what type of sausage casings are best?

[saigonjj]

I'm still fairly new to sausage making, and usually just form it into patties or small logs, but I do have a nice stuffer and do like to stuff them when I make a large batch.  This leads to my question: which types of casings are available and which is best?  I have previously used some salted hog casings given to me by a friend, and these worked fine, but I felt the casing was a bit chewy and interfered with the pure eatin' pleasure of the final product.  I don't know if this is just the nature of hog casings, or was particular to that brand.  I'm looking for advice as I can't find the casings I'm sure I bought over the summer, so am about to order more.

Thanks,

SaigonJJ

 

[smoking b]

I'm interested in hearing the answers you get. I'm trying to learn about sausage making myself & see a lot of posts about different casings. Maybe one of the sausage kings will be along & notice your question & give you some guidance...

 

[mike johnson]

Im fairly new to sausage making myself but I prefer natural casings for brats and kilbalsa. What ive heard is with natural casings is the slower you bring up the casing temp the less snap you get when biteing through. So if your going to boil put in cold water then bring to boil and if grilling start low then bumb up the temp. I prefer colagen if im making sausage for inside hotdog buns.The same thickness makes a better presentation I feel.

 

[junkcollector]

i am by NO MEANS a expert on sausage however, i've been stuffing  my own off and on for 10+ years. a chewy casing, I've never run into that. i always use fresh casings. I'd question how old the casings were, brand, how they were stored etc. My last bunch of casings I bought (5 weeks ago) came from butcher-packer. Getting ready to order again in the next week or 2. hard to believe we've already done 60+lbs.

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=85_94_96&products_id=302

I have also used syracuse casings in the past with very good luck. 

i always get natural casings. have never had a need for anything else. 

As I said, I am by NO MEANS A EXPERT, not even knowledgeable in sausage making compared to many others on here. So I hope they will chime in because I'm curious on the *CHEWY* issue too. 

 

[BGKYSmoker]

All depends on what kind of sausage your making?

I see your in  Vietnam and you did get hog casings to use. I have no idea if you can get any fibrous, synthetic or collagen casings.

Some dont like collagen casings for smaller type sausages.

 

[saigonjj]

I haven't bought any casings in Vietnam.  I don't believe they'd be easy to find.  I order from the U.S.  I guess it could be that the last batch I ad were too old.  In general what is the difference between natural casings and collagen?
 

 

[big casino]

Natural casings are cleaned intestines from either sheep or hogs, the smaller casings are usually sheep and the other larger ones would be from hogs, collagen casings are made from different parts of the animal like the hide from beef

if you rinse off the salt from  inside and out of the salt packed casings and then soak them in clean fresh water for a  few hours they should soften up some folks even like to add a splash of white vinegar to the water while soaking

 

[boykjo]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/129990/casings-questions/20#post_882148