What You Should Know About Sausage Casing - Hebei Shengmao

Sausage casing is an essential component in the sausage-making process, serving as the outer layer that holds the meat and other ingredients together. Understanding the different types of sausage casings and their specific uses is crucial for producing high-quality sausages. This guide explores the various kinds of sausage casings, their characteristics, and best practices for using them.

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Types of Sausage Casings

Sausage casings come in several types, each with unique properties and applications. The main categories include natural, collagen, cellulose, and plastic casings.

Natural Casings

Natural casings are made from the intestines of animals, typically hogs, sheep, or cattle. They have been used for centuries and are prized for their traditional qualities and natural bite.

• Hog Casings: These are the most common natural casings and are suitable for making a variety of sausages, including bratwurst, Italian sausage, and breakfast links. They are known for their strength and versatility.

• Sheep Casings: These casings are thinner and more delicate than hog casings, making them ideal for smaller sausages like hot dogs and cocktail sausages.

• Beef Casings: Used for larger sausages such as salami and bologna, beef casings are robust and provide a distinctive snap when bitten.

Collagen Casings

Collagen casings are made from the collagen found in the skins and hides of cattle. They are uniform in size, easy to use, and come in both edible and non-edible forms.

• Edible Collagen Casings: These are suitable for fresh sausages and smoked sausages. They provide a consistent texture and appearance.

• Non-Edible Collagen Casings: Used primarily for large-diameter sausages like salami, these casings must be removed before consumption.

 Sausage Casing

Cellulose Casings

Made from plant fibers, cellulose casings are typically used for skinless sausages. They are removed after cooking, leaving a smooth surface on the sausage.

• Fibrous Casings: A subtype of cellulose casings, fibrous casings are reinforced for strength and used for sausages like pepperoni and summer sausage.

Plastic Casings

Plastic casings are non-edible and used for specialty sausages and processed meats. They offer excellent control over shape and size and are impermeable, making them ideal for certain types of cooked and smoked sausages.

Selection Criteria for Sausage Casings

Choosing the right sausage casing depends on several factors, including the type of sausage being made, desired texture, and specific production needs.

C300 3layers Nylon Casing

Type of Sausage

Different sausages require different casings. For example, natural hog casings are ideal for fresh sausages, while cellulose casings are best for skinless varieties. Understanding the specific requirements of your sausage recipe is crucial.

Texture and Appearance

Natural casings provide a traditional look and bite, while collagen and cellulose casings offer consistency and uniformity. Consider the desired texture and appearance of the final product when selecting a casing.

Ease of Use

Collagen and cellulose casings are generally easier to handle than natural casings, which can require more preparation. Beginners might prefer these types for their convenience and reliability.

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Intended Use

For sausages that will be smoked, choose casings that can withstand the smoking process. For fresh sausages, casings that hold up well during cooking are essential.

Best Practices for Using Sausage Casings

Proper handling and preparation of sausage casings are vital to ensure a high-quality final product.

Preparing Natural Casings

Natural casings need to be rinsed and soaked in water before use. This process helps remove excess salt and makes the casings more pliable. It's also important to check for holes or weak spots before stuffing.

Stuffing Sausages

When stuffing sausages, it's important to avoid overfilling the casings, as this can cause them to burst during cooking. Use a steady, even pressure to fill the casings uniformly.

C400 Smokable Casings 

Storing Casings

Store natural casings in a cool, dry place, typically in their original packaging with salt. Collagen and cellulose casings should be kept in a sealed container to prevent them from drying out.

Cooking and Handling

Cook sausages gently to avoid bursting the casings. Pricking the sausages before cooking can help release any trapped air and prevent splitting. For cellulose casings, remember to remove them after cooking for a smooth finish.

FAQs: Sausage Casings

Q: Can I use natural casings for all types of sausages?

A: While natural casings are versatile, some sausages, like skinless varieties, are better suited for cellulose casings. Consider the specific requirements of your sausage type when choosing casings.

Q: How do I prevent natural casings from bursting?

A: Avoid overstuffing the casings and cook the sausages gently. Pricking the sausages with a needle before cooking can also help release any trapped air.

Q: Are collagen casings as good as natural casings?

A: Collagen casings offer consistency and ease of use, making them a great alternative for many sausages. However, some prefer the traditional texture and appearance of natural casings.

Q: How should I store unused sausage casings?

A: Natural casings should be stored in a cool, dry place, typically packed in salt. Collagen and cellulose casings should be kept in a sealed container to prevent drying out.

Understanding the different types of sausage casings and their specific applications is essential for producing high-quality sausages. By considering the type of sausage, desired texture, and ease of use, you can select the perfect casing for your needs. 

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I am going to be installing a 200 amp residential service, having about a 200' run from the meter to the panel. Any thoughts on using aluminum XHHW versus copper? The conductors will be in conduit. Thanks.

I assume you're going to bury the conduit. Aluminum is less expensive, but you need to go up in gauge to handle the current (compared to copper); that probably means larger conduit too. Copper is much more expensive (and a whole lot heavier) than aluminum.

For me, the biggest advantage of copper over aluminum is corrosion resistance. Ideally, there should never be any corrosion. But we recently pulled some buried-in-conduit aluminum feeders that had damage to the XHHW from the original installation. The aluminum conductors inside had corroded, swelled up like a fat sausage, and separated. Copper would not have done that.

I am going to be installing a 200 amp residential service, having about a 200' run from the meter to the panel. Any thoughts on using aluminum XHHW versus copper? The conductors will be in conduit. Thanks.

depends on how it's terminated.
the wire is fully serviceable, and the insulation is the same as copper insulation.

the only way i'll terminate aluminum feeders is with a hypress.
then i use a UL approved direct burial heat shrink 600 volt material
to seal the hypress to the insulation.

to land on breakers, i'll use a finger lug hypressed onto the wire. if there isn't room
on the breakers for finger lugs, and there sometimes isn't, i'll go a foot away from
the breaker, and hypress a butt splice onto the aluminum, changing to copper of
the same guage, and land THAT on the breaker.

i've never had an aluminum wire failure when doing it this way, in 35 years.

with setscrew lugs, the wires fail at regular intervals..... :-/

the only way i'll terminate aluminum feeders is with a hypress.
then i use a UL approved direct burial heat shrink 600 volt material
to seal the hypress to the insulation.

to land on breakers, i'll use a finger lug hypressed onto the wire. if there isn't room
on the breakers for finger lugs, and there sometimes isn't, i'll go a foot away from
the breaker, and hypress a butt splice onto the aluminum, changing to copper of
the same guage, and land THAT on the breaker.

i've never had an aluminum wire failure when doing it this way, in 35 years.

Yeah, anyone can through time and money away, there is no trick to it.

with setscrew lugs, the wires fail at regular intervals..... :-/

That is just nonsense.

You have to take Jon456's pics with a grain of salt. That work was done by hacks if it's the same installation that has been posted in thread after thread on this forum.

Our first set of aluminum feeders were from the original facility construction ~15 years ago. We pulled them out as part of the solar project and discovered damage to one of the aluminum neutrals (there were four parallel sets of feeders) and one of the aluminum EGCs. The EGC had literally dissolved to the point where it had completely separated.

We replaced the damaged wire with new aluminum. Then, the hacks who were installing our new solar system damaged the wires again when they pulled it back in resulting in a total short several months later. The hacks who installed our solar were not the same contractors who installed the original feeders 15 years ago.

So two sets of aluminum feeders, installed by two different electrical contractors, ~15 years apart, and both had damage to the insulation that led to the aluminum rapidly corroding and failing.

I agree that if the wire is installed correctly, then aluminum wire will be just as serviceable as copper. I just wanted the OP to be aware of how quickly and badly aluminum can fail if it is not installed correctly.

and anyone can do a half assed job, there is no trick to it.

I'm a little surprised that'd you say anyone who uses set screws on aluminum wire is half assing it. I take pride in my work, I also don't think hypressing lugs on the ends and then covering it in heatshrink is the ONLY way to go. I guess since you've been doing it so long this way, I can only assume you are stuck in your ways.

I haven't been doing it 35 years, it's only been 11 for me, but I've seen A LOT of older installations with no issues with plain old set screws. And I've yet to go back on any of mine.

Keep doing what you're doing if it makes you feel good, but I don't see any reason to call the rest of us out just because we don't do it your way. I'm willing to wager there are millions more installations with set screws than crimps and I don't see these installations burning up left and right all around me.

I'm a little surprised that'd you say anyone who uses set screws on aluminum wire is half assing it. I take pride in my work, I also don't think hypressing lugs on the ends and then covering it in heatshrink is the ONLY way to go. I guess since you've been doing it so long this way, I can only assume you are stuck in your ways.

I haven't been doing it 35 years, it's only been 11 for me, but I've seen A LOT of older installations with no issues with plain old set screws. And I've yet to go back on any of mine.

Keep doing what you're doing if it makes you feel good, but I don't see any reason to call the rest of us out just because we don't do it your way. I'm willing to wager there are millions more installations with set screws than crimps and I don't see these installations burning up left and right all around me.

and obviously, they aren't burning up all around. i was just pissy at
iwire's snarky response, for what thats worth, and was snarking back.

i've seen a fair amount of setscrew lugs that have loosened up,
and turned a leg on a large molded case breaker into a crispy critter.
aluminum seems more problematic that copper in this respect.
i've never seen a hypress fail.

normally, just taping up where the lug crimps on, to keep moisture
wicking up into the strands is all i do. but this is a salt water environment,
and tape doesn't have a UL direct burial listing, and the panduit heat shrink
does. normally, it'd be scotch 33, and finish it up. the panduit is slow, and
triples the make up time. scotch cold shrink is way faster, but about $30
or more a splice, the cost / benefit doesn't work.

so, don't get all sensitive on me, nothing you've ever written says you are
anything but a good mechanic.

woo hoo for bob. instead of just ignoring him, i got snarky. +1 for bob.

so, don't get all sensitive on me, nothing you've ever written says you are
anything but a good mechanic.

I dont know if there is some sort of inside joke there but if not I dont think that is called for. I dont want to get into a pissing match but honestly I found Iwires and Cows responses very reasonable. I think someone starting out who doesnt have a lot of experience could get the wrong idea from your post on Cu vs AL and how to terminate it. I think your views and methods on the subject are quite far to the right/left of average.

I dont recall ever seeing a failed aluminum termination. I personally rarely use copper larger than #3. I have seen many failed direct bury AL conductors, but Ill bet if copper was direct buried I would have seen that fail too. Even a small knick in the insulation will result in current flowing to ground and if its wet you will have electrolysis happening and breaking down the water into oxygen every half cycle and that quickly oxidizes the material. I did an experiment in high school where I used a pad lock for the negative electrode and was able to pretty much dissolve it in a few hours.