What’s the trick with natural casings?

[mjspeers]

Just did a kit from PS seasonings, their maple blueberry breakfast sausage. It came with natural sheep casings. This was my first time with natural casings. It was horrible to sort through them, find the opening, and get them onto the horn. Is there a trick? Once on, things went relatively okay.

Side note, my mix was 60% pork butt and 40% venison. Made the left over into patties and it was sooo delicious.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Sausage kits usually come with a package of casings packed in just salt, they are dry and as such must be hydrated at least over night but the key is adding baking soda to the rinsed casings in water. This velvets the casings and makes them much slicker on the stuffing horn.

 

[choochooman442]

Never heard of Velveting the casing, I will have to give it try. I have been Velveting my proteins for stir frying for years. Thanks for the tip.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Never heard of Velveting the casing, I will have to give it try. I have been Velveting my proteins for stir frying for tears. Thanks for the tip.

Here is what most of us follow, it’s a good and informative read. Only add the baking soda to the bowl of casings to be used at the time, not the whole bucket or batch.


https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/how-to-handle-natural-casings.159729/