36mm hog casings turned out to be 40mm+!

Thewitt · Post by **Thewitt** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 04:57

In my last order of hog casings, most of my 36mm casings turned out to be 40mm+!

Since most of these are going to be sold in fixed price meals by my customers, this 25% increase in size is really not something they can deal with. They want a 5" or 8" natural cased sausage they can put on the menu for the same price every week, and not something that costs them 25% more or is shorter and fatter to maintain the same weight.

Though I filled out some retail orders with these behemoths which are sold by weight, I am curious how you guys handle this.

I know these are natural products and there will be variation in size, but this one caught me off guard with such a large variation.

I really don't have a product for this large a casing...

Suggestions?

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 16:55

Just a thought- - would it be possible to not pack your sausages as tightly? That way, when you form the links, you can control the diameter. You sell by weight, right? This would affect the aesthetics of the sausage (hopefully make them an acceptable, consistent diameter), and still be an honest weight.

sawhorseray · Post by **sawhorseray** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 17:24

I thought most restaurants dealt with collagen casings for the sole reason of knowing exactly how much product they were using and ensuring that all orders were the same. Sausage stuffed with a 32-35mm natural hog casing can have about a 9% variation in weight I'd think. It would also avoid the "hey, why'd he get a bigger better looking sausage on his plate than I got on mine?" problems that could arise. A 40mm sausage casing would really affect the cooking time too. That's quite a problem that one really might not have seem coming. I've never used collagen so I've no idea how they would affect flavor or appearance. Good luck. RAY

Thewitt · Post by **Thewitt** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 05:14

For whatever reason, the restaurants I sell to want natural casings not collagen casind. I've brought them both as samples and though the collagen win for consistency hands down, the only one who wants those sells a sausage in a bun and needs a perfect 8" x 26mm sausage that will roll on a hotdog roller/cooker.

I'm going to have to grade my casings myself it appears, then find a product for the extra fat ones.

Going through several more packages of casings most are 34-38mm and that's an acceptable range. About 10% are coming in at 40mm and over so far.

The grading step is a little fussy, but I think I'll just make a jig I can set by the sink and while rinsing casings just inflate with water. If it's too big to fit in the jog, set it aside...

-t