twilliams

I appreciate it, I certainly will.

Thank you.

PapaSop

Yes sir, as we speak I have pork butts and venison thawing to get ready for the grinder. Seasoning should be delivered this afternoon. So we will see what happens in the next couple of days.
I will do a little adjusting and hope for the best.

I will let you know what happens this time.

Thank you for all the suggestions.

Jonathon

I would like to clarify one thing, I want everyone to know that I was looking for advice. I was not talking anything negative towards the casings of either brand, although I like the feel of the waltons Brand better, but that is just my personal opinion. I have used both and have had success with both.
I’m sure it is operator error on my part.
And I would like to that everyone for there advice.
Hopefully I can figure it out.

Thank you!

Austin

Good morning,
I can’t say I have noticed it coming out of the smoker.
When I have noticed has been after the cold water bath as I dry them prior to putting in the refrigerator for the evening
When we take them out of the refrigerator the next day to cut to length and vacuum seal we end up pulling the casings off.
The casings easily peel right off.

I have posted my entire process.
Not sure what the issue may be.
Other then the water bath. Although I have had sticks turn out and the casings were tight.

Stuffing the sticks.
My sticks are not under stuffed nor are they over stuffed.
I love making up product and smoking meat.
Like I say I do it for family and friends, and I have had friends tell me that I should open up a shop.
I don’t want it to become a business I just enjoy doing it for friends and family.

I just want to try to figure out the casings.

I appreciate your time and advice.
Thank you!

Dave in AZ

Good morning,

Recently, I have been using pork butts 7.5 lbs
And roughly 17.5.lbs of venison. For a 25 lb batch.
When I grind my venison it is very lean.
I have been grinding my pork for my sticks lean. ( meaning I use more straight meat from the pork rather then the fat caps. ) “ could that be the issue”

My process
In the mixing and stuffing process I am doing everything just as the videos show.

My smoker
I built it myself, it is a double upright stainless freezer.
I dismantled it, put it back together with rock wool insulation. My heat source is a burner from a turkey cooker.
That I regulate the temperature with the regulator at the tank. I have a thermometer in the door of the cabinet. I also use a digital thermometer with probes that I place in the product.
I start out hanging my sticks in smoker vents open with temp thermometer in door reading 120 to 140 for about an hour and I physically feel and look for dryness.
I then slowly increase temp and add smoke over next few hours up to 180 degrees for a target temp of 160 internal temp.
I then place naked in a tote filled with cold water for maybe 20 minutes, I then take them out if the water bath and physically dry them with a towel and let sit for about an hour on the table. At that point I either cut them to length or place in the refrigerator as is until the next day.
Then I vacuum seal.

What I have noticed.
When I bring them in from water bath and are drying them you can physically see some of the casings are loose, so prior to vacuum sealing we pull the casings off.

“ could the water be the problem “

I have been smoking meat for a lot of years for my family and friends.
Venison, waterfowl, upland game, fish,
And I make up Summer Sausage, Polish, sticks, and Jerky from venison and I have no problem except for the casings on the sticks . all though sometimes the casings on the polish are loose or chewy as well , but not always

I appreciate all the advice
Thank you!

PapaSop

Yes , thank you

My seasoning will arrive tomorrow
I will be making venison summer and I wanted to make a batch of sticks for my sons, so that is why I’m trying to figure out what is happening.

PapaSop

Good evening,

The last batch of sticks I used 21 mm smoked casings from waltons.
I thought about that as well because, I have had that happen before when I have used “LEM Casings”

The waltons casings felt thinner and fresher then the LEM brand casings. I thought that was the problem , but I was wrong. They turned out loose and chewy, so I peeled every stick before I packed them.

This has got me baffled.
Like I say the sticks turn out perfect except for the loose casing.

I certainly appreciate any and all advice.
Thank you sir.

PapaSop

I have followed that link, but not exactly when it comes to the thermal process , but very close on slowly raising the temps to reach the internal target temp. That’s why I say I’m not sure why the casings are loose and chewy. Other then the casings, the sticks are delicious.

Two of my boy live in alaska and are coming home the middle of April for a fishing trip. And I want to make the a batch of sticks. Even though I have followed it previously with the exception of the thermal process. ( I have been close) “ i just want them to turn out.”
I will follow the directions from the link exactly.

Thank you for your advice I appreciate it !

Austin

Hi Austin,

I posted in meatgistics as well under 911. My profile is Drake.

Venison sticks,
I’m doing everything correctly, but I end up with loose chewy casings.
I have to pull casings off the sticks before packaging. Like I stated I’ve posted a full explanation under 911.
Any ideas would be very helpful

Thank you for the advice.
So keeping to cabinet temperature lower and extending the process until you reach the internal target temp.
That makes sense.

When we remove the casings from the sticks , they are dry and do not feel oily wet or have a oily sheen to them.

My smoker consists of a double upright stainless freezer that I dismantled and built into a smoker.
But my heat source is propane, a turkey cooker burner and I use the regulator on the tank to adjust the heat.
I have a temp gauge in the cabinet for that shows internal temp of cabinet.
I also use my digital meat thermometer with probes that I stick in the meat so I can see in real time the internal temp of the product.

Thank you!

Drake said in Chewy loose stick casings:

Any thoughts or advice would be helpful.
Venison sticks, Loose casings.
I use willies seasoning and love it.
I mix 70% venison to 30% pork I add seasoning, Excalibur sure gel binder, encapsulated citric acid, cure and recommended amount of water. I am using good fresh 21 mm smoke collagen casings
I mix in my manual meat mixer for 8 to 10 minutes for protein extraction then stuff in casings. I start out in smoker at 140 degrees and bring up to 180 degrees to reach internal temp.

I place in smoker until it reaches the correct internal temp. Remove and place in a lug full of ice water.

My wife and I end up having to remove the casings because they are loose and rubbery or chewy.

Casings are chewy and loose
1 - Am I doing something wrong.
2 - is the finished internal temp wrong.
3 - is it letting them cool in a bath of ice water.
4 - I like a round uniform stick not wrinkled up. They turn out with only a very slight wrinkle if any at all. They look like the packages from a meat market , and the flavor is fantastic. ( but casings are loose and chewy)

ANY THOUGHTS OR IDEAS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

Thank you!