Collagen casings confusion ??

[Old Frenchie]

I need help in understanding collagen casings.

I've seen on some sites ... CLEAR and SMOKED and MAHOGANY casings.

I've also read somewhere that the smoked are just clear casings with some smoke flavoring.

I thought that all collagen casings could be smoked.

I was doing fine till I went to the LEM site.  ? ! ? ! ?

On the LEM site I see only  ... FRESH  or  SMOKED.

Are FRESH only for making fresh sausages?  That is, they are not intended for sausages that will be smoked? I will not be hanging my sausages but will smoke them on a rack in a curled position. Does this mean that I cannot use the FRESH casings for my smoked sausages?

Thanks again for any help you can provide,
Roger

[Enid]

Fresh are intended for fresh sausage and are thinner thus not designed for hanging in a smoker. Smoked are a little thicker designed to take the weight of hanging in a smoker. I have used the fresh for hot sticks in my smoker and laid them on the racks with no problems.

[NePaSmoKer]

Fresh are natural hog, sheep or beef casings. And yes you CAN hang natural casings in your smoker. Natural casings are not pre smoked and come packed in pure salt or salt solution and must be kept refrigerated. You can use natural for smoked and or dry cured sausage.




Collagen is made from either beef or hog proteins. There are edible and non edible style collagen. Most slim jims are made with the edible and come in sizes from 15-36mm. Some are clear, clear smoked, mahogany/smoked. I have smoked my own clear casings before.

Collagen casings hanging.

[Mr Walleye]

Fresh are intended for fresh sausage and are thinner thus not designed for hanging in a smoker. Smoked are a little thicker designed to take the weight of hanging in a smoker. I have used the fresh for hot sticks in my smoker and laid them on the racks with no problems.

Enid has your answer. The Colagen casings intended for the smoke house are thicker so they will take the weight of being hung. The Collagen intended for fresh sausage are thinner. The mahogany ones are simply dyed.

Here's a couple of links on casings.

http://lpoli.50webs.com/Tips.htm#Casings

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-making/stuffing/casings

Mike

[Old Frenchie]

Thanks for the replies ...

I obviously still have a lot to learn.

Mike: Thanks for the links ... great reading material. Learned a lot from them.

Thanks again,
Roger