Little threads come off hog casings?

[mummel]

You know, those "whisker" looking strands.  Are all hog casings like this?

 

[pc farmer]

Mine are.

They come off when cooking.  Doesn't bother me.

 

[mummel]

Mine also cook away, but for some reason, every other batch of sausage I cook ends up with chewy casings.  I cant seem to nail crisp casings every time.  Im trying to figure out WTF I need to do. 

 

[daveomak]

boykjo has a thread on "how to treat casings"....

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/159729/how-to-handle-natural-casings

 

[mummel]

Dave, you know I read Boykjo's thread when I first started off with my sausages but reading it now, man this makes a lot more sense.  I got to try this.  I just need to find a container to store the casings in a water solution in my fridge.

Thanks for the link. 

 

[mummel]

So I filled a Pyrex bowl with water last night, popped in my casings, and put the lit on, and put it in the fridge.  You guys sure the casings will be ok until Sunday?  Thats like 3 days of soaking?  At what point would they go rancid without salt, or lying in a salt solution?

 

[pc farmer]

I have left them in water in the fridge for 4 days and they were ok.

 

[DanMcG]

All casings have whiskers, but the better quality ones are hand trimmed.

 

[b-demented]

There is at least one brand with knife cut casings you can buy that are turned inside out so you don't see the whiskers.. I think it's deWire brand.

 

[boykjo]

All casings have whiskers, but the better quality ones are hand trimmed.

Higher quality casings don't have tabs