stick question

[jack and coke]

i attempted to make snack sticks the other weekend.  they tasted good.  only thing was the collagen casings peeled off the meat sticks pretty easy.  is this normal. 

it was a sausage maker mix
it was a mix of venison and pork

dried at 120 for 1hr
smoked 130
then 140,150,160,170 each on one hr increments. 

is it normal for the collagen casing to peel easily off the meat stick. 

[NePaSmoKer]

i attempted to make snack sticks the other weekend.  they tasted good.  only thing was the collagen casings peeled off the meat sticks pretty easy.  is this normal. 

it was a sausage maker mix
it was a mix of venison and pork

dried at 120 for 1hr
smoked 130
then 140,150,160,170 each on one hr increments. 

is it normal for the collagen casing to peel easily off the meat stick. 

Maybe a few things.

Old casings that are dry.
Not long enough times on the temps.  140, 150, 160, 170 each on one hr increments<---------> Should have been longer times starting at the 140 mark.
Not enough meat to fat ratio.
No .......Oh never mind thats a secret  :D

[jack and coke]

might of been the temps.
dry at 130 and smoke at 140.
bump up every 2hrs instead of one?

thank you

[RAF128]

When you mixed the meat and spices, did you add water and how much.   The collegen casing are alway dry but as soon as the moist meat is put in they soften.   If the mix is too dry the casing have nothing to absorb.   

[classicrockgriller]

Also, did u stuff n smoke or stuff fridge for the nite then smoke?

[jack and coke]

stuff then fridge for the night

[Tenpoint5]

With sticks I have found that the stuff and smoke option will keep the casing tighter to the meat than fridging them overnight

[Sailor]

stuffing the collagen casings and then putting them in the fridge will result in loose casing.  The moisture in the meat will seep into the casing resulting in the meat loosing moisture.  I had the same problem.  I mix 10 pounds and smoke 5 lbs right after stuffing and they came out great.  The other 5 pounds were put in the fridge overnight to be smoked the next day.  Every time the casings were loose.  I have stopped stuffing and putting in the fridge and have never had another problem.  If I have more to stuff after a mix I put it in the fridge then stuff just before I want to smoke.  I add a little water to make stuffing easy if the mix has set up.

[jack and coke]

thank you, everyone

[RAF128]

I always stuff mine and then store in the fridge over night.    Never had the casings peel off.   I don't know what is causing that.