www.sausagemaking.org

I have tried adding water to the horn, adding bi carb to the casings but the casing sticks to the horn (plastic) at it fills up with air.
Any ideas what I can use to keep it lubricated?

Try soaking them longer in tepid water, they should feel soft and slippery. Also make sure that the diameter of the casing is larger than the horn used. May sound obvious but one size doesn't necessarily fit all.

...and flush the casings with water - that is, ensure you get the water along the full length of the inside of the casing.

HTH

I do all that you both have mentioned and Im using 38/40 casing. I dont understand

Do you have metal stuffing tubes - if not, they can help, as can spraying the horn with water and allowing a little bit of sausage mix to stick out of the horn as you put the casing on to the horn so that it greases it.

How long are you soaking the casings for?

Phil

It may not be ideal, but I have also used aerosol cooking spray in the past to help lubricate (although normally water seems to work best).
Early on I found that leaving the casing float in a bowl of water and pulling it directly on to the horn from there helped (although it left a huge pool of water on the counter).

I have a plastic one that came with the machine. I have been soaking then for at least 2 hours and sometimes overnight. I have been letting the mixture poke though while putting the casing on and I have been spraying the casing with water so it doesn't dry out.

In that case, I don't know.

Maybe practice will help.

38/40 casings are for what size horn?

There's a guide here:

http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/SausageD ... sTubes.pdf

HTH

I have found out why the casings fill up with air...it is because of the sausage meat and the machine. When I apply pressure to stuff the casing I can hear it filling with air. Could it be that my mixture is too sticky?

Why are you blaming the sausagemeat, and what are you using to stuff the sausage ?

I'll try and help, but without photos and a recipe, I can't.

When you post the recipe and photos of the problem, I'll try to help.

We seem to have been here before; perhaps it's time for you to review all the advice given previously?

Phil

I am using a Browning #8 Electric Meat Grinder/stuffer.
I don't remember having this problem before. Next time I make some sausage I will add post a picture. I dont know why the recipe would make a difference, it has done that with 3 types of sausage. I use a kitchen aid with the paddle attachment to mix the sausage meat.

Are you compressing the meat in the stuffer before tightening down the piston onto it?, if there are air pockets you will be hearing the air being expelled?