Anyone ever smoke a fresh collagen casing?

[Dr_Pain]

Grimpuppy said in Anyone ever smoke a fresh collagen casing?:

My next project is little smokies. I already have 21mm fresh collagen casings on hand that I use for breakfast sausage. I am considering using them instead of ordering some natural sheep casings. The plan is to stuff and twist them, put in fridge overnight, clip links apart and lay out on screens to smoke.

I have 21mm smoked collagen casings, but I really don’t want that thick of a casing. You think the fresh casings will work ok since I am not hanging them?

Fresh collagen casing are a direct replacement to natural casings, so since I smoke hog casing all the time I can tell you that by extrapolation the fresh collagen casing will smoke well as well.

[Jonathon]

Grimpuppy Yeah, we do it often, just don’t hang them, they arent strong enough for that. But if you lay them out on a rack they will work perfectly fine.

[Departing Contestant]

do not overstuff and keep your humidity up. they can hang if you are careful but screens are best

[Grimpuppy]

You think I should use a binder? The plan is to go through the grinder twice with a 3/8” plate. I want them a little courser.

[Grimpuppy]

My little smokies turned out amazing!

[glen]

Grimpuppy Looks Good, What was your farce mix?

[Ridley Acres]

nice, those look like big smokies

[Grimpuppy]

glen said in Anyone ever smoke a fresh collagen casing?:

Grimpuppy Looks Good, What was your farce mix?

I used bottled sauce on these. KC masterpiece firey habanero. Local grocer have KC Masterpiece on special a couple years ago 4 for a dollar. I bought 20 bottles at that time. This was my last bottle. Will start making my own going forward.

[Grimpuppy]

Ridley Acres it aint easy twisting these babies! I tried smaller but was constantly fighting them untwisting.

[Ridley Acres]

Grimpuppy do you think if you stuffed looser it might have worked better smaller or was there not enough friction at the twist to hold them?

[Grimpuppy]

I tried looser stuffing at first and making them smaller. By the time you get the last twist on the run, most of them have come untwisted. Fresh casings twist better than smoked collagen but still not as nice as a natural casing. I found the best way to get the size right was to twist and snip them one at a time right off the horn of the stuffer. I did about 10 like that, but it would have taken me all night to do them all. The main hangup is I do everything alone. Another set of hands would have solved the problem.

[Grimpuppy]

glen I wasn’t familiar with farce, thought you meant sauce…
Recipe was:
7 pounds 3 oz pork but
1.725 oz sure gel
.2875 oz sure cure
8 oz Excalibur little smokie seasoning
1/2 pound high temp ched cheese
1/2 pound high temp pepper jack cheese
8oz water

[glen]

Grimpuppy Thanks.
How pleased were you with the Excalibur Little Smokie seasoning?
Would you make any adjustments if done again?

20 bottles of KC masterpiece firey habanero for $5.00! I would have been all over that too

[Grimpuppy]

I like the seasoning but maybe a touch on the weaker side. I find in most sausage I make, the flavor is better after it rest for a period of time. So I really need to taste it after it sits to know for sure if I should use more seasoning next time. I did cook a couple right after stuffing and they tasted like a salty hotdog. After smoking they taste like little smokies and the saltiness is gone. I actually think this would make a great snack stick.