Stuffing Collagen Casings
Start by weighing out the meat and fat according to your recipe instructions. Grind once through coarse plate (3/8" or 1/2"). Add salt, curing salt, seasonings and water per instructions. Mix/knead well; fill stuffer with seasoned mixture. Slide collagen casings onto stuffing tube. If you're using a beveled tube you may have to cut casing into sections with a pair of shears as the whole casing may not fit . Once the meat mixture starts into the casing pinch the end of the casing together with your forefinger and thumb so the meat doesn't flow straight through the casing. Fill the casing carefully making sure it is full enough but not so full that it bursts at the time of filling or later when the casing is being linked. It will take some practice to acquire the "right feel". Form the filled casing into 8" sausage sticks by carefully twisting the filled casing 4 to 5 times to the right, form the next link and twist it 4 to 5 times to the left. To help prevent collagen casings from unraveling you may separate each link with a twist of butcher twine, however this is tedious work.
1. DO NOT WET COLLAGEN CASINGS BEFORE USING. Slide the collagen casing onto the stuffing tube. You may have to cut collagen casings into sections (as shown) to fit your stuffing tube.
2. When the meat mixture starts flowing pinch the end of the casing together with your forefinger and thumb; fill the casing with the mixture being careful not to fill the casing to the bursting point.
3. Form the filled casing into sausage sticks by twisting the first link 4 or 5 turns to the right and the second link 4 or 5 turns to the left. Use care to prevent collagen links from unraveling before they're placed on smokesticks. Some home processors tie each link with butcher twine, very tedious work..
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