Snack stick casing sizes
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I switched over to using sheep casings for snack sticks a few years ago and really like how they turn out. Nice snap and no separation.
Just this week I did order some 19mm collagen casings from Walton’s to try again because of the good reports I have heard, so will be doing some side by side testing of both types soon. -
Within a single lot of casings, they seem to run pretty consistent. Natural casings gauged during processing and are offered in range of sizes like collagen casings are.
Get the sheep casings that are sleeved. They are super easy to work with.
Sheep casing that are loose are harder to work with though. Very fine and small openings to get on the stuffer tube. -
I switched over to using sheep casings for snack sticks a few years ago and really like how they turn out. Nice snap and no separation.
Just this week I did order some 19mm collagen casings from Walton’s to try again because of the good reports I have heard, so will be doing some side by side testing of both types soon. -
processhead curious if you got the clear or the smoked(red) ones?
Randie N said in Snack stick casing sizes:
processhead curious if you got the clear or the smoked(red) ones?
I got the smoke colored ones.
I have also used the clear ones as well in the past and they seem to darken up well when smoked.Paul
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Randie N said in Snack stick casing sizes:
processhead curious if you got the clear or the smoked(red) ones?
I got the smoke colored ones.
I have also used the clear ones as well in the past and they seem to darken up well when smoked. -
processhead I was curious because you said about comparing to the natural and the clear ones don’t have the “snap” like the smoked ones
Randie N said in Snack stick casing sizes:
processhead I was curious because you said about comparing to the natural and the clear ones don’t have the “snap” like the smoked ones
My earlier comment was about sheep casings having a good snap and not separating from the meat after thermal processing.
I did not mean to infer that collagen casings did not have the snap.
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I like 16mm for snack sticks. You need a 5 pound stuffer to do them.
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I switched over to using sheep casings for snack sticks a few years ago and really like how they turn out. Nice snap and no separation.
Just this week I did order some 19mm collagen casings from Walton’s to try again because of the good reports I have heard, so will be doing some side by side testing of both types soon.processhead do you see much breakage/blowouts on the sheep casings.
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processhead do you see much breakage/blowouts on the sheep casings.
ND Mike said in Snack stick casing sizes:
processhead do you see much breakage/blowouts on the sheep casings.
A lot of it depends on the sheep casings. The thing that gives sheep casings their snap is the thinness.
Some seem to be weaker than others and you have to adapt your stuffing technique to compensate. Potentially this can slow you down while stuffing.
The good quality casings are thin yet durable and allow you to stuff them at a normal rate that is about the same as collagen casings.
One thing that helps a lot is to have two people stuff as a team.
Stuffing alone is tough enough for large casings but for snack sticks it really helps to have two people. -
processhead do you see much breakage/blowouts on the sheep casings.
ND Mike A variable to breakage and blowouts that I have observed is that the plastic stuffing tubes tend to get small scratches and nicks over the years. Stainless stuffing tubes tend to stay smooth and polished.
I find I have very few blowouts since I have gone with the stainless tubes for all my stuffing. Well worth the investment I made years ago.
If you order them, make sure you get them for either stuffer or grinder, they seem to be specific for the equipment.
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knifemaker3 when you do these what do you use for a smoker. My Dad use to make them this way. He called them cat turd sticks…lol!
ND Mike my masterbuilt 40 electric with the non stick mesh screens made by smokehouse products from my big chief smoker. Obviously I don’t hang.
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I switched over to using sheep casings for snack sticks a few years ago and really like how they turn out. Nice snap and no separation.
Just this week I did order some 19mm collagen casings from Walton’s to try again because of the good reports I have heard, so will be doing some side by side testing of both types soon.processhead I would think if you switched to sheep casings and perfected it you won’t necessarily want to go back to collagen. I have not braved my self to try sheep casings as I don’t like failure in my self and I am very happy with my collagen although would like to see it better appearance wise. Taste and snap I have perfected in my opinion
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ND Mike A variable to breakage and blowouts that I have observed is that the plastic stuffing tubes tend to get small scratches and nicks over the years. Stainless stuffing tubes tend to stay smooth and polished.
I find I have very few blowouts since I have gone with the stainless tubes for all my stuffing. Well worth the investment I made years ago.
If you order them, make sure you get them for either stuffer or grinder, they seem to be specific for the equipment.
Chef This is a really good tip about the stuffing horns. I never really thought about that before as I’ve only ever used stainless steel, but it make a lot of sense.
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ND Mike A variable to breakage and blowouts that I have observed is that the plastic stuffing tubes tend to get small scratches and nicks over the years. Stainless stuffing tubes tend to stay smooth and polished.
I find I have very few blowouts since I have gone with the stainless tubes for all my stuffing. Well worth the investment I made years ago.
If you order them, make sure you get them for either stuffer or grinder, they seem to be specific for the equipment.
Chef that makes sense. My Dad’s 15 lb LEM came with plastic stuffing horns and they have a lot of nicks in them from poking air pockets. I have a Walton’s 11 lb and that came with stainless steel horns.
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ND Mike my masterbuilt 40 electric with the non stick mesh screens made by smokehouse products from my big chief smoker. Obviously I don’t hang.
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ND Mike said in Snack stick casing sizes:
processhead do you see much breakage/blowouts on the sheep casings.
A lot of it depends on the sheep casings. The thing that gives sheep casings their snap is the thinness.
Some seem to be weaker than others and you have to adapt your stuffing technique to compensate. Potentially this can slow you down while stuffing.
The good quality casings are thin yet durable and allow you to stuff them at a normal rate that is about the same as collagen casings.
One thing that helps a lot is to have two people stuff as a team.
Stuffing alone is tough enough for large casings but for snack sticks it really helps to have two people.processhead good info. Probably not over filling is a big part of it too.
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The reason I ask is I got some cheap hog casings years ago. They must not have been sized. There was a lot difference in the diameters.
marzig20 my understanding through some reading is that the sleeved/tubed casings are typically more consistent overall .vs. buying a hank or bagged casings.
I use sheep casings when I make kabanos snack sticks and 19mm for other snack sticks. I like the natural but there is a cost trade off. Most folks expect to see snack sticks in the 19mm range, so I use both for now. I don’t have much issues with blowouts, but I don’t overstuff and use the linking process to tighten them up. I learned using natural casings so that is my preferred process. I do use collagen and other types, but not my go to.
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Grimpuppy said in Snack stick casing sizes:
I like 16mm for snack sticks. You need a 5 pound stuffer to do them.
Mine is an 11lb LEM 2 speed stuffer, Do you think If I take it easy I could do 15 mm for meat sticks?
I do not recall whether I’ve been doing 17 mm or 19 mm collagen casings in the past. Actually, I know I’ve done both in the past years.
Denny O’s-Smokey Bones
I’d rather be sit’in in a boat and thinking about God,
Than sit’n in church and thinking about fish’in!
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