Sausage Casing Confusion: Advice Needed Please

[tx smoker]

Sooo...I've toyed with the idea for years of starting to make my own sausage. The issue has been that I already have a LOT of hobbies, most of which are related to food. A couple weeks ago I decided to start the process of sausage making. Being a very methodical person, I started researching everything related to the subject in hopes of minimizing a veritable disaster starting out. Apparently my wife was a step ahead of me. I found out yesterday that the jolly little man in the red suit is going to be bringing me a premium quality meat grinder / sausage stuffer very soon on behalf of my amazing wife :-) God bless that lady!! I've studied equipment, techniques, recipes, and casings. I think I have most of the stuff nailed down to get started except for the casings. Having read virtually everything on the 'net, including a long thread in this forum, I'm getting a lot of conflicting (and confusing) information. I believe I'd like to use collagen casings due to the ease of use and the uniformity they provide. Problem is some folks swear by them, some hate them, some say they wont stay twisted to create individual links, some say they do, some say one brand sucks and others swear by that brand, etc....etc...I've no reservations about putting more work into the project and using natural hog casings either if that's the best route. My first question is this: is there a brand of collagen casing that can be recommended that DOES stay twisted, is fairly easy to use, and has a palatable flavor? If so, please share what the brand is and a place to purchase if possible. If that's not going to happen, anybody's best recommendation for a natural casing would be deeply appreciated. There are a ton of brands out there and I don't know one from another. I hate to bother folks with this but after all the conflicting information I've gotten it only seemed logical to go the one place I know I can trust for good advice and information; SMF. Side note: I'm far less interested in cost (ie: saving money) than I am about using good quality products that will turn out a premium end result.

Many, many thanks,
Robert

 

[dirtsailor2003]

The sausage maker is a good source for casings.

I have found that if you want to twist collagen it is best to not over fill the casings. My preference is natural casings. They are/can be easy to use.

This thread will help you with natural casings

http://smokingmeatforums.com/index.php?threads/how-to-handle-natural-casings.159729/

 

[piker]

Soak the casings in warm water for at least half an hour. This should make them very pliable. Piker

 

[tallbm]

I have not used collagen casings only natural. What dirtsailer suggests is right on.
I have bought and used LEM casings, the ones that are pre-tubed (meaning they come on a big plastic tube that is like a drinking straw), this makes the hog casings a breeze to put on the tube and use!

I just this year used sheep castings for the first time and they too were pretubed. Sheep casings were much more of a pain but after I smoked my pork franks that I put in them, I see that they were worth the effort. They are just small in diameter and even with the pre-tubed mechanism they were not easy to get onto my smallest sausage stuffing tube and not always easy to feed off the tube while stuffing.

I would recommend starting with Hog Casings and following the post that dirtsailer referenced. Once you get that down then branch out. Also use a smaller tube than the casting size to make life easy when it comes to puttin casings on the tube and feeding off the tube. The hog casings allow for you to do this where the sheep casings may not.

Best of luck!

 

[wild west]

I also agree on the natural caseings and would like to add that having a dedicated stuffer would make your sausage making much more enjoyable.

 

[SmokyMose]

I’ve only used collagen for snack sticks. No twisting required. I use string to tie the ends. I stuff one continuous run and loop them over the hanging rods in the smoker, then cut them to length when cooled.
You’re going to want natural casings for most everything else (Kielbasa, Italian, Bratwurst, Andouille, etc.). Anything from 32mm to 38mm is good for most things. Some folks run the whole length and then twist. I like to twist as I go. The Sausage Maker is a good “One Stop Shop”. I like the pre-tubed ones from Syracuse because they are consistent and I hate untangling wads of casings.....
DON’T soak collagen casings. If they’re brittle just run them under the faucet quickly. I like to soak natural casings overnight in the fridge, though.
Yes, there are a million different opinions and methods. About the only agreed upon rule is to use 1 tsp of #1 cure for 5#. You’ll find your own groove. Practice, practice, practice.
Welcome to the sausage hobby/addiction and kudos for being a good boy for Santa!

 

[daveomak]

Do NOT buy the "home pack" natural casings... they are odds and ends.. some have holes... some are really short... It's what's left from putting up "Hanks"... the good stuff.. they will last forever if salted well and stored in the refer... store dry with kosher salt in a sealed container or zip bag... or vac pack in salt.. don't suck too tight, the salt crystals could puncture the casings...

 

[pc farmer]

Do NOT buy the "home pack" natural casings... they are odds and ends.. some have holes... some are really short... It's what's left from putting up "Hanks"... the good stuff.. they will last forever if salted well and stored in the refer... store dry with kosher salt in a sealed container or zip bag... or vac pack in salt.. don't suck too tight, the salt crystals could puncture the casings...

I got a homepak to try from Sausage Maker.

 

[chopsaw]

Soak the casings in warm water for at least half an hour. This should make them very pliable. Piker

All the collagen I've used say " DO NOT SOAK . "

Piker , I thought you were talkin about collagen . Need to put my glasses on .

 

[daveomak]

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