Sausage making question

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Boo
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Sausage making question

Post by Boo »

What do you guys use for casings? I've been using plain hog casings for years and I'm starting to want to try something better/easier like pre loaded casings as well as collagen. The natural hog casings are a pain to load. :roll:
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DuckHunt
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by DuckHunt »

I use the LEM 1-1/2"x12" mahogany non-edible fibrous casings for summer sausage. They come with one end pre-tied. I use a hog ring to close the other end when it comes off of the stuffing tube. They're pretty easy to use. The only prep is that they need to be soaked in water before stuffing. So I just put them in a dish pan of water when I start mixing up the meat and they're ready when needed.

I like this size because the end product is ~1lb when stuffed and I can put each one in a vacuum bag in the freezer. They make great gifts.

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I toss one in the fridge to thaw it out, then slice it and store it in a container. They'll last more than a week in the fridge that way, if they make that long. :eusa-drool: I make anywhere from 50# to 100# a year of summer sausage that way.
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Carnivorous
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by Carnivorous »

I use the collagen casings for the snack sticks. They work great!

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Re: Sausage making question

Post by Boo »

We've done summer sausage and are happy with the LEM casings. What frustrates me is loading hog casings on to the funnel of the grinder. I was considering the pre-loaded casings or collagen casings for brats/Italian sausages for the BBC or frying pan.
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by longbow joe »

When making snack sticks and smaller sticks ,do most of you mix deer with other meats or just venison?
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by Boo »

longbow joe wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:21 pm
When making snack sticks and smaller sticks ,do most of you mix deer with other meats or just venison?
I don't make snack sticks. If they were in the house, I'd pig out on them and I'd be looking like Jabba the Hutt :eusa-hand: All we ever did was make summer sausage and the brat sized sausages. We use deer, turkey, duck, goose mixed with pork.
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Carnivorous
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by Carnivorous »

longbow joe wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:21 pm
When making snack sticks and smaller sticks ,do most of you mix deer with other meats or just venison?
I go 20% pork with my venison snack sticks...
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Matrix355er
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by Matrix355er »

I made sausage with hog casings for years but have gotten away from grinding and stuffing casings.
i find patties are better all around. I use the cheap plastic hand press. yup 1 at a time.
Use wax paper top and bottom before the meat goes in the press.
I cut up all my venison myself and clean up the trimmings good then get the butcher to grind the trimmings.
20% pork mixed with the different flavour spices you decide at the time of pressing.
Thinner then hamburg patties for me.
They stack nice with the wax paper still on and vacuum seal them.
they come apart easy frozen that way.
Great for quick Fry Pan Or BBQ and they dont curl up like the links tend to :eusa-clap:
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by longbow joe »

Jeff they look really good ..l like making them dried and withered like yours they look delicious.. you are gonna make me get all of the sausage making apratus this weekend lol.
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by IronNoggin »

Boo wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:25 am
We've done summer sausage and are happy with the LEM casings. What frustrates me is loading hog casings on to the funnel of the grinder. I was considering the pre-loaded casings or collagen casings for brats/Italian sausages for the BBC or frying pan.
We are lucky in that Hertel's is stationed right here in Port.
Got to know their Main Man quite well - a virtual fountain of information!
And we buy "Hanks" of natural hog casings at a very good price from them.
These are preloaded on hollow plastic sleeves, which easily transfer to the nozzles of our stuffer (no longer stuff with the grinder due to preference of the texture with the stuffer).

Maybe look around and see if there is a commercial sausage making operation in your area.
If there is, odds are they will be using Hanks to do so.

Gotta get to this year's batch soon...

Cheers,
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curious
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by curious »

I use natural hog casings on plastic sleeves makes loading easy. I get them from my local butcher
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Fazan
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by Fazan »

IronNoggin wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:08 pm
Boo wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:25 am
We've done summer sausage and are happy with the LEM casings. What frustrates me is loading hog casings on to the funnel of the grinder. I was considering the pre-loaded casings or collagen casings for brats/Italian sausages for the BBC or frying pan.
We are lucky in that Hertel's is stationed right here in Port.
Got to know their Main Man quite well - a virtual fountain of information!
And we buy "Hanks" of natural hog casings at a very good price from them.
These are preloaded on hollow plastic sleeves, which easily transfer to the nozzles of our stuffer (no longer stuff with the grinder due to preference of the texture with the stuffer).

Maybe look around and see if there is a commercial sausage making operation in your area.
If there is, odds are they will be using Hanks to do so.

Gotta get to this year's batch soon...

Cheers,
Nog
I also prefer stuffer rather than grinder.
Used to buy the same bundle with plastic in it as Nog from local meat shop. Unfortunately they went out of business and now I buy bundle without it.
It's waaaay easier to load hog casing if you run warm water trough inside of it. Dressing up your attachment with a bit of oil before you start helps too.
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by W.Miguire »

I make all my own stuff just set up the smoker with snack sticks jalapeños and pepper jack . Mixed it 50-50 pork and ven. Just finished a batch of bacon 🥓 turned out great will do some of Paul s Italian sausage . Of course summer sausage garlic and jalapeño and cheaper cheese . Good time love to make stuff with my venison.
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by quake »

Boo wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:37 pm
longbow joe wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:21 pm
When making snack sticks and smaller sticks ,do most of you mix deer with other meats or just venison?
I don't make snack sticks. If they were in the house, I'd pig out on them and I'd be looking like Jabba the Hutt :eusa-hand:
Same here. :lol:
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Re: Sausage making question

Post by AJ01 »

Summer sausage (jalapeno and cheese) ranks high on our list. Followed by pan, then jerky. I use "High Mountain Seasonings" in both the jerky and the pan sausage. I quit stuffing sausage years ago. :eusa-doh: The boys still make link, but not me. When they make link, they buy natural casings. They have more patience than I do!! :lol:

Youngest son-in-law says I'm the "King of Jerky". I swear that kid can eat his weight in that stuff!! :lol: :lol:
Last edited by AJ01 on Wed Jan 19, 2022 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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