hog casings

[Bob]

could be stored for one to two years if required, with minimal deteriation.

I buy casings from DeWied International in San Antonio. They come in a resealable plastic package. They are heavily salted and slightly damp. How long do you estimate I can keep them in that condition in the refrigerator (40F)?

I also have some in a brine solution in the refrigerator. How long will they keep?

[Parson Snows]

Bob asked

I buy casings from DeWied International in San Antonio. They come in a resealable plastic package. They are heavily salted and slightly damp. How long do you estimate I can keep them in that condition in the refrigerator (40F)?

These sound like the DeWied �Home Pack� so I would say 1 to 2 years, but they must be kept salted.

Bob also asked

I also have some in a brine solution in the refrigerator. How long will they keep?

DeWied recommend that casings in brines be stored at LESS than 40 �F (4.44 �C) that's getting a bit cold for a domestic fridge. As I mentioned I would recommend that they be stored in a slush made of (by weight)
77 % potable water
23 % fine salt
mixed thoroughly

place the skins/casings into this brine (in a freezable container) and store in the freezer or freezer part of the fridge.
This mixture will not freeze before - 21 �C (- 6 �F), and technically could be stored for one to two years if required, with minimal deteriation.

NOTE: DO NOT ADD MORE SALT THAN THIS AS IT WILL RAISE THE FREEZING TEMPERATURE.

Storing casings/skins in the fridge is a little bit more critical than storing them in the freezer. INSCA recommend that casings should be stored in a controlled, cool environment. .. A neutral temperature of 4 �C to 10 �C (40 �F to 50 �F) is ideal.
One of the main problems is the skins/casings picking up odours etc. from other food items, and the skins/casings giving off odours
Storage containers must have certain characteristics:
� Resistant to moisture and vapors.
� Durable, leakproof, easy to seal and mark
� Not become brittle and crack at low temperatures
� Resistant to oil, grease or water
� Protective against absorption of off-flavors or odors
Companies such as Associated Casings of the UK state that the casings will stay useable in salt for 6 months

The following information was taken from the DeWeid Website

6. What is the shelf life of natural casings? back to top
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.
Colored Casings: About 6 months.
7. What is the best way to store natural casings? back to top
Store in the cooler at 40 �F (4.44 �C) or less in brine or well salted. NEVER freeze casings.

I hope that this information is of some use to you

Kind regards

Parson Snows

[Bob]

DeWied recommend that casings in brines be stored at LESS than 40 �F (4.44 �C) that's getting a bit cold for a domestic fridge.

I run mine a bit under 40F as an average.

As I mentioned I would recommend that they be stored in a slush made of (by weight)
77 % potable water
23 % fine salt
mixed thoroughly

I will try that mix but I can't put the casings in the freezer. The far rear of the main refrigerator section on the top shelf gets right at freezing, so I will store them there.

[Parson Snows]

Bob wrote

I will try that mix but I can't put the casings in the freezer. The far rear of the main refrigerator section on the top shelf gets right at freezing, so I will store them there.

make sure that you follow the mix EXACTLY, if you put in more salt the brine will freeze at a higher temperature and if you put in less salt it will also freeze at a higher temperature. It's another one of those "wonders of science". You don't want the brine to freeze.

kind regards

Parson Snows

[Bob]

Bob wrote

I will try that mix but I can't put the casings in the freezer. The far rear of the main refrigerator section on the top shelf gets right at freezing, so I will store them there.

make sure that you follow the mix EXACTLY, if you put in more salt the brine will freeze at a higher temperature and if you put in less salt it will also freeze at a higher temperature. It's another one of those "wonders of science". You don't want the brine to freeze.

Thanks for the heads up, but I do not believe the casings will freeze where I put them. Pure water barely gets slushy at that location, so with any amount of salt I do not expect it to freeze.

[Parson Snows]

Eutectic Point
Including: Eutectic Line, Eutectic Tie Line
Phase diagrams may have no eutectic point or more than one. A eutectic point defines the temperature and composition at which the eutectic reaction occurs. It is the bottom point of the "V" formed by two liquidus lines.
The eutectic line or, more accurately, the eutectic tie line is the constant temperature line through the eutectic point.
What is the eutectic point?
A eutectic mixture is a mixture of two or more substances with a melting point lower than that for any other mixture of the same substances. In the case of salt and water, the eutectic point is is -21.12�C or -6.016�F in a solution of 23.31% salt.



after this point even though you add more salt the freezing temperature will be higher than at the eutectic point (-6 Deg. F) and the more salt added after this point the higher AND NOT LOWER the freezing temperature becomes.

Kind regards

Parson Snows