don't get the right one for the sausage you're making it won't have the mouth feel you need . Different types for different applications .
There's a shop here about an hour and a half from me that uses collagen casings for fresh / grilled sausage . They've been on several Food network shows , and won several awards for sausage .
I've had them , and you can't tell the casing is collagen .
That being said , I like fresh or cellulose .

 

[Dave in AZ]

D Dave in AZ Have you used the fresh collagen casings? Do you know if they can be used in the sous vide?
I'm guessing something like this is what the large commercial producers use?

I do like the fresh collagen casings, those are the thinnest, for brats. They do decent in sous vide if you don't overcook, I like 160f water until IT is 145f for 5 min (per appendix A pathogen lethality time temp tables). HOWEVER, you have to do a double or a triple link twist, single links come undone, and cut links will squirt meat out ends. Leave them all together to cook. When cool, you can cut apart. Brown grill marks can be added later or quick pan browning, to an already heated sausage.

I am with DougE , I now strip off any clear collagen casings (FineT for 30mm and less, thicker FineH for 32mm and up). But for brats cooked purely on a grill, the FineT are OK.

 

[mneeley490]

The only time I ever used collagen casings was for breakfast sausage. Couldn't get them to stay in twisted links for the life of me.

 

[kelbro]

Thanks all. Think I'll stick with guts.

 

[DougE]

To each his own, but if I'm leaving the casing on, guts win every time.