Collagen casing not sticking

[Jonathon]

The two things I can think of would be how the casings were set after smoking, the water content of the meat block and how well it was mixed.

Ideally, you would take them right out of the smoker and into an ice bath for about 20 minutes, then let them air dry for about an hour before moving them to a cooler overnight in an uncovered container.

Mixed properly the fat will stay bound with meat, non mixed enough and the fat will render out of the meat and can become trapped between your meat and the casing making it harder for the casing to stick.

[ramt600]

Thanks for the response. I do icewater bath summer sausage, however I have not tried to bath the snack sticks. Wouldn’t the water tend to “dissolve” the collagen? Weird that sometimes this happens and other times they come out perfect. I do know that my casings aren’t always the same manufacture. Seems the ones that work the best are more of a brown tone vs ones that seemed more reddish/maroon in color. Not sure of manufacturer on either. Bulk package that I get at a couple local shops.

[lamurscrappy]

ramt600 you will find that mixing is the number 1 cause for casings not sticking. I have a 100lb electric meat mixer and i will mix the meat at least 8 minutes. If your hand mixing you need to go a very long time upwards of at least 10 minutes. That meat should be very sticky/tacky and will bond very well to your casings everytime. Next time just mix your meat very very well and they will turn out great!

[ramt600]

I thought I was mixing well, very sticky and pulls apart not break apart. Will definitely try more mixing. I mix by hand so that’s prob the largest variable in the process, other than casing manufacture difference. Picture is before storing/freezing. They are just how I want but after freezing/refrigerating the casing literally falls off.

[Emoneyblue]

ramt600 I had the same thing happen with the reddish ones also and the brown ones worked the best so, I just stopped using the red casings.

[ramt600]

Any idea of brand on the “brown” ones? I used to be able to buy them from my local butcher but he has since stopped selling them. Or where to purchase?

[Emoneyblue]

ramt600

Before Waltons, I would buy them off of Ebay…

[ramt600]

Emoneyblue Thanks. I will order some from Walton’s and hope they are the good ones Results to follow…

[Jonathon]

ramt600 I am assuming when we say the Brown ones we are talking about Smoked Collagen, these, and all the other collagen we have, are from Devro.

[ramt600]

Jonathon I am not sure. I have had some (not Walton’s) that were more brown and some that were more reddish in color. No idea of manufacturer. The brown ones never seemed to give me this loose condition. I will try the smoked that you mention.hopefully they are the same ones I used to get from my local meat shop.

[demmerich]

I wonder if sometimes you might have smear going on those ones?

[Jonathon]

demmerich When you say smear, I think of fat smear when grinding which usually means a dull plate and knife or warm meat. From context it doesnt seem like that is what you are meaning. Can you explain what you are thinking a little more?

[mccracs1]

ramt600
I mix by hand and I set a timer for 20 minutes. Anything less and it doesn’t turn out nearly as good.