Fresh Sausage bursting out of ends?

[mkitson]

Hi guys.

New to sausage making & this forum, spent two days reading everything, but I can find on here the answer to my problem.

I'm using 32mm hog casings & making Venison mix sausages. Recipe is 25% Venison, 25% fat pork, 25% smoked (fatty)bacon off cuts, 15% water/red wine, 10% bread crumb, + seasoning's.
I process the ingredients, then kneed & leave in the fridge (set at "just" above 0 ) over night uncovered.
Out of fridge kneed again. Sample a fried piece to check for flavors, adjust if necessary & return to the fridge over night, or Proceed if good flavor/happy with it. Castings soaked over night, rinsed through then put in warm water for 40mins or there about's. I don't over stuff the casings, in fact the last lot I deliberately under stuffed, so they looked like 1960s butchers sausages, not round & easy to dent/miss shape, so defiantly NOT over stuffed. Rested in the fridge over night in fact two days this time, but the skin still shrunk/the meat ooooosed out of both ends. There was more meat out than in the skins. I used the same mixture in some sausage rolls (puff pastry casing) & no expansion of the meat from either end BUT they were a little fatty. Yes there is fat in the pastry, but maybe I have too much fat in my mix ??????? would this cause such dire shrinkage of the casing, as a 6" sausage ends up 3 inches of sausage with 1 1/2" - 2" of pug in the pan either end of the "little" sausage
Any help/ideas welcome !!!!

[wheels]

Hi, Welcome.

Maybe reduce the fat a little - 20% visible fat is a good starting point. Also, it might be worth reducing the liquid to the same amount (by weight) as the breadcrumbs.

They're my initial thoughts anyway.

Phil

[NCPaul]

Welcome to the forum. I don't cut the twisted links apart until they have rested overnight on a rack in the fridge. This allows the twisted part to dry and set the links. Also agree with wheels that the liquid can come down.

[mkitson]

Thanks guys, I'll have another bash over the weekend & report back.

[Fingers]

Since I have omitted adding any bread crumb or rusk I have had no problems at all. I also as NCPaul says dry them, I give them 2 days in the fridge before freezing or using.

I think the rusk or bread crumb must expand greatly and if there's not enough pre soaking done then this is going to happen inside the casing. But like I say my sausage is just meat (shoulder for eg), seasoning and a little water or wine to produce a nice sticky mix. The difference in flavour by just omitting the rusk is massive, much more tasty and succulent.

[mkitson]

Thanks guys, I did post a thanks last night but it didn't make it to the forum. maybe I hit the wrong button !
I'll give it another bash over the weekend & report back.

[mkitson]

Hi Guy's
Made a new batch on Friday as had a day to myself. Hung them in the the fridge for 72+ hours, went under the grill 5 1/2" long, came out 2" long with pug all around. (will try to load some pics later) I also made some up with Tesco sausage meat & they did the same thing !!!
Me thinks it could be the skins shrinking to much & not my mixture. I am currently using those "butchers Sundries" any suggestions on better ones ??
What I'm ending up with is a fat cocktail sausage & 4" - 5" of pug. The little "cocktail" sausage is a perfect little copy of what I actually want, Just 1/3 the size !!

[NCPaul]

Could you give us a link to the skins you are using? Aren't you using natural casings?

[mkitson]

Using Brand name "Butchers Sundries" all over ebay & every where you look for casings on line, 9 out of 10 adds are fore them, plus first packet came with sausage machine.

[wheels]

You said before that they're 32mm hog casings. Is this the case? Can you detail your procedure for soaking them etc.

Phil

[NCPaul]

I think you have collagen casings. Butchers-Sundries sells both natural and collagen, are they packed in salt? The shrinking behavior is not uncommon with collagen.

[mkitson]

Answer to both.
Yes they are packed in salt & definitely labeled hog castings.
I rinse of the salt in cold water while untangling, then run a small amount of water through them to open them up, then soak them over night in clean (not the same water as rinsed in) cold water in the fridge & just before I'm ready to use them (about 40 mins) I place them in warm "not hot" water, prior threading them on to the shoe/spout. This last lot were well under stuffed but still shrunk beyond all belief. tried to up load some pics but having problems.

mark

[wheels]

The only thing I can suggest is to:

1. Try another recipe.
2. Cook at a lower heat.
3. Poach the sausage at 80°C prior to grilling.

I'm at a loss as to what to do otherwise.

Phil

[BriCan]

Answer to both.
Yes they are packed in salt & definitely labeled hog castings.
I rinse of the salt in cold water while untangling, then run a small amount of water through them to open them up, then soak them over night in clean (not the same water as rinsed in) cold water in the fridge & just before I'm ready to use them (about 40 mins) I place them in warm "not hot" water, prior threading them on to the shoe/spout. This last lot were well under stuffed but still shrunk beyond all belief. tried to up load some pics but having problems.

mark

A quick read of this tells me you have not re-hydrated your casings enough ~~ as a person that makes sausage for a living soaking casings overnight on the fridge will not work ~~ I do no less than 3 days in a cool place ~~ I have casings sitting for a week in a cool place where I work

[mkitson]

Someone else suggested soaking for longer & before I came to this forum I made some with skins that were soaked 8 days, then in warm water for a couple of hours (changed a few times) as I had a few distractions & didn't get round to making them for a couple of hours after getting the mix out of the fridge. They still shrunk & split & a local butcher told me that soaking for too long will guarantee splitting of the casing's ! I think it could be time to put my machine on ebay & call it a day.