Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 01:22
Hi Big John,
Hog casings (upper intestines) are sold in 91-meter lengths cut into "hanks" 1 to 2 meters long and gathered into bundles called "shorts". Their average diameter is about 35 millimeters and may be used for cooked sausages, pepperoni, Italian sausage, Kielbasa, Kishka, larger franks, and a host of other stuffed sausages. Hog middles (middle intestines called "chitterlings") are curly in appearance and cut into one-meter lengths, sold in bundles of nine or ten. They are available in wide, medium, or narrow calibers, determined by the location of the item within the animal. Middles are ideal for Braunschweiger, liver sausages, dry salami, and Italian salami. Hog bungs (called "fat ends") are the intestine`s extreme southern end of a north-bound pig. Bungs are sold individually and are used primarily for liver sausage and Branschweiger, Genoa salami, Thuringer, and summer sausage. Diameters vary from 55 to 90 millimeters.
There is no real "trick" to handling the stuff, but there are a few things that may help. First, you need a large, washable, work surface or table. It`s best if it has a small tilt to drain water, and even better, a sink in it. Stainless steel is ideal but expensive. If you go to the plumbing and hardware shop, you can get all sorts of ideas for making your own nozzle for quick loading of casings. I have a slippery plastic "gooseneck" rising straight up from a sink in the table. The pipe is reduced to 3/4" and rises a foot and a half then makes a u-turn before being cut off, leaving plenty of workspace. A custom pointed nozzle (I made myself) fits on the end. When a "short" of hanks is removed from the cooler, I place it in a plastic bucket of water to help with the handling of the thing and to find ends. I pull the ends up over the edge of the bucket until I need them. Next, I trim the ragged ends squarely with a pair of scissors. This makes for easy loading onto the nozzle. I`ve found that if I keep a small open bowl of salt on the table, I can dip my forefinger and thumb in it to help with the handling of the casings when laying them out on the table. I place another plastic bucket into the table-sink and fill it with water. I place only one casing at a time into it while a small stream of water straightens it out in coils in the water. When the water reaches the end of the casing and flows out, I increase the flow and flush out the salt thoroughly. My stuffer swivels to the sink for easy loading but I still start by filling a water "bubble" inside each casing so it lubricates the nozzle as it slides on. The bubble of water stays in front of the stuffing horn as the casing slides onto the horn. Never use butter or any other "lubricant" as this will cause "smearing" and problems with texture later in the smoker. If you are not near a sink, you may have to use a dish of water to start your bubble. I just priced a 5 lb. vertical stuffer at the Sausagemaker. Their basic no-frills model is #50510. It sells for 125 bucks and has a stainless steel cylinder and chrome-plated frame. Yes, it has nylon gears but in my opinion, if a prudent person stops cranking when the piston hits the bottom of the cylinder, it will last indefinitely. I used one of these for years and still use it when making smaller batches. I`ve found it to be a top quality product. Tell "Mrs. K" to look at it as an investment. It will pay for itself in the long run and prevent you from using foul language around the kitchen!
One last thing JB, ... please don`t waste your money on one of those curved "horn-type" stuffers. It requires three men and a boy just to pull the lever down... and your language will go from bad to worse.
Why, I`ve seen full-grown men throw a fit right in their own kitchen, just trying to pull that handle down. Soon, a blue cloud of language hangs over the house and the police are called in. The wife starts packing her bags and the poor sausage stuffin` cowboy is taken away in a straight-jacket muttering all sorts of indecent, incoherent syllables with inappropriate 4-letter words. 
So, my ol` pal... play it safe and just tell her that all the boys at WD are urging her to give you the go-ahead on a VERTICAL (geared) stuffer.
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
Hog casings (upper intestines) are sold in 91-meter lengths cut into "hanks" 1 to 2 meters long and gathered into bundles called "shorts". Their average diameter is about 35 millimeters and may be used for cooked sausages, pepperoni, Italian sausage, Kielbasa, Kishka, larger franks, and a host of other stuffed sausages. Hog middles (middle intestines called "chitterlings") are curly in appearance and cut into one-meter lengths, sold in bundles of nine or ten. They are available in wide, medium, or narrow calibers, determined by the location of the item within the animal. Middles are ideal for Braunschweiger, liver sausages, dry salami, and Italian salami. Hog bungs (called "fat ends") are the intestine`s extreme southern end of a north-bound pig. Bungs are sold individually and are used primarily for liver sausage and Branschweiger, Genoa salami, Thuringer, and summer sausage. Diameters vary from 55 to 90 millimeters.
There is no real "trick" to handling the stuff, but there are a few things that may help. First, you need a large, washable, work surface or table. It`s best if it has a small tilt to drain water, and even better, a sink in it. Stainless steel is ideal but expensive. If you go to the plumbing and hardware shop, you can get all sorts of ideas for making your own nozzle for quick loading of casings. I have a slippery plastic "gooseneck" rising straight up from a sink in the table. The pipe is reduced to 3/4" and rises a foot and a half then makes a u-turn before being cut off, leaving plenty of workspace. A custom pointed nozzle (I made myself) fits on the end. When a "short" of hanks is removed from the cooler, I place it in a plastic bucket of water to help with the handling of the thing and to find ends. I pull the ends up over the edge of the bucket until I need them. Next, I trim the ragged ends squarely with a pair of scissors. This makes for easy loading onto the nozzle. I`ve found that if I keep a small open bowl of salt on the table, I can dip my forefinger and thumb in it to help with the handling of the casings when laying them out on the table. I place another plastic bucket into the table-sink and fill it with water. I place only one casing at a time into it while a small stream of water straightens it out in coils in the water. When the water reaches the end of the casing and flows out, I increase the flow and flush out the salt thoroughly. My stuffer swivels to the sink for easy loading but I still start by filling a water "bubble" inside each casing so it lubricates the nozzle as it slides on. The bubble of water stays in front of the stuffing horn as the casing slides onto the horn. Never use butter or any other "lubricant" as this will cause "smearing" and problems with texture later in the smoker. If you are not near a sink, you may have to use a dish of water to start your bubble. I just priced a 5 lb. vertical stuffer at the Sausagemaker. Their basic no-frills model is #50510. It sells for 125 bucks and has a stainless steel cylinder and chrome-plated frame. Yes, it has nylon gears but in my opinion, if a prudent person stops cranking when the piston hits the bottom of the cylinder, it will last indefinitely. I used one of these for years and still use it when making smaller batches. I`ve found it to be a top quality product. Tell "Mrs. K" to look at it as an investment. It will pay for itself in the long run and prevent you from using foul language around the kitchen!
One last thing JB, ... please don`t waste your money on one of those curved "horn-type" stuffers. It requires three men and a boy just to pull the lever down... and your language will go from bad to worse.
Why, I`ve seen full-grown men throw a fit right in their own kitchen, just trying to pull that handle down. Soon, a blue cloud of language hangs over the house and the police are called in. The wife starts packing her bags and the poor sausage stuffin` cowboy is taken away in a straight-jacket muttering all sorts of indecent, incoherent syllables with inappropriate 4-letter words. So, my ol` pal... play it safe and just tell her that all the boys at WD are urging her to give you the go-ahead on a VERTICAL (geared) stuffer. Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
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