Are you a fan of sausages like a lot of other people? There are many varieties of sausages available, but when it comes to the summer BBQ, it can be a great idea to make your own. Some people enjoy making their sausages, while others prefer to purchase high-quality sausages from the market. Either way, they will come in sausage casings.
“Sausage skin” is the term used to describe sausage casings, which is the membrane to keep the filling in one piece inside the sausage casing. Quite often, intestines and animal skin are used in natural casings, while collagen and cellulose are commonly used in artificial casings.
Storing sausage casings is vital as they can quickly dry out, and natural ones could rot with a short shelf-life. In our guide, you can learn more about using your hog casing or artificial sausage casing.
By the end, you’ll know how to get the best sausages, and as a budding sausage maker, can you freeze hog casings, or will you need to use a synthetic sausage casing. (Learn How Long Do Cooked Veggie Burgers Last In The Fridge)
Do Sausage Casings Go Bad?
If you are getting into making sausages, you’ll find that you get lots of casings, and it could be too many for what you need in one go.
If you want to keep things natural, this leads to the question, will natural sausage casings go bad?
If you thought natural sausage casings would last, then you have got the wrong impression.
These casings will deteriorate, and you’ll need to take precautions to keep them safe.
When you don’t store sausage casings in such low temperatures, they go bad, so leaving these casings out in any heat isn’t a good idea.
If your sausage casings have an odor, it doesn’t mean they are bad, as some will smell naturally.
You’ll need to refrigerate the sausage casings to get the most out of them. You can store them for the next time you make sausages, yet you need to know how to store casings properly, or they won’t last.
Many inexperienced sausage makers make the mistake of presuming casings should be frozen.
Most times, this can be harmful and means they won’t be suitable for use.
Refrigerating the sausage casing means they can survive for up to two years when stored the right way.
Casings stored at temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit will not survive.
How Do You Store Unused Sausage Casings?
It helps to know how to store sausage casings, and you can help the sausage casings survive longer by storing them in wet brine, or dry salt, beside the fridge. When the casings are stored in salt, they will last even longer.
Humans have been using salt as a preservation strategy for many millennia, which works well in extending the shelf-life of sausage casings.
When you’re ready to use your casings, you just need to wash the salt away.
It should be noted that regular table salt shouldn’t be used to store a few extra casings. Instead, it’s better to use kosher salt or non-iodized salt.
Some sausage manufacturers often use vacuum-sealed bags or containers to store their casings. These are sealed bags which will protect the casings in the refrigerator, ready for the next batch of sausages.
Brine is a wet salt solution that has a higher moisture content than granulated salt. The brine solution’s primary purpose is to prevent freezer burn.
Because saltwater does not freeze, keeping the case from freezing will help to keep it from tearing. (Read Can You Freeze Pastrami)
A wet brine is also preferable for storing a higher number of casings.
When working with fewer casings, a dry brine is preferable. This is because brine allows for less salt to be used while yet preserving a significant portion of the casings.
While brine is better for freezing sausages, dry salt is better for long-term storage outside of the freezer.
The brine solution must be changed frequently when conserving casing for an extended period.
Consider doing this every three month; you can also inspect the casings during this time to make sure they’re still in good shape.
When using granulated salt, avoid adding any additional mineral marine salts. Natural casings can have their flavor and appearance changed by mineral-enriched sea salt and take on a metallic taste.
Non-iodized, pure, and kosher salts are the best.
Besides table salt, it is best to use sea salt. Also, natural casings should be kept in an airtight container or bag for the best protection (vacuum sealed).
Keep in mind that natural sausage casings will not be refrigerated when purchasing them. They will, however, be salted, and shouldn’t be refrigerated until the package has been opened, where they can last up to two years.
Storing synthetic artificial sausage casings
Collagen (derived from animal skins or bones and is edible) and cellulose (non-edible) are used to make synthetic and cellulose casings.
It’s vital to keep synthetic casings in a secure environment. Please keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Fibrous casings have already been dehydrated and knowing how to store sausage casings of this type for a more extended period is vital.
It would help to keep these dry until you’re ready to use them. You may notice that a shelf-stable fibrous casing can be found on most dry sausages.
Collagen casings don’t need to be salted like other casings, yet they need to keep cool.
How do you know a sausage casing has gone bad?
When evaluating sausage for signs of deterioration, start with the fragrance as a general rule.
Raw meat does not have a strong odor. However, the foul odor of decaying sausage meat is strong. Second, as the case deteriorates, the outside texture will become slimy.
How To Store Natural Sausage Casings Like A Hog Casing?
Natural casings should be stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
They should be stored in a container that allows air circulation around them. This helps prevent mold growth.
After opening, storing sausage casings in the fridge is vital. They can be frozen if necessary.
How To Store Sausage Casings such as Beef?
Artificial casings should be kept in the fridge. In a sealed bag or container, they should be stored upright. Then, they can be frozen once they’ve been opened. (Read Can You Freeze Deviled Eggs)
Can You Freeze Sausage Casings?
Collagen casings can be frozen. However, it would help if you use caution when freezing the casings.
The casings are frozen in a freezer bag. You’ll be able to remove the frozen casings from the bag this way simply. You can use the casings right away after they’ve thawed.
How To Prepare Sausage Casings
Animal intestines are used to make sausage casings. Sausage, hot dogs, bologna, salami, pepperoni, and other processed meats are stuffed with them.
- Start by soaking the casings in cold water overnight to prepare sausage casings.
- The casings will soften and relax because of this.
- After that, take the casings out of the water and thoroughly rinse the salt solution off them under running water if not using artificial casings.
- Then, place the casings in a clean bucket filled with ice water.
- Allow the casings to soak in the ice water until they soften.
- Cut the casings into suitable lengths once they’ve been prepared.
Best Sausage Seasonings
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, sage, thyme, and other spices are commonly used to season sausages.
Sausage seasoning is a seasoning that is used to flavor sausages. It’s commonly used in meat products, including hot dogs, bratwursts, and other sausages.
Brands of Sausage Seasoning include McCormick, Morton, and Mrs. Dash.
How long should soak hog casings?
If you’re looking, how long to soak sausage casings? Overnight is the best. Note, if not stored properly, the casings can spoil quickly if exposed to air and not appropriately soaked.
Do I store sausage casings in the fridge?
Different ways are used to preserve sausage casings. Freezing sausage casings is one option.
This keeps the casings moist and prevents them from drying out. An adequately stored natural casing also helps to keep the natural casing shape.
Simply defrost the frozen casings and rinse them under cold running water after storing sausage casings in the freezer.
After rinsing the casings, they can be hung to dry. Another option to store natural sausage casings is to keep them in a salt brine solution, as it keeps the casings moist while preserving them. (Read Can You Freeze Homemade Chicken Salad)
Sausage makers use 1/2 cup kosher salt per gallon of water to make salt brine.
As a quick recap, salt brine is among the best ways how to
store sausage casings, as it won’t let the casings go bad, and will maintain their quality.
