Trouble working with Casings

[slanderkin]

I'm new to sausage making, I did my second batch today. I've majorly struggled both times getting casings onto my stuffer tube. I've read tips around different sites but still struggle.

I am using the sausage maker natural hog casing 32-38mm and trying to use a 32mm stuffer tube on my hakka vertical stuffer. I can't seem to get the casings to go on without ripping or being so tight they don't go on at all.

I took the casings out of the packets, washed cold inside and outside and then let them soak in warm water for an hour, changing the water out halfway through. I kept them wet the whole time working with them and wet the stuffer tube. I made sure to have the stuffer full and the ground sausage pushed to the end of the tube to avoid trouble with water.

I ripped so many casings today that I went down to a 22mm tube which was worlds easier to get the casing on but made it hard to stuff consistently with the size mismatch.

Am I missing anything obvious or is this just something you learn over time? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[indaswamp]

Were the casings packed dry in salt, or were the casings wet in a wet brine in the package? Packed in dry salt is harder to work with, and IMO it takes about a week to soften them up. Always store casings in a high salt brine...they will practically last forever. Second tip is to spread the casing open with your fingers and dip the open end into the water. You want 1-2 tsp. of water inside the casing. this will lube the casing as you slide it onto the horn. Also might try a slightly smaller stuffer horn. 25-30mm...

 

[JckDanls 07]

Alsoʻ.put a tablespoon of baking soda in the water to soak as. This will make them silky smooth and much easier to slide them on the tube

 

[Fueling Around]

Those above sausage makers got ya covered.
Hope to be making sausage with @JckDanls 07 in about 3 months.

Stop over at roll call and introduce yourself.

Roll Call

This is where all new members should begin. Tell us a little about yourself, where you live, what you do, etc. Just helps us get to know you better;-)

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-John

 

[tallbm]

I'm new to sausage making, I did my second batch today. I've majorly struggled both times getting casings onto my stuffer tube. I've read tips around different sites but still struggle.

I am using the sausage maker natural hog casing 32-38mm and trying to use a 32mm stuffer tube on my hakka vertical stuffer. I can't seem to get the casings to go on without ripping or being so tight they don't go on at all.

I took the casings out of the packets, washed cold inside and outside and then let them soak in warm water for an hour, changing the water out halfway through. I kept them wet the whole time working with them and wet the stuffer tube. I made sure to have the stuffer full and the ground sausage pushed to the end of the tube to avoid trouble with water.

I ripped so many casings today that I went down to a 22mm tube which was worlds easier to get the casing on but made it hard to stuff consistently with the size mismatch.

Am I missing anything obvious or is this just something you learn over time? Any help is greatly appreciated!

Hi there and welcome!

The guys have great info for you.

Also the long soak is super important, here is a whole amazing post and thread on getting natural casings to behave

How to handle natural casings

Thought I would post up what I do with natural casings. I use naturals 99.9% of the time when making sausages be it sheep or hog casings. I get compliments about how the casing are very delicate and have a perfect snap when you bite into the sausage. I believe the quality of the casings is part...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Something not yet mentioned... the little "home packs" that come in a little plastic vac sealed rectangular bag are really just the ends and oddball casings that didn't make the cut for being packaged as a "hank" of casings.

If you get a "hank" versus those home packs, the quality and consistency of the casing improves. You still have to do all the practices in that post and the things the guys are mentioning but having a better casing sure does help :)

 

[Timber II]

Yup they got ya covered above - buy a Hank and use some baking soda- world of difference! Welcome

 

[slanderkin]

Were the casings packed dry in salt, or were the casings wet in a wet brine in the package?

Yeah I used casing packed in dry salt, I gave them an hour soak but that sounds like not nearly enough.

Also the long soak is super important, here is a whole amazing post and thread on getting natural casings to behave

How to handle natural casings

Thought I would post up what I do with natural casings. I use naturals 99.9% of the time when making sausages be it sheep or hog casings. I get compliments about how the casing are very delicate and have a perfect snap when you bite into the sausage. I believe the quality of the casings is part...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Something not yet mentioned... the little "home packs" that come in a little plastic vac sealed rectangular bag are really just the ends and oddball casings that didn't make the cut for being packaged as a "hank" of casings.

If you get a "hank" versus those home packs, the quality and consistency of the casing improves. You still have to do all the practices in that post and the things the guys are mentioning but having a better casing sure does help :)

I didn't realize you could buy them in a salt brine solution, I will look into getting "hanks" for my next batch!

This is all super helpful and I'll look into all of the above, thanks so much!

P.S. My batch turned out tasting great (even if a bit inconsistency sized). I used the creole fresh recipe from Marianski's book and it was a nice subtle flavor IMO. The casing was a bit chewy at times but likely that is a sign the casings were tough and not soaked nearly enough!

 

[indaswamp]

Yeah I used casing packed in dry salt, I gave them an hour soak but that sounds like not nearly enough.

Packed in salt....I've had to wait over a month for them to rehydrate properly. Casings sold in wet brine solution are way better and so much easier to fool with.

 

[Hijack73]

If you buy the salt packed ones (I do) just be patient. I make a super saturated salt water solution (brine) to store mine in. Simple to do, dissolve salt into boiling water until no more will dissolve.

That's overkill on salt content, but, it works for me. I just soak the ones I'm going to use overnight in fresh water and a dash of baking soda.

All of mine are well over 18 months old and still fresh as a daisy. That post tallbm linked is the Holy Word of Casings.