Casing bonding?

Chewbacca · December 06, 2013, 06:15:53 AM

I'm having an issue with the bonding of my casings to the snack sticks. The casings look good and bonded when the sticks are just laying there. But as soon as you take a bite the casing releases from about the next inch or two up the stick from where the bite was taken. What causes this? I don't have any evidence of fat out (no fat buildup on the casing and nothing showing on the drip tray). I have tried using both collagen and natural casings. The issue seems to only be with the collagen casings. The naturals seem to stay bonded much better but they are a pain to work with >:(

Sailor · December 06, 2013, 08:13:42 AM

Can you be more specific as to how you are making them? It's kinda like....hey Doc it hurts when I do it. Not much info ;D

Normally loose collagen casings is caused by stuffing the casings and then putting them in the fridge overnight and smoking them the next day. You could have some old dried out casing. You could be giving them an ice bath after the smoke. Could be vac sealing them just out of the smoker and freezing. If you could post the steps that you are doing from start to finish I am sure the members can help you out. What temps are you using?

watchdog56 · December 06, 2013, 08:17:06 AM

That happens to me also. I have been told that if you stuff and put in frig before smoking the moisture releases from the meat and creates a barrier between meat and casing. Also if you do the water bath method it causes the casing to separate. Now I mix the meat up the night before and stuff in AM or just mix and stuff and into smoker right away. Works better but every once and a while I still get separation. I am sure someone with more knowledge than me will be along but I would like to know how to make it better also.

NePaSmoKer · December 06, 2013, 09:29:57 AM

Condition your collagen casings a few hours before stuffing in the fridge.

watchdog56 · December 06, 2013, 10:48:24 AM

Nepa- sent you a PM.

Chewbacca · December 09, 2013, 06:11:02 AM

Quote from: NePaSmoKer on December 06, 2013, 09:29:57 AM
Condition your collagen casings a few hours before stuffing in the fridge.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by conditioning the casings?

Chewbacca · December 09, 2013, 06:19:33 AM

Quote from: Sailor on December 06, 2013, 08:13:42 AM
Can you be more specific as to how you are making them? It's kinda like....hey Doc it hurts when I do it. Not much info ;D

Normally loose collagen casings is caused by stuffing the casings and then putting them in the fridge overnight and smoking them the next day. You could have some old dried out casing. You could be giving them an ice bath after the smoke. Could be vac sealing them just out of the smoker and freezing. If you could post the steps that you are doing from start to finish I am sure the members can help you out. What temps are you using?

Sailor, I am using the exact steps that you gave me a short while back. My casings are brand new. I am not using an ice bath after the smoke. No vac seal until a few days after smoking.

Here are the steps I am using: Stuffing and smoking on the SAME day. Start in smoker at 130 for 2 hours. 140 for 2 hours with smoke. 150 for 2 hours. 160 for 2 hours. 170 until IT hits 152. Remove from smoker and hang from rods in the house until they cool to room temp. Then they go into a zip loc bag (not zipped shut though) and into the fridge. I couple of days later (if there are any left) I vac seal and freeze.

NePaSmoKer · December 09, 2013, 07:59:27 AM

Quote from: Chewbacca on December 09, 2013, 06:11:02 AM
Quote from: NePaSmoKer on December 06, 2013, 09:29:57 AM
Condition your collagen casings a few hours before stuffing in the fridge.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by conditioning the casings?

Put your collagen casings in a zip lock bag (before stuffing) and keep the bag open. This is called conditioning.

Sailor · December 09, 2013, 11:10:00 AM

Quote from: Chewbacca on December 09, 2013, 06:19:33 AM
Quote from: Sailor on December 06, 2013, 08:13:42 AM
Can you be more specific as to how you are making them? It's kinda like....hey Doc it hurts when I do it. Not much info ;D

Normally loose collagen casings is caused by stuffing the casings and then putting them in the fridge overnight and smoking them the next day. You could have some old dried out casing. You could be giving them an ice bath after the smoke. Could be vac sealing them just out of the smoker and freezing. If you could post the steps that you are doing from start to finish I am sure the members can help you out. What temps are you using?

Sailor, I am using the exact steps that you gave me a short while back. My casings are brand new. I am not using an ice bath after the smoke. No vac seal until a few days after smoking.

Here are the steps I am using: Stuffing and smoking on the SAME day. Start in smoker at 130 for 2 hours. 140 for 2 hours with smoke. 150 for 2 hours. 160 for 2 hours. 170 until IT hits 152. Remove from smoker and hang from rods in the house until they cool to room temp. Then they go into a zip loc bag (not zipped shut though) and into the fridge. I couple of days later (if there are any left) I vac seal and freeze.

Instead of putting them in a zip lock bag even open they can't get rid of the moisture. Use a paper bag instead of a zip lock bag. I don't cut mine up after the bloom. I stick the whole batch into the fridge uncovered and unbagged over night. Next day I cut them up and prior to vac sealing I take a paper towel and wipe them to get the condensation off and then vac seal them. I don't see anything wrong with the way you are smoking to hurt the binding to the casing. A year or so ago I got a bad batch of casings and I ended up throwing them away and buying another another supplier.

Chewbacca · December 10, 2013, 06:21:51 AM

The casings that I have are from LEM. Have other people had success with their casings?