I have alway's used natural hog casings for my sausage. I am concidering using collagen. I also will be making summer sausage, Salami, and Bologna using fibrous casings. My question is. Is there a difference in the smoke penetration. It seams to me that I read somewhere that you don't get good smoke penetration with collagen and fibrous casings. Please give me your thoughts on this subject and any other advice about casings.
Thanks
Mike C
calatexmex,
There is a permiable fibrous casing for summer sausage. These have tiny pinprick wholes to allow the smoke to permiate the casing. As far as callogen, I guess they hold a pretty good smoke on the outside as the beef sticks that I have ever made always had a good smoke flavor. I never thought of peeling the casing off to check for smoke penetration. I have never checked the smoke penetration on a natural casing either.
As far as more comparisons, I think you will find it less expensive to use callogen casings as compared to a sheep casing 22/24 or approx size.
I like to make beef sticks using a jerky gun with no casing as all. This way you get 100% smoke and no cost is good cost.[;)]
Here is a pic of beef sticks with no casings.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/ChpStx.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/FREEGIF.gif)
<font size="4"><b>Doug</b></font id="size4">
Hi Jaeger
I'm with ya on the jerky gun.(Looking Good)I do own one and I have made beef sticks in the past but have alway's used a dehydrator. Now that I have my BS my dehydrator will be lonely. Who carries permiable fibrous casings? I have never seen them. I have also considered rolling summer sausage with cheese cloth and hanging in smoker but they would probably look better with casings. Thanks for the advice
Mike C