I've recently gotten into sausage stuffing, and when I cook the sausages on
the pit, the casings are tough. I know that putting the sausages in cold
water and ramping the heat up on the stove softens the casings if you're
cooking them for spaghetti or something like that, but how can you keep the
casings from getting tough when you throw them on the pit or in the oven?

"Ned Buntline" wrote in message
news:fHhKg.986$%k5.164@trnddc08...
I've recently gotten into sausage stuffing, and when I cook the sausages
on the pit, the casings are tough. I know that putting the sausages in
cold water and ramping the heat up on the stove softens the casings if
you're cooking them for spaghetti or something like that, but how can you
keep the casings from getting tough when you throw them on the pit or in
the oven?


Just how tough are you talking about? Are they breaking teeth or just have
that crunch to them?

Jack

"Ned Buntline" wrote in message
news:fHhKg.986$%k5.164@trnddc08...
I've recently gotten into sausage stuffing, and when I cook the sausages
on the pit, the casings are tough. I know that putting the sausages in
cold water and ramping the heat up on the stove softens the casings if
you're cooking them for spaghetti or something like that, but how can you
keep the casings from getting tough when you throw them on the pit or in
the oven?


when making sausage we always add some vinegar to water when soaking the
casings---seems to help with that problem

Buzz

Jack Schidt® wrote:

"Just how tough are you talking about? Are they breaking teeth or just have
that crunch to them?"

Not so much a crunch as a chewy texture that tears like thin plastic (these
are natural hog casings).

Buzz wrote:

"when making sausage we always add some vinegar to water when soaking the
casings---seems to help with that problem"

Thanks Buzz. I'll try that next time. How much vinegar should a add to the
water?

Ned Buntline wrote:
SNIP
casings from getting tough when you throw them on the pit or in the oven?


I think casings act like chicken or turkey skin. When you cook them at a
low temp, they get rubbery. If you grill/brown them first then smoke
them you should be fine or, if you can control the cooker temp, jack up
the heat at the beginning to about 300 degrees for about 15-20 minutes
then drop temp back down to smoke ( to the point that the fat is
dripping out and Check with a fork), if the fork pierces easy with a
light snap your there. But in my opinion it is easier to grill/brown
first them smoke them!

--
Regards,

Piedmont

The Practical Bar-B-Q'r at: http://web.infoave.net/~amwil/Index.htm

The Secret American Government: http://tinyurl.com/rbwbz

Ned Buntline wrote:
I've recently gotten into sausage stuffing, and when I cook the sausages on
the pit, the casings are tough. I know that putting the sausages in cold
water and ramping the heat up on the stove softens the casings if you're
cooking them for spaghetti or something like that, but how can you keep the
casings from getting tough when you throw them on the pit or in the oven?


I have experienced the same effect.

Yesterday I smoked my favorite Italian sausages and tried something I
read about in this group awhile back, I took the casing off the sausages
before smoking. I had to reform them a little before cooking, but after
cooking it was difficult to know that there was not a casing.

They were good flavor, nice bark, but I think I went a little long and
they lost a little too much moisture. I smoked them @ 190 degrees.
After 2 hours, the internal temp was 157, but I got busy and let them go
for 4 hours.

I am guessing 3 hours would have been better.

"Buzz1" wrote in message
news

"Ned Buntline" wrote in message
news:fHhKg.986$%k5.164@trnddc08...
I've recently gotten into sausage stuffing, and when I cook the sausages
on the pit, the casings are tough. I know that putting the sausages in
cold water and ramping the heat up on the stove softens the casings if
you're cooking them for spaghetti or something like that, but how can you
keep the casings from getting tough when you throw them on the pit or in
the oven?


when making sausage we always add some vinegar to water when soaking the
casings---seems to help with that problem

Buzz


Makes em more 'supple'

Jack

"Ned Buntline" wrote in message
news:f0rKg.938$xh4.889@trnddc04...
Jack Schidt® wrote:

"Just how tough are you talking about? Are they breaking teeth or just
have that crunch to them?"

Not so much a crunch as a chewy texture that tears like thin plastic
(these are natural hog casings).


Yeah, Buzz's advice to use vinegar should help you there. You don't need
much, maybe a couple tbsp in your soaking water for the casings. It also
prevents those wrinkly looking lines. I do this and haven't met the kind of
sausage you described. HTH.

Jack

"Jack Schidt®" wrote in message
news

"Buzz1" wrote in message
news

"Ned Buntline" wrote in message
news:fHhKg.986$%k5.164@trnddc08...
I've recently gotten into sausage stuffing, and when I cook the sausages
on the pit, the casings are tough. I know that putting the sausages in
cold water and ramping the heat up on the stove softens the casings if
you're cooking them for spaghetti or something like that, but how can
you keep the casings from getting tough when you throw them on the pit
or in the oven?


when making sausage we always add some vinegar to water when soaking the
casings---seems to help with that problem

Buzz


Makes em more 'supple'

really do like that word!
Buzz

Ned Buntline wrote:
I've recently gotten into sausage stuffing, and when I cook the sausages on
the pit, the casings are tough. I know that putting the sausages in cold
water and ramping the heat up on the stove softens the casings if you're
cooking them for spaghetti or something like that, but how can you keep the
casings from getting tough when you throw them on the pit or in the oven?


Ned, try a different brand of casings.
I had great luck from this hog casing from the market; but one time
they were out of it, so I went with another brand which proved to be
tougher, and undesirable. Next time in, I stocked up with the tried
and true. I imagine you'd also have different results from another
manufacturer.

I do like the vinegar idea also floated. Let us know your results on
future batches.

Pierre