Sealing casings - string vs hog rings vs clipper machines

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reddal
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Sealing casings - string vs hog rings vs clipper machines

Post by reddal » Sun Oct 15, 2017 18:07

Hi,

I use beef middle casings to make chorizo - and until now I've just been sealing the casings with string. The trouble is I too often suffer from the string slipping off and the sausage falls to the ground. Also it takes ages fiddling about with the string trying to make it as tight as possible. I want to find a better solution.

I've heard some people use hog rings - do these achieve a better grip than string? Also is it important to use a particular material hog ring? I heard galvanized steel should be avoided for food safety issues. I guess stainless steel is ok. But what size rings should I get - there are lots!

The other option is a clipping machine - like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rAhyshQ46c or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHXWyE_WLxw . Its hard to find prices - but those look expensive. There are cheap chinese versions like this - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sausage ... ad9392a-20 but no idea if they are any good!

Any advice on how to best seal casings in a way that is reliable, safe, cheap and quick?

thanks - reddal
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Post by harleykids » Mon Oct 16, 2017 05:24

Hey Reddal, are you using a bubble a bubble knot when tying your casings with string?
That may be the issue. Without a bubble knot the casings can slip right out of the knot.

For a bubble knot, tie a butchers knot (overhand knot with one extra pass thu) and tighten.
Then lay the cut casing end over that knot and then tie two overhand knots to finish (or a butchers knot and a single overhand knot to finish)

The bubble knot basically captures a section of casing between your two knots, so the casing can't slip out like it can with single knot. It looks like a "bubble" of casing caught between two separate knots when done correctly.

Search "bubble knot" on YouTube to see a video of how to do it. It's very easy and works great.
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redzed
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Post by redzed » Thu Oct 19, 2017 07:14

Long time ago I bought hog ring pliers and used them for large diameter sausages, but now I rarely use them. I find tying a lot less hassle than trying to secure the clip, especially when working alone. But that machine you linked do look interesting and might be worth investing in if you will be doing large volume production. Before buying one, I would want to see one in operation to deternine whether it really is needed.
reddal
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Post by reddal » Tue Dec 05, 2017 13:47

Hi,

I bought one of these - https://www.expondo.co.uk/royal-caterin ... clips-1324 .

I only used it once - but it worked really well. I wasn't expecting much given its not very expensive compared to the fancier ones - but it vastly reduced the amount of work involved in sealing about 100 chorizo.

Not a single one fell off so far - which I've normally suffered from no matter how careful I tie the knots with string. The loops to hang them from can be premade (or bought) and the machine seals them into the clip.

I would recommend this machine to anyone that finds sealing products with string painful.

- reddal
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redzed
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Post by redzed » Fri Dec 08, 2017 18:35

Looks like a nice machine and a bargain if it speeds up the process. :lol: Can one person handle the stuffing and clipping or do you need another set of hands?
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Post by reddal » Fri Dec 08, 2017 19:52

redzed wrote:Looks like a nice machine and a bargain if it speeds up the process. :lol: Can one person handle the stuffing and clipping or do you need another set of hands?
It was easy with one person.

In the past I've always stuffed one sausage worth, then tied that off before moving onto the next - which always took ages with fiddly knots etc and trying to get it all tight so it doesn't fall off later. With the machine it was easy to make one long sausage and then divide it up afterwards - i.e. just squeeze the casing a bit in the middle - clip at that point with a loop inside the clip, then clip a little further and cut in between.

Each sausage took just a few seconds to seal - with a secure clip at both ends and a loop of string inside the clip at the top. I did quite a lot this way - and not one has fallen off so far!

- reddal
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