You get what you pay for

[radioguy]

Snack sticks have been a big hit with the family. Seeing the cost of casings, I shopped around for 19mm mahogany collagen. The ones I was using are about $15 for 25lb. I a found less expensive ones at Dirt Cheap Casings dot com. Of all places, can't make this up. Their price is about $10 for 25lb.
These casings stuffed well, I did have a few blow outs, but I'm still gaining experience with these small casings. My finished product is less than stellar. These casings are chewy, they separate from from the sausage. Well you know the old adage. These are still edible but not as good as my first batch, casings from that company in Kansas.
Any other suggestions for these type casings?

Thanks,
RG

 

[DanMcG]

Sheeps........... http://www.makincasing.com/product.asp?ID=10&product=Natural+Sheep+Casing+18/20mm

 

[SmokyMose]

I get my collagen casings from SausageMaker. I use Mahogany (brown) 16mm for beef sticks and 19mm "smoked" for kabanosy. I've noticed that one batch will vary from another even from the same package, at least with the mahogany. One batch will stick to the casings and the next will not and are a little "chewy". I peel those skins off before eating.... Maybe fat content? The sticks I made with 70/30 beef stuck better than the ones using 80/20.
No problems with the 19mm yet, but I'm using pork.
Just an idea.

 

[indaswamp]

The Sausage Maker...
https://www.sausagemaker.com/19mm-smoked-collagen-casings-p/17-1410.htm
$13.63 ...casings for 30#

 

[SmokinAl]

I use TSM too!
Although my Doc told me no more cured meat!
Bummer but my experience with their casings has always been good.
Al

 

[radioguy]

Thanks for the input. I'll try some from TSM , Waltons along side of the cheap ones. I'll post results.

RG

 

[Steve H]

TSM here as well. I bought some snack stick casings from P&S seasoning. Didn't care for those either. Just an FYI.

 

[indaswamp]

I used a pack of 19mm from Cabela's with the last batch of snack sticks I made. I was in a jam and needed more casing ASAP...I ran out in the middle of stuffing, thought I had enough...asked a friend to run over and pick some up since there's a Cabela's store 5 minutes from my house. Expensive IMO @ $19.99 for collagen to stuff 25# of meat, but I needed them. They are good casings and I can't tell the difference between them and the ones from TSM...

 

[pushok2018]

Buying any casing from TSM only. Never was disappointed. Never bought casing from any other supplier before but am thinking of buying sheep casing from Syracuse because only they have 28 plus mm. casing...

 

[indaswamp]

I have used Syracuse 32-35mm hog casings before and I liked them. No blowouts and held up well to drying and smoking. I would use them again. I have never tried their sheeps, though I'm sure they are top quality like the hog casings.

 

[indaswamp]

Which brings up a point I just thought about-how many of you invert your casings to put the whiskers on the inside? I have found that whisker free casings are much more prone to blowouts than those with the whiskers, and just inverting the casing while flushing gives you a whisker free outer surface. Once the sausages are smoked or cooked, you can't see the whiskers anyhow....and casings with whiskers run a little cheaper too.

 

[radioguy]

Whisker free casings? Never heard that term before. Sorta new to sausage making.

RG

 

[chopsaw]

Thanks for the input. I'll try some from TSM , Waltons along side of the cheap ones. I'll post results.

RG

Walton's has a good video on casings . Dave posted it awhile back . Goes over different types of collagen for different types of sausage . Video is in this link .

Collagen Sausage Casings - Walton's

Collagen Sausage Casings are made from an edible material and are a popular choice when making snack sticks, brats, and other fresh or smoked sausages. They are ready to use straight from the package. Walton's has the highest quality casings and an enormous amount of helpful information...

www.waltonsinc.com

 

[indaswamp]

Chopsaw, Thanks for posting. Seems I may have run across that video before, but I can't remember. I've learned a lot about collagen casings lately... They are made from cow skins.
I also did not realize they had both edible and non edible collagen casings. I've been giving collagen casings a bad rap over the years because I did not know they had both available.
After making my first batch of snack sticks in many many years(by request from a friend) I had to buy some. And started researching them again in depth. Always more to learn the more I expand my skill set in charcuterie....

 

[chopsaw]

Yup . Like said daveomak gets credit for that . I learned from it when posted awhile back and is worth watching .

 

[indaswamp]

Whisker free casings? Never heard that term before. Sorta new to sausage making.

RG

When the casings are scraped at the processor, they are inverted inside out to clean out the inside of the casing. There will be small strings of the casing that get scraped off and will stay attached to the casing. The casings are packaged as is 99% of the time unless they state "whisker free" casings; which are further processed to remove them from the casings. This can leave weak spots in the casing where the whiskers are trimmed at the processor....which can give blow outs.

All you have to do is invert the casing again and put the whiskers on the inside of the casing before stuffing. Butchers do this for a better visual appeal. I do not get many blowouts with whiskered casings like I use to when using the whisker free casings.

 

[crazyjz]

I have used Syracuse 32-35mm hog casings before and I liked them. No blowouts and held up well to drying and smoking. I would use them again. I have never tried their sheeps, though I'm sure they are top quality like the hog casings.

Have had good luck with syracuse casings. Have had terrible experience with Waltons hog casing paks. The Waltons hog casings are often very short. I recently bought two packs from them. Both were awful with neither pack having a single casing longer than three feet. When I brought this to the attention of their customer service, I was told that it was my problem. Caveat Emptor!

 

[indaswamp]

Have had good luck with syracuse casings. Have had terrible experience with Waltons hog casing paks. The Waltons hog casings are often very short. I recently bought two packs from them. Both were awful with neither pack having a single casing longer than three feet. When I brought this to the attention of their customer service, I was told that it was my problem. Caveat Emptor!

Were the casings packed in salt or brine? Shorts are usually the ends and pieces sold as a home pack. They are usually sold packed in salt. Worst casings to use IMO.