Chapter 4

Sausage Casings

Topics Covered
Natural casings Synthetic or cellulose casing Collagen casing Stuffing the casing Smoking the sausage Poaching the sausage

Natural Casings
Processed intestines of hogs, sheep, and cattle
Hog stomach: tongue sausage Sheep stomach: haggis (Scottish specialty) Beef: middles and rounds
For bologna, mortadella, liverwurst, salami, etc.

Beef bung: veal sausage, large bologna and cooked salami

Natural Casings (contd.)

After harvested, intestines are:
Cleaned Calibrated Stretched and sized Packed in plain salt or a salt brine solution

Measurements
Large intestine casings in inches Smaller intestine casings in millimeters
Called hank or bundle

Natural Casings (contd.)

Before use:
Wash in lukewarm water Force water through to flush out impurities Rinse outside to remove all salt Soak for one hour in warm water to soften and make tender

One hank of sausage casings

Natural Casings (contd.)

Beef casings

Natural Casings (contd.)

Lamb casings

Natural Casings (contd.)

Hog casings

Synthetic or Cellulose Casings

Synthetic fibrous casings:
The norm Array of colors Purchased on Internet or mail-order Usually lined on inside with a coat of protein
Allows synthetic casing to shrink with filling

Less expensive Easier to store Synthetic/cellulose casings are not edible

Collagen Casings
Similar to animal casings but have manufactured uniformity
Allow consistency Hide of cattle consists of collagen Corium layer is extruded from area between grain (hair) layer and fat and muscle layer Protein and water are mixed with lactic acid and cellulose fibers, causing swelling and slurry to form

Collagen Casings (contd.)

Acid-swollen slurry is de-aerated under vacuum
Homogenized and filtered De-aerated again; stored to chill in tanks Extruded through die with counterrotating sleeves: weaves fibers together Passes through concentrate coagulating solution of inorganic salt

Collagen Casings (contd.)

Chemically treated in processing machine
Cross-link

Washed, plasticized with glycerin, dried, and partially rehumidified and wound on reels
Reels are taken to a shirring machine Collagen casing is shirred to regenerate cellulose

Collagen Casings (contd.)

Two types of edible collagen casings:
Thin skin for fresh sausages Thicker skin for smoked sausages

Nonedible flat collagen casings:

Can be stored at room temperature Must be soaked in salted lukewarm water for 30 minutes before use

Stuffing the Casing

Set up hand or electric sausage
Make sure nozzle and work table/sheet pan are lubricated with cold water
Prevents sticking and tearing

All parts of stuffer that contacts forcemeat must be sanitized, clean, and well chilled Fill stuffer with forcemeat by pressing or tapping down
Removes all possible air pockets

Stuffing the Casing (contd.)

Slide open end of casing over nozzle
Pipe into casing Support casing with full hand as forcemeat is piped into nozzle casing

After sausages are measured into shape, pierce to remove air pockets

Filling hog casing for boudin and ready cooked boudin

Stuffing the Casing (contd.)

Making a bubble knot for large casings

Smoking the Sausage

Cold smoke:
Hang sausages made without curing salts to dry for 1 to 2 hours in a 70F room

Hot smoke:
Hang cured sausages to incubate in a 70F room for 12 to 24 hours Smoke following time and temperature directions Sausages are now ready to be poached

Poaching the Sausage

Use a large or oversized pot Use hand or digital thermometer to monitor temperature of poaching water
If water temperature is too high, sausages will burst
If too low, the sausages may lose flavor

Starting temperature: 160F170F Finishing internal temperature: 155F to 160F

Poaching the Sausage (contd.)

Cooling process for natural casings is started in cold running water For synthetic casings, start cooling in lukewarm water
Slowly finish in cold running water

All sausages must be refrigerated or frozen before use

Summary
This chapter reviewed:
Differences among various casings (natural, synthetic, and collagen) How to work with casings How to prepare casings for filling How to tie casings How to poach and cool sausages