Turning sausage casings before using them

[saintsfan]

Tomorrow is our annual deer/pork sausage making day. As I was buying supplies I began to wonder if I have to flush/turn the salted pork casings inside out before we use them. We always have but I never really questioned why. What do you all recommend? Do you turn your casings before using them?

While I'm asking. We've never used collagen casings before but I bought some. Are they any good? Does anyone else use them?

[ShoootLow]

I didn't care for collagen, but others don't seem to mind. I've never purposely turned casings either, and never had a problem.

[El Viejo]

I've never turned casings. I only soak them for a while, to soften them up and get the salt off. Sausage has always turned out fine. I've never used collagen, so I can't help you there.

[Cajun Blake]

I've never used artificial casing, just the natural which I run water through to remove any packaging salt

don't you just slide the compressed collagen casing on the filling tube ?

[saintsfan]

I've never used artificial casing, just the natural which I run water through to remove any packaging salt

don't you just slide the compressed collagen casing on the filling tube ?

Good enough for me. Guess I've wasted a ton of hours of my life flushing/turning. Dang it!

[ShoootLow]

I think it started when you also butchered your own sheep/goats for casings. They would have to be well cleaned. Now we buy processed and salted casings so no need to turn them.

[denimdeerslayer]

Just put in a pot of warm water and slide them onto the stuffing tube on the grinder.

[saintsfan]

I think it started when you also butchered your own sheep/goats for casings. They would have to be well cleaned. Now we buy processed and salted casings so no need to turn them.

That makes sense. Granny always butchered her hogs and used casings from them. I guess we just stayed in the habit of flushing and turning even after we swapped to precleaned/salted casings.

[BURTONboy]

As stated, if store bought no need to flush/turn. Just get some warm water in a pot and dump the casings in there. Let them sit for 15 minutes or so to loosen up and then get to stuffing. I have never used the callogen casings. I could see how they would be much stronger and easier to stuff. But I just don't like the thought of using 'fake' casings for sausage. Just me though...

[Meatcutter]

No need to turn casings inside out during the flushing stage. Using 90-100 degree water flush casings until salt in completely gone. I usually just taste the water to see if salt is gone. After all salt is gone, continue to soak in 90-100 degree water for at least 30 minutes prior to use. Below is what I normally supply to the customer about casing prep:

Sausage Casing Preparations: Soaking and Handling Procedures for Natural Sausage Casings

To insure the proper preparation of natural casings, follow these simple procedures! Prepare casings no less than 2 hours prior to stuffing
• Draw from the barrel the number of hanks needed to fulfill your requirement for the day. A chart with approximate stuffing weights of each casing used in the plant should be posted to assist in determining how many hanks of any given size will be needed to hit production targets.

• Place casings in your soak tanks with a water temperature between 95 and 105 degrees. If casings are extremely compacted in the nets, loosen the nets as you are placing them in the tanks. Install a “governor” to prevent water temperature from exceeding 105 degrees and damaging the casings.

• Maintain water temperature throughout the soaking process.

• When casings appear to be pliable, transfer to pans and bring to the stuffing tables.

• Leftover casings should be drained of fresh water and salt added to stabilize the casings. Then follow the soaking procedures above before using the next day. It is imperative to use all leftover casings at the beginning of the next day’s production.

[Meatcutter]

you will not get the snap/bite with a collagen casing.

[texan4ut]

I only use collagen casing on summer sausage, because when I slice my summer sausage I peel the casing off.

[Electrican]

I'm not a fan of the collegan casings. I use regular hog casings that I soak in Luke warm water for approximately an hour. Then I flush the insides out with water to. I think flushing insides gives better final results. When I first started I didn't flush them. Could be a waste of time but that's what I prefer.

[Muskles]

I'm not a fan of the collegan casings. I use regular hog casings that I soak in Luke warm water for approximately an hour. Then I flush the insides out with water to. I think flushing insides gives better final results. When I first started I didn't flush them. Could be a waste of time but that's what I prefer.

I do the same. They also seem to be easier to put on the stuffing horn if you run some water through them.

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[Tx_Wader]

Just put in a pot of warm water and slide them onto the stuffing tube on the grinder.

This. It's all you have to do before stuffing.