Help with collagen casings

[RSilva]

I am new to this website, owning a BDS since January.  My other smoker (built by me) and I have been together since the mid '80's.  Since now it is just the wife and I, I bought a smaller smoker to use instead of heating up the heavy iron every time I want a rack of ribs.

My sausage experience is somewhat limited.  Breakfast sausage, Landjager type sausage, and fresh for the grill sausage is about the extent of my trials.  All have gone well (I am still alive to talk about it).  Recently I took a stab at venison sticks.

85% lean venison, 15% pork trimmings, spices, cup of buttermilk, and Cure #1 for 8.5 pounds of grind.

Stuffed in 19mm collagen casings, air dried in the fridge overnight.
Brought to room temp, dried in the smoker for 1 hour at 145
Smoked for 2 hours at 150
Finished at 170 until internal temp hit 152 - 155.
Quick cool down with cold water, spread out on racks and air dried in the fridge for 3 days.

Look and taste good (have not read up on submitting pic's yet).

After I vacuum sealed them in small quantities I noticed that the casing no longer snaps when you bite into it, and the meat tends to want to slip out.  I assume this is from the vacuum pulling more moisture out of the meat and soaking the casing causing it to further relax.

I am pretty sure that I have plenty of product in the casing, I did have the occasional blowout.
No excessive grease, no drippings in the v-tray of the smoker.

I read daily on what you folks are doing.  Amongst you folks, I am absolutely a mental diminutive.
I would appreciate any advise you would be willing to share as to how I can stop this phenomenon.
Thank you!

[pensrock]

First off, WELCOME to the forum.  :)
Next, I never vacuum pack my sticks. So I'm not sure if that caused the problem or not.  ???
Also I tend to allow mine to dry longer than most. I like them to almost be jerky like instead of like a fresh meat stick. But when I'm storing them in the fridge I either put them into a plastic jar with holes in the lid or a plain paper bag. I have not had a problem with the casings separating from the meat. But I bet Rick (NEPAS) can give you some info to help you out. I'm sure he will see this and get back to you as well as some of the others who make sticks. I kinda remember someone else having a similar problem but cannot recall why. Must be getting old.  ;D ;D ;D

[Sailor]

Every time that I have air dried the collagen casings over night I have had bad luck with the casings.  As has been suggested in other posts that leaving collagen casings in the fridge over night sucks the moisture out and the casings get lose.  If you are going to leave over night they should be sealed tight so the moisture will not wick out.  I have not tried the over night thing in a sealed container so I don't really know it works or not.  My best luck is to stuff and smoke.  Never had a lose casing after and even vac sealed and frozen for months give a nice bit when defrosted.

I would think that if you want to leave over night you might mix it all up in a bowl and seal and then stuff the next day and smoke.

Nepas will have better info so I would take what ever advise he gives.  ;D

[RSilva]

Thank you both.  I prefer dry sticks as well, but using #1 cure instead of #2, I didn't know how long they would last without sealing them up and freezing.  Didn't matter this time because all 8.5 pounds disappeared in a week.

Next time I will try going from the stuffer to the smoker instead of drying them for the night.  If I stay away from the vacuum sealer, how long can I expect them to last in the fridge @35*?

[cobra6223]

never had the casing come loose but after sitting in the fridge overnight the do lose some of the snap they , I have nevr vacummed selaed the always throw a paper towel or in the bottom of a plastic container to wick up any moisture, then I change that evry other day, not sure if it but it makes me feel better and they never seem to last very long, less then a week and they're all gone . Welcome to site and have fun with making the sausage .
Tim

[NePaSmoKer]

Vac on the casings will not pull moisture from them. They are made from animal fat protein.

Tip to see if your casings are fresh.

Take a paper towel and rub a small length of casing on it. If you see a fat (oily) streak on the paper towel they are still fresh, If not they are dry.

When i buy my casings by the Caddy they are vac sealed for freshness. 99% of the casing i have bought or seen are vac sealed with the exception of the LEM 2 packs from Gander & Bass Pro or places on line.

As for the snap your looking for, that can be just about anything causing that. I have only had that happen after cooling with water, which i don't do much. Pull when the IT is at 147-149, hang (with out water cooling) and they will IT by them self.


MY 2 CENT

To me the snap is like the smoke ring on a nice chunk of meat (for looks or just aesthetic) If your sticks, jerky, brisket, butts or whatever don't last through the week then your doing things right.....EH

[RSilva]

Thank you NePaS.

I should have done a better job of explaining the "snap".  My biggest concern was the fact that on many of the snack sticks (cut to about 4" length), I would bite one end, and a well formed piece of meat would try and sneak out of the other end.  Taste good, but on some sticks I had an empty 4" casing left behind.

Next batch I will do without the water cool down, and I will definitely perform your freshness test.

Gonna try to add pics from photobucket:

[RSilva]

Next time I will make the pics smaller!!!!

[ghost9mm]

Snap or not they really look good...

[NePaSmoKer]

Ditto on that.

Them looks good, snap or no snap.

[devo]

They look picture perfect to me

[RSilva]

Thanks for the compliments.  With the suggestions that you folks have offered up, I think I know enough to be dangerous.

I know that there are many variables, but does anyone know how long venison sticks should last refrigerated / not refrigerated assuming that it has been handled properly and cure #1 has been properly introduced?  All of my experience has been with cure #2.

I only ask this because I may want to mail some to family once I remove the curse of the slipping casing.  Last thing I would want to do is send people a vacuum package of good looking trichinae.

[NePaSmoKer]

Thanks for the compliments.  With the suggestions that you folks have offered up, I think I know enough to be dangerous.

I know that there are many variables, but does anyone know how long venison sticks should last refrigerated / not refrigerated assuming that it has been handled properly and cure #1 has been properly introduced?  All of my experience has been with cure #2.

I only ask this because I may want to mail some to family once I remove the curse of the slipping casing.  Last thing I would want to do is send people a vacuum package of good looking trichinae.

Fridge should last between 1.5 to 2 weeks, just watch the moisture in the container if not vac sealed.

In a vac sealed bag they will last for 1-3 months in or out of fridge (depending on how long you finish em  ;D) In the freezer 6-9 months. Have had no problems with sticks, jerky vac sealed when shipped to my sons in Iraq, Afgn.

[RSilva]

Good information to know.

My thanks to your sons for what they are doing for us.  I am glad they have a support system (you) that can get them a little taste of the USA when far from home!

[watchdog56]

I have had sticks in the frig for almost a month and no problems.