Sausage Meat Stuffer

Sausage Meat Stuffer

Sausage Skin: How to Turn Bulk Meat Into Full-Fledged Sausage Links

Whether it's a juicy brat on game day or a zesty Italian inside your favorite calzone, we've all come to appreciate the crisp-tender snap of an encased sausage. Sausage casing or sausage "skin" is the finishing touch that transforms bulk meat into the bona-fide culinary triumph known as sausage. Let's learn how to…

Choose It

Casings generally fall under two designations: size and source. Size refers to the casing's diameter while source refers to its material: natural or synthetic.

Natural casings are the intestines of pigs and sheep. They are the most popular for commercial and home preparations. Sheep casings have a built-in size designation as they tend to be small. You've likely had them on breakfast links or cocktail wieners. Pig casings vary in size from bung to bladder to caecum.

The texture and flavor of a natural casing can't be beat. They are, of course, completely edible, yet they allow the flavor of your sausage to take center stage. These sausage casings possess a very pleasing texture, offering a slight bit of resistance against your teeth when you bite in. This phenomenon, known as the sausage "snap" is a hallmark element of a well-crafted sausage, and is highly coveted by sausage enthusiasts.

Naturally-derived collagen casings are made from a byproduct of animal hides which puts them somewhere between natural and synthetic. Like natural, they are safe to eat; but, like synthetic, they can be manipulated into uniform sizes and shapes. They are completely flavorless and offer little texture.

As for synthetic casings, the sky is the limit when it comes to shapes, sizes, colors, and even flavors. They can be made from cloth, coated paper, or plastic. If you've ever removed the red band from a slice of bologna, then you've enjoyed the benefits of synthetic casing. Their sturdiness is ideal for sausages that need to be smoked, fermented, or tightly stuffed. Whole hams, bologna, and salamis are usually encased in synthetic as it affords limitless variety in size. For the whimsical, they also come dyed, patterned, and in novelty shapes such as footballs, baseball bats, or hearts. All synthetic casings are inedible and must be removed before serving.

Use It

Before use, check the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning. Once cleaned, the process for stuffing any kind of sausage casing is essentially the same; fill the casing with the bulk meat mixture using a stuffer attachment. Stuffing sausage by hand is also an option, especially for very large sausages.

Don't lose it

Unless you plan to produce a very large quantity of sausage at once, you'll be interested in storage. Natural casings usually come brined and should remain brined until ready for use. Collagen and synthetic casings can keep indefinitely and should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

About the Author

Now that you've got casings down pat, you're on your way to meaty, juicy nirvana. Sausage casings and everything else you need are at Heinsohn's Country Store. They have everything you need to get homemade brats, dogs, and wursts on your grill by the weekend.

Once you've got your casings, visit Stuffing Sausage Casings for a foolproof tutorial on filling your casings perfectly every time. For an easy recipe or some quick inspiration, head to Easy Sausage Recipes.

when mixing sausage meat, for fat percentage, do you measure by weight or volume?

looking to do home butchering of my game animals, I'd getting myself a grinder and a sausage stuffer and other simple butchering tools(not like band saws, ect), so I'd like to know this.
yes I know the numbers for percentage, in the 20%-30% range fat for sausages, but is that measured by volume or weight?

It is measured by weight, not volume.But as Chris stated it just depends on the fat content of the animal unless it is deer sausage you are making. Then you will have to add pork to the mixture.. I like to catch the Boston Butts on sale and add it to the deer to make my sausage with. I normally use a 50-50 ratio when I make the deer sausage due to the deers leanness.And always remove all fat from your deer meat because the fat will make the deer taste extremely gamy.