Need help making links

[EyeChsr]

I have tried to make links and I'm not getting them to stay. tried the opposite thing and still come undone. using collagen casings

[reinhard1]

That is your problem, collagen casings.  They have no memory and are good to use for some sausage but poor for making links.  For sausage that require linking use only natural hog casings.  good luck.

[Boar]

yup better off tieing them off and go get natural hog cassings.

[leechlake]

I struggle with making links even with hog casings.  I twist em and then when I go to put them in the bag they untwist sometimes.  I'm missing something and it's made it so I don't even want to stuff them and I will make bulk sausage.

I need link help too.

[reinhard1]

After you make your first link and twist it forward for example, make the next link and twist is the opposite direction, and repeat as you go.  Twisting them in opposite directions will help you.  good luck.

[Mike89]

29 minutes ago, reinhard1 said:

After you make your first link and twist it forward for example, make the next link and twist is the opposite direction, and repeat as you go.  Twisting them in opposite directions will help you.  good luck.

that is the way we do it and it works good

[KEN W]

Even when twisting links in opposite directions fresh sausage will some times unravel. The thing to do is cook them....even if only partially. Put them in the oven or smoker with no smoke. This allows the casings between the links to dry and they won't unravel. I do this with fresh sausages like brats.

The other reason to do this with fresh sausage is that they will hold shape when vacuum sealing and not smash flat. They will still taste the same.

Edited March 15, 2016 by KEN W

[Cooperman]

A tip I got, that help me was to not link the sausage as you're stuffing, concentrate on filling the casing properly, but not over stuffing. Once the entire casing is properly filled, make a mark on your table for the size of link you want (if you're worried about uniformity)' and then start the twisting.

[reinhard1]

I think we can all agree that linking in opposite directions is a lot better that going the same way.  You should make at least 5 to 6 twists on each link and like Cooperman said make sure you stuff the entire length of your casing you need before linking.  I also make a few small pokes with my needle sharp tenderizer here and there on the length of the casing before twisting.  This get's rid of air pockets and makes linking a easy process.  A simple thing like a corn cob holder would work for this also with the two sharp points.  As far as fresh links holding their shape if you wrap or vac pack them as I do, just put them on a rack in the freezer to firm up and then wrap or vac pack them.  You can cook them first but you can freeze them first also if you want to use them in that way.  good luck.

[EyeChsr]

Thanks for the advice, that's kinda what we thought we needed to switch to  natural casings. do you guys use hog for breakfast links, hot dogs, and brats? thanks again.

What do u guys use to cut the twists to make your packages, do they stay twisted then? We just started making our own stuff this year, trying to learn some tricks from you veterans

[Boar]

one thing i found is to pinch the area u want to twist, pich to removed somenof the meat outa the way, then there is less pressure on the cassing twist.

[reinhard1]

For breakfast sausage links as commonly seen, they are sheep casings.  Sheep casings are harder to work with but various sizes can be found online.   The easiest way for me anyway is making it bulk and then patty them out when I want some.  They have bags on sale to put them in the freezer.  They can hold a pound or a little more and I tie them with butcher string.  Hog casings are used for brats, Italian, and polish for example.  For hot dogs you can use sheep casings, but I use hog casings for them also, just a bigger bite that's all.  I use a sharp knife to cut the links.  If you smoke them you can put them on a rack or you can leave them linked up and hang them in the smoker.  good luck.

 

[thirdeye]

In my recent experimentation with Frankfurters, I used sheep casings, and there was a poaching step involved.  I was worried about them un-twisting during the handling... so I just cut up a bunch of cooking string and put a little slip-type hitch in the twist area.  After the cold water bath the strings came off easy by pulling one end.  

Today I mixed up another batch of  meat with some seasoning adjustments, and will be stuffing and smoking these tomorrow (not sure about an oven finish or a poached finish yet), and I'm taking reinhard1's suggestion of skipping the emulsification step.

 

[Dotch]

SHEEP casings! 

[RebelSS]

7 minutes ago, Dotch said:

SHEEP casings! 

Don't! You'll get LL started...he's been woolgathering all day....I think he goes into a semi-comatose state.....