Casings question

[ragweed]

Can casings go bad, get too old? 

I bought a hank of hog casings from a local butcher/sausage maker last April.  They were refrigerated and packed in salt.  I used them successfully since then always adding back a little salt before returning to the frig.  In December I made a batch of brats and used my new vac sealer before storing them in the freezer.  Didn't quite get them frozen all the way before putting them in the vac bags so they were "mushed" a bit.

When I tried to cook some, the casings disintegrated!  I cook them in a deep frying pan, covered, with a little oil and about 1/2 inch of water.  No problems before.

Any ideas?

[watchdog56]

Not sure what happened. I have hog casings that have been in the frig for a couple years now and have had no problem.

[devo]

Natural casings can be reused even if they have been soaked. Just apply regular table salt to the casings, place them in an air tight container such as a zip-lock and refrigerate. Don't freeze as this will damage their structure and will weaken them.
They will last for years.

[Grouperman941]

I think using iodized salt can mess up the casings.

[devo]

I think using iodized salt can mess up the casings.

Not at all, its done every day

[Grouperman941]

I think using iodized salt can mess up the casings.

Not at all, its done every day

Good to know.  I was always told not to use it.

[NePaSmoKer]

Salted Hog Casings:

For best results soak over night in refrigerator in water that starts out at 90º F (32.2ºC). If in a hurry, follow these instructions but understand that you may not get maximum expansion capacity from the casing. Rushing the soaking process can result in the casing being sticky and they may not slide easily from the horn. This can result in breakage and sausage that is irregular in diameter or too small.  Link Bratwurst's Additional Note: Flushing the inside of the casings allows better sliding onto and off the horn.  Open the end of the casing and dip it into the bowl allowing a bubble of water to enter casing.  Pull casing out of bowl and water bubble will follow down casing until it comes out the other end.  You can do this with a faucet as well.

     

    The fast soak:

    Rinse salt from casings

    Soak in fresh water at 70º F (21.11ºC) for 1 hour

    Soak in fresh water at 90º F (32.2ºC) for 1 hour

    Place in fresh warm water 90º F (32.2ºC) at the stuffing table

     

    Sheep Casings:

    Soak in fresh water at 85-90º F (29.44ºC - 32.2ºC) for 30 minutes

    Place in fresh warm water at the stuffing table.

   

     

WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF NATURAL CASINGS?

    Salt: 1 year or more

    Preflushed in Net Pack: 6 months to one year.

    Preflushed in Vacuum Pack: 6 months to one year.

    Preflushed on plastic Tubes: 6 months to one year.

   

     

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE NATURAL CASINGS?

    Store in the cooler at 40º (4.44ºC) or less in brine or well salted. NEVER freeze casings.

   

     

WHAT IS THE MOST POPULAR SIZE CASING FOR A FRESH AND SMOKED SAUSAGE?

    There are no standards dictating the size casing to be used for a particular sausage. The size casing you use for sausage should depend on what you want your sausage to look like. How many links do you want to make up a pound, etc.? (ie: 5 links per pound(436g) and 5 inches (127mm) per link). Traditionally, smaller sizes are used for fresh sausage and larger sizes for smoked sausage.

   



MY CASINGS SMELL BAD; ARE THEY STILL GOOD?

    Usually Yes. When your natural casings first arrive there may be some gas build up in the container, especially in hot weather. This can smell pretty strong.

   



WHAT CAN I DO TO KNOCK OUT THE BAD SMELL IN MY CASINGS?

    Usually all it needs is airing out. Leave the container open in the refrigerator for a while. Or, take casings out of the container and air them out. If it is really bad, rinse casings in fresh water, re-soak in brine and the smell will usually dissipate.

    Putting baking soda in your soak water may also help.

    If odor persists, call The Sausage Source for assistance.

   



WHAT CAN I DO TO IMPROVE THE BITE ON THE CASINGS?

    Cooking a sausage can toughen any casing. To maximize the tender bite of a casing, cook with moisture. Prick sausage before grilling.

    Some casings are tougher because of their origin. They are usually cheap. The tough ones are usually thick and opaque. Smoke cycles can also affect the bite of a casing. Humidity during the smoke cycle is very important to maximize a tender eating experience. Consult your smoke house supplier about the best smoke cycle for the most tender bite.

   



WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF A BUNDLE OR HANK OF CASINGS?

    The traditional hank or bundle of hog or sheep casing was 100 yards. However, today there is no standard length.
   

HOW MANY STRANDS SHOULD A BUNDLE HAVE?

    The number of strands in a bundle depends on how uniform the diameter of the sausage must be and how long the individual strands of casing must be. The fewer strands and the longer they are, the less uniform the casings will be. In general, a hog casing will have 14-18 strands and a sheep casing will have 12-14 strand.

   



HOW LONG DO YOU SMOKE SAUSAGE?

    The length of your smoke cycle becomes part of your sausage formulation. Your smoke cycle depends on the type of smokehouse you have and the type of product you are smoking. See page 9 for these instructions.

   



HOW DO YOU KEEP UNUSED CASINGS?

    Cover unused casings in brine solution or granulated salt and store in cooler at 40º (4.44ºC) or less but do not freeze.

   

     

HOW TIGHT SHOULD THE SAUSAGE BE STUFFED?

    How tight you stuff sausage casings depends on the type of sausage and how it is to be linked. For natural casings: When making a rope sausage, without linking, stuff to slightly less than the maximum expansion of the casings. If linking by machine, stuff 3-4 mm (1/8") below the maximum expansion of the casing. Consult the instructions for the linker or your linker supplier because there can be significant differences in equipment. If linking by hand stuff 4-5 mm (1/4") below the maximum expansion of the casing. Hand linking can put uneven stress on the casing. By under stuffing, you can reduce breakage during linking. Check the firmness of the link and adjust the stuffing pressure.

   

     

WHY ARE THE CASINGS TOUGH AFTER COOKING FRESH SAUSAGE?

    Sausage was cooked in a pan too hot and too quickly.

    Casings were not soaked long enough.

    Origin of casing.

    Sausage was under stuffed

   



HOW CAN I MAKE MY CASINGS MORE TENDER?

    Soak casings longer

    Add lemon juice or pineapple juice to the soak water.

    Use proper moisture levels during smoke cycle.

   



WHAT IS THE WEBBY LOOKING SPOT ON MY CASINGS?

    This is a patch of peyer (Pie-air) which is scarring resulting from the cleaning process and the removal of lymph nodes. All natural casings will have some scarring.

   

     

WHY DO MY COLORED CASINGS GET DARK STREAKS WHEN I SMOKE THEM?

    Dry cycle was too short

    Showering with water containing chlorine or high mineral levels.

   



WHAT PRODUCTS ARE MADE IN SHEEP CASINGS AND HOG CASINGS?

    The kind of casing used for a particular sausage will depend on what you want the sausage to look like and tradition. Ask your supplier, The Sausage Source, which casing would be appropriate for the sausage you want to make.

[cobra6223]

THANK YOU RICK !! that is an awesome post, I see a lot of people ask this question including myself. Once again GREAT post. Thanks Tim

[GusRobin]

    The fast soak:

    Rinse salt from casings

    Soak in fresh water at 70º F (21.11ºC) for 1 hour

    Soak in fresh water at 90º F (32.2ºC) for 1 hour

    Place in fresh warm water 90º F (32.2ºC) at the stuffing table

   

Thanks for the data. If that is the fast soak, what should the normal soak be?

[NePaSmoKer]

    The fast soak:

    Rinse salt from casings

    Soak in fresh water at 70º F (21.11ºC) for 1 hour

    Soak in fresh water at 90º F (32.2ºC) for 1 hour

    Place in fresh warm water 90º F (32.2ºC) at the stuffing table

   

Thanks for the data. If that is the fast soak, what should the normal soak be?

Gus

You can soak natural casings for a couple days before stuffing. Keep in mind though that the casings will pick up the water, make the casings swell some and you could have easier blow-outs.

With synthetic or fibrous casings use the directions given on the packaging for soaking. Mahogany casing soaked to long will start to bleed the color.

[mez]

Thanks for the post .I don't think I've been soaking my casings long enough.The package's I have been using say 30 to 40 mins but my casings come out on the tougher side.I noticed the casings I just  got from sausage maker say overnight soak.Hopefully this helps with the toughness.I was also wondering what the sausage poker is for?Just air bubbles or do you poke you casings for some reason?

[devo]

It is important to stuff sausages hard and without air as the resulting air pockets might fill with water or become little holes later.In fermented and dry products, such moisture pockets may become breeding grounds for bacteria. The air also creates unnecessary resistance during stuffing. Most vertical piston stuffers come equipped with an air valve that allows accumulating air to escape outside. After the sausage is stuffed, any accumulated air pockets visible to the naked eye are simply pricked with a needle.

[GusRobin]

I use a corn on the cob holder to prick the sausage.

[NePaSmoKer]

If you have air pockets in your stuffer canister you will have air pockets in your sausage.

[ragweed]

Thanks for all of the info folks!  Don't know yet what I did wrong cooking the brats but it was just them, nothing else I've made.  So...a new batch of brats gets stuffed tonight into new casings.  WLYK if I can cook them correctly!