mikeihuntr I have made lots of bear summer sausage. One of our favorites. Always mixed 30% pork butt in. Seems to be a great fat/meat mix. Also our family loves bear burgers, 10% pork fat mixed in. Have also mixed bear with elk and deer with great results.

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.

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

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?

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.

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.

Question. What causes collagen casings to not stick? I have made several batches of pepper sticks and sometimes they stick to the meat great, other times not so much. Seems to always happen after freezing, thaw them out and casing just falls away from the meat. I have had them work just fine as well. Not sure of the difference as I process the same each time. Anyone else have this and found a solution? Thanks for any advise…