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collagen casings vs. collagen sheets?

Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 16:51
by Lorenzoid
For my first experiments with my new chamber I cased a coppa in a beef bung I had in the fridge (left from a haggis experiment a few years ago). Wanting to make some more, I noticed how expensive they are when I went to place an order. I bought another beef bung but also bought some 100mm collagen casings for experimentation. I should have done some reading in advance, because now I see that what I probably needed were collagen SHEETS. Can I use 100mm collagen casings for coppa, or do they lack enough elasticity or cause some other problem? I'm also thinking of making a bresaola.

What would a 100mm collagen casing be useful for?

Re: collagen casings vs. collagen sheets?

Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 17:18
by Bob K
Those 100MM casings are good for Bologna or Mortadella or something else that is cooked and peeled off. They do not seem to stretch or even shrink with any dried products leaving air pockets as they dry.
Try Butcher and Packer http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=index for Quality Bungs at a reasonable cost. Also many other specialty and large natural casings. Much better than the TSM.

Re: collagen casings vs. collagen sheets?

Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 18:20
by Lorenzoid
Thanks, Bob. I see Butcher & Packer's casings are indeed a couple of bucks less than TSM, Allied-Kenco and Craft Butcher's Pantry. I didn't bother shopping around because I figured prices couldn't be that different for a commodity item. I suppose commodity items become less of a commodity when packaged individually for hobbyists. And now that I give it a moment of rational thought, the cost of a casing is minimal compared with the meat, and it's not like I'm making dozens of these. From now on, beef bungs for coppa, etc., it shall be.

How about those collagen sheets? It seems there is no point in using them if beef bungs are optimal and reasonably priced.

Re: collagen casings vs. collagen sheets?

Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 20:35
by Bob K
Lorenzoid wrote:
Tue May 11, 2021 18:20
How about those collagen sheets? It seems there is no point in using them if beef bungs are optimal and reasonably priced.
I have never tried them them so I don't know. Redzed has used them a lot for larger cuts of dry cured product so I am sure he can add to this.

Re: collagen casings vs. collagen sheets?

Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 15:50
by Indaswamp
I have used collagen sheets for dry cured products. They work ok but can get soft when wet which makes sliding the netting over hard to do without tearing the collagen sheet. They adhere fairly well, but the recent coppa I dried had mold under the collagen sheet. Bung is better, but in a pinch the collagen sheets work well enough....good mold coverage.

Re: collagen casings vs. collagen sheets?

Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 14:59
by Lorenzoid
Looking back at some coppa recipes, I see where I got the idea that 100mm collagen casings would work:

From Marianski's recipe:

"6. Stuff the butt into beef bungs or 100 mm collagen casings."

Same instruction for bresaola.

My guess is that collagen casings may or may not adhere enough as the meat dries to avoid air pockets, and beef bung more reliably avoids the problem. Maybe a collagen casing does shrink as it dries but very evenly, so whether it continues to adhere to the meat depends on how precisely cylindrical the meat is?

Re: collagen casings vs. collagen sheets?

Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 16:06
by redzed
Bob K wrote:
Tue May 11, 2021 20:35
I have never tried them them so I don't know. Redzed has used them a lot for larger cuts of dry cured product so I am sure he can add to this.
Actually I don't use collagen sheets, but rather pasted (or laminated) hog sheets. These are made from pieces of hog casings and dried.
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=6859

They work very well and adhere to the meat as they are softer and more pliable than collagen sheets.

Re: collagen casings vs. collagen sheets?

Posted: Thu May 20, 2021 07:10
by Mmmm Meat
redzed wrote:
Mon May 17, 2021 16:06
Bob K wrote:
Tue May 11, 2021 20:35
I have never tried them them so I don't know. Redzed has used them a lot for larger cuts of dry cured product so I am sure he can add to this.
Actually I don't use collagen sheets, but rather pasted (or laminated) hog sheets. These are made from pieces of hog casings and dried.
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=6859

They work very well and adhere to the meat as they are softer and more pliable than collagen sheets.
Gold! Great suggestion. I want to give those a try. I've had pretty good luck with beef bung but there is always some hidden air under the casing that ends up with at least some mold.