Beginner wants advice on casings

[Wontigonk]

Hello all,

After a (very) manual foray into sausage making some years back, I have just bought a mincer and a stuffer, and got hold of some hog and sheep casings. I would value some advice on preparation and storage of the casings.

As I have read elsewhere in the lists, the casings arrived with a distinct odour - reminded me of keeping mice! Some of the moisture had "crept" out over the other packages (rusk etc), leaving the casings in a poly bag with no visible standing moisture, and grains of (presumably) salt. They bags are now in the fridge.

I'm quite happy to accept that the appearance/packaging is normal, but wanted to check that they shouldn't be "wetter" - they appear soft through the packet.

Next, when I come to use the casings, should I untangle what I need (I recall that being a right royal pain last time), and keep the rest "dry" in the pack, or should I soak the lot, and then refrigerate what I don't use?

I'm sure there is advice readily available somewhere on the site/web, but like my socks in the morning, I just can't seem to find where its hiding!

TIA

TTFN

Wontigonk

PS first manufacturing run is due weekend after next, including a rerun of a Sardinian sausage recipe I picked up from a butcher out there - if it goes ok, I'll post for all to enjoy!

[saucisson]

The hogs casings I ordered from this site are still tightly sealed in their outer layer, no smell and look very clean. I'm trying to use up the collagen ones before I open them. From the way they look I think they will sit in the bottom of the fridge until I need to use them.

Dave

[Rik vonTrense]

Hog casings from Franco are sealed just in salt and should stay that way until you actually use one.

They are tied with a blue string just separate one and pull it fron the main bundle and just keep on pulling it free, if you seem to have a knot up all you do is shake the bundle gently and it will come free. when you have separated one skin for use put the others back in the bag with a bit more dry salt and in the fridge for storage.


Rinse and soak the skin for a few hours and then run water through it to rinse the inside before loading onto your stuffer horn from the water,.

Use plenty of water as lubricant while loading the tube and use straight away.

.

[roseway]

They are tied with a blue string just separate one and pull it fron the main bundle and just keep on pulling it free, if you seem to have a knot up all you do is shake the bundle gently and it will come free.

Eh? There haven't been any blue strings on the ones I've received. They are just a big tangle, and sometimes a length comes out easily, but at other times I have to fiddle around untangling it.
My method is to tip the whole lot out of the bag into a big bowl, and tease out a length from there. It's not too difficult. Then the remainder goes back in the bag and into the fridge.

Eric

[Lance Yeoh]

Those I get here in Malaysia comes with a string as well, but untangling them is another story, a lot of separating and jingling before you finally get a whole piece out. Then I usually flush it before soaking them in water with some rice vinegar to rid them of the smell. After soaking them overnight, I flush them with lots of water again before I actually use them.
I find that if I soak casings especially sheep casings for more than 1 day, they become very fragile and will break easily during linking.
I store my casing with coarse salt in a sealed plastic bag at the lowest park of the fridge and so far never had any problems with them going bad.

[Wohoki]

I was going to mention the vinegar thing: lemon juice works as well, just a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar or the juice of half a lemon in the soaking water really helps with the odour.

[Wontigonk]

Many thanks to all for the advice - I am reassured! I'll let you know how it goes - the lemon/vinegar idea appeals btw!

[tristar]

Hi Wontigonk, welcome to the forum,

One thing not mentioned here is length of storage, if you follow the advise up thread and add a little extra salt then you put the casings back into the fridge they will last indefinitely. I have been using mine now for over a year and have seen no signs of deterioration, none of the suppliers and manufacturers will give you a definitive annswer on this, most saying something vague like a few months. I intend to keep using mine until I notice problems with them.

Best Regards,
Richard

[roseway]

But if they last that long then you're not making enough sausages.

Eric

[tristar]

Hi Eric,

When I first came into this hobby, I hadn't found this forum, I just asked a colleague to try and get me some lamb casings from his local butcher, he came back with enough casings to last me about 5 years! Whilst I doubt that they will actually last that long, they have shown no sign of deterioration so far after a year. I guess that was just one of the many mistakes I made in the early days, and am still making now!
I am actually the only one in the house who eats sausages on a regular, like daily basis and I tend to give many away to friends, who all swear they are delicious! But my wife would not agree that I don't make enough, she often complains about the amount of time spent on my hobby, but admits it could be worse........... I could be a football fan!

Regards,
Richard