lifespan of pork casings

[scubasmoker]

Hey guys this may be a dumb question. But how long do pork casings usually last kept in the frig. I've had mine about 1 year, I kept them in the original tub they came in. The raeson I ask is I was going to make some summer sausage the other night and when I went to soak the casings I wasn't to sure about the smell so I put the project on hold. Thanks again for all input.

[Duster]

not sure if I am any help but we have used natural pork casings that were about a year old but they were kept in the salt water they came in and were kept in the fridge over the summer. We made brats out of them so we did cook them fully before consumption.

[MoSmoke]

Here is a cut & paste from the Butcher & Packer website.

http://www.butcher-packer.com

Care of Natural Casings
All natural casings can be resalted even if they have been soaked. Just take regular table salt, wet it and apply generously on the unused casing. Pack casing in a air tight container and refrigerate. DO NOT FREEZE! Freezing a natural casing will weaken it and it will be no good after it has thawed. Properly stored natural casings can last under refrigeration for at least one to two years.

I have used kosher or canning salt instead of table salt and have never had a problem with them going bad.

MoSmoke

[Habanero Smoker]

Casings will last a year or more when they are stored properly (packed in salt). I have used natural casings close to 18 months old. Natural pork casings do have a mild smell that could be considered unpleasant. The problem is I don't know what the smell is that you are detecting. If you are unsure, I wouldn't use them. You can always freeze the summer sausage, order new casings and stuff at a later date.

I just receive my new Sausage Maker catalog, in that catalog they recommend that when you receive your casing, you should unbundled and rinse them all off, then repack in pickling salt for storage.

[Habanero Smoker]

Here is some more information on the odor of natural hog casings and shelf life.

http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=36#hog

[iceman]

Good link Hab. Thanks.