Tough Snack Stix Casings

[Bugnut]

Made a 12lb batch of snack stixs smoked and brought up 152. These turned out to be a total failure! The casings are so tough on these things that you can't hardly chew them down. Any ideas? These were 19mm casing I'll withhold where they were purchased as I use this company all the time with great results and I'm quite sure it's something I did. I'd like to make something more like a snack you would get when having them made at a butchers shop, more plump and not all wrinkled. Any help would be great! I make about 3-5 hundred pounds of venison ss and other sausage a year and it turns out great. PLEASE HELP! Thanks in advance! Great info here I'm always watching here but rarely post.

Tom

[watchdog56]

Not sure why the casings were tough but as far as a nice plump stick I found that if you have an electric roaster and get the water temp to about 160-170 works great. You put as much smoke on the sticks as you like then take them out of the smoker when smoke cycle is done and put them in a roaster filled with water at 160-170. Put sticks in until IT hits 152-155 then pull out and put in ice bath until temp is under 100. Let air dry for a couple of hours and they come out great. ON sticks it only takes about 15 minutes to get IT up and summer sausage it might take 30 minutes but it works great. Saves a lot of time.

[Habanero Smoker]

What type of collagen casings did you use. The smoked collagen casings are thicker. They are edible but should to be peeled off prior to eating.

[Bugnut]

They were the mahongy casing. I thought they were it bit thicker, I usally use the clear. Would they be tougher if they were not real fresh? I bought these maybe three months ago and stored in refrigerator. Next time I'll try the hot water bath. The wife and kids are lossing there patience with my snack stix making but the dogs are loving it.lol

[Habanero Smoker]

I generally use natural casing, so others may help you with whether or not freshness plays a factor. I know about the smoked collagen casings, because a friend of mine uses them and they are mahogany in color. I do know if they become dry or brittle you can dip them into water for a few seconds.

[rchunter]

snack stick casings are edible unless labeled otherwise ( I 've never heard of peeling a snack stick), collagen casings will have a differant "bite" than any natuaral casing.  make sure you are getting a fairly tight pack when stuffing.  I would recommend stepping your smokehouse temps up more slowly than you can for summer due to diameter diff.  Next, in your mixing of the batter, the more you mix the more you'll extrude protein from the meats and have a better bind.  You don't say what kind of meat you used.  If venison, you'll want to add some lean pork and probably a little more water.  snack sticks are a whole differant animal because they're usually very lean, don't want to bite into fat pockets, yuk.  I like to use natural casings too, but there a little spendy for sheep casings right now.  good luck.

[Sailor]

I use the mahogany 19mm collagen casings and never had a problem with them being tough.  I have even used some that I had stored in a cabinet that I forgot about and I am sure they were over a year old.  They still had the oil feeling to them.  I did not soak them and just stuff like I normally would.  After the stuffing they became "wet" just like a fresh sleeve would.  The finished product was just fine.  As for peeling the collagen casing....the only time I have peeled them is if the casings become loose, which happens to me when I stuff and put in the fridge overnight.  Seems the fridge wicks out the water and I get loose casings when I smoke them.

[Habanero Smoker]

Go to this link and read the section Can I smoke with collagen casings? This is the problem my friend had when he purchased smoke collagen casings. It may be brand one buys:

Collagen Casings

[Mr Walleye]

Go to this link and read the section Can I smoke with collagen casings? This is the problem my friend had when he purchased smoke collagen casings. It may be brand one buys:

Collagen Casings

I agree with Habs. I've used the smoke collagen casings and they are tuffer than nails. They may be eatable but when you bit them they don't cut or snap, they tended to squirt the sausage out. Hence why I peeled the casings off. I've never tried using the fresh ones but if I ever try collagen again it will be the ones designed for fresh sticks.

Mike

[Bugnut]

Thanks for the replies. The meat used here was venison and pork 70/30 and was very lean. I have used the casing for fresh sausage and had the problem of them breaking when hanging. I'm not ready to give up the fight so I guess this weekend I'll make some using sheep casing. Thanks again!

Tom

[NePaSmoKer]

I keep all my casings (collagen stick) vac bagged and in the fridge, never had this issue.

You are using water in the pan when you smoke?

[Bugnut]

Yes water in the pan while running the smoke, I used 2 hours pecan. I did remove water pan after smoke as I do when making SS. This morning while at work the kid calls and says hey what kind of snacks stix are those in the fridge, I tell him and the story and he says don't throw them away they taste great! WTH! I didn't have the heart to throw them out the other night and needed to get some advice here so I just stuck the tub in the fridge. I'm guessing lack of water in the pan while cooking and then the moisture in fridge brought them back to life. Live and learn that's all I can say!

Tom