Sausage Casings

[Tom Foolery]

Natural or synthetic? Where's the best place to get them?

[juststarting]

Synthetic. eBay.

[wrenchman]

natural most stores here carry them

[Archie]

I use natural, because the local butcher uses them and so I can get them easily, and I'm a creature of habit and I've been using the same recipes and machine for ever and I like them as is. But, if I had any brains, I'd go to artificial. For the same effort/skill level you get a better looking and more consistent product, because the size, strength and elasticity are consistent across the casing, which means that it just tends to be a bit easier. And the modern ones don't give much away to natural in terms of texture either (and in any case, that's just a personal preference).

[BBJ]

Local as that's what the butcher did.

Never tried synthetic though as went with what was available.

[juststarting]

Almost everything you get at a supermarket these days uses synthetic casings.

[Gwion]

Almost everything you get at a supermarket these days uses synthetic casings.

Good enough reason to go the natural option, in my book!

WHat are the synthetic ones made of, anyway???

[juststarting]

That's not even a reason, unless you mean you are against capitalism. In which case, silence, you commie!

I have no idea what they are made out of, but they are more common than guts alternative these days. But I've only used synthetic and only because that's all I could find, so I am pretty biased here. Tastes the same.

[Gwion]

You wont silence me, you facist bully boy!

Synthetic casings are either cellulose of collagen.
It is the processing of the raw product to get it to behave as a casing that is of major concern to me.

Plus, anything from a supermarket is generally substandard when it comes to sausages. Also, any way to stop these duopolies taking over our entire existence and removing all choice is a bonus too.

Need to buy a sausage extruder......

[Tom Foolery]

Thanks for the responses guys. Seems like it mostly comes down to what's easier to get your hands on. I might call in at my local butcher and see if he wants to sell me some.

(and in any case, that's just a personal preference).

Not the wurst sausage pun I've heard.

[Oldbloke]

"Not the wurst sausage pun I've heard"

Sheesh.

[on_one_wheel]

Be a propper hipster and go natural.

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From Wikipedia. ....
"Natural sausage casings are made from the sub-mucosa, a layer of the intestine that consists mainly of naturally occurring collagen. This should not be confused with collagen casings, which are artificially processed from collagen derived from the skins of cattle."

[wrenchman]

if you intend to smoke any natural all the way synthetic does not smoke very good

[Supaduke]

If your sausage is smoking you should slow down ......

[wrenchman]

lol yes i agree

[Tom Foolery]

if you intend to smoke any natural all the way synthetic does not smoke very good

Not at this stage but never say never... So I'll bear that in mind, thanks.

If your sausage is smoking you should slow down ......

[brett1868]

if you intend to smoke any natural all the way synthetic does not smoke very good

Do you have any trouble getting them lit?

[wrenchman]

ok as a guy from the states what typ do you guys like to make and is there any wild game involved.
i try to make a batch of italian in the fall and if i have the deer meat i will make some with it.
can you guys make sausage from roo meat.

[Tom Foolery]

My wife is dead set against trophy heads and that sort of thing. Which leaves meat hunting as my main source of entertainment. I'm yet to have a go at making sausages but I recently got a band saw and mincer off eBay.

Boerwors are top of the list, mainly because I haven't made sausages before and they require a minimum of twisting.

Yes you can make sausages out of just about anything, including roo, which can be bought at most supermarkets. Having a legal supply of roo meat is the hardest part.

[Archie]

ok as a guy from the states what typ do you guys like to make and is there any wild game involved.
i try to make a batch of italian in the fall and if i have the deer meat i will make some with it.
can you guys make sausage from roo meat.

If you want you can even buy it in the supermarket...

https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Brow ... tId=713467

...although for me, kangaroo is so lean and needs so much other animal fat added to make good sausages, you're better off marinating it and bbq'ing it, or using a bit less fat and making burgers.

[zobster]

Got a batch of geese sausages made up last week, natural casing, done by local butcher. I feel that natural casing gives a little extra "something" to the sausage, if you are going to spend time and effort getting some quality meat, why use synthetic casing when your meat is all natural.