Sausage making possibly dates back to the antiquity and requires a good measure of both art and science. However, the most critical part is the casing which enshrouds the ‘meat product,’ firmly binding the contents. Therefore, if you’re landing in Canada and have a passion for the sausage making process then it is important that you learn about different sausage casings and the most appropriate one for use. In this guide, you will find all that you need to know about sausage casings that you can find in Canada.
Understanding Sausage Casings
Sausage costumes refer to the materials that envelope sausage stuffing which normally comprises of ground meat, spices as well as other ingredients. They are employed as structural aids in conformation of the sausage, they also preserve the structural integrity of the sausage during cooking, and lastly they provide that texture and taste that is associated with sausages. Sausage casings are many types and they all have their own properties that will make appropriate for particular kinds of sausages.
Types of Sausage Casings Available in Canada
In Canada, sausage makers have access to three primary types of casings: It is classified into three types of collagen namely; natural collagen, chemical collagen and Synthetic collagen. All of them have their perks which make them ideal for particular kinds of sausages.
Natural Casings:
Description: Natural casings are obtained from animals’ intestines mostly from pigs, sheep or cows. They are traditional for centuries and people like them due to, which they provide a traditional, authentic experience, taste.
Advantages: Natural casings are very permeable to smoke and flavors meaning that during the smoking and flavoring stage of sausage production, the sausage is mostly covered with the casing. They also give a unique snap or bite when the sausage is cooked and which makes it delicious to consume nice.
Best For: Natural casings are perfect for creating real sausages such as bratwursts, Italian, and chorizo amongst others. They are also popular for fine and specialty sausages product.
Collagen Casings:
Description: Collagen casings are prepared from the collagen of hides, bones and tendons of animals such as cattle, poultry etc. They come in the natural covered, and also uncovered form, and some of them are edible while the other are not edible.
Advantages: One of the reasons behind the preference of collagen casings is that it is easier to use and has consistent sizes as compared to the natural casings. It is not necessary that these casings are soaked before use and besides they are available in different sizes thus enabling them to meet the required standard of sausage production.
Best For: Collagen sausage casings are highly used in production of snack sticks, its related to breakfast sausage and hot dog production. The non-edible kind is applied to produce large diameter sausages for instance salami and the casing is definitely stripped off prior to consumption.
Synthetic Casings:
Description: Synthetic casings are made from plastic or cellulose materiality as opposed to being animal based materiality. It is often inedible, and the sausage is then moulded the casing removed after cooking I used this knowledge when preparing the sausage.
Advantages: Artificial collars are smooth and even, because during the production of sausages they are produced on an industrial scale. Basically, they are well suited to the formation of sausages of required dimensions for example bologna or mortadella.
Best For: These casings are used in sausages which are processed in large quantities where the major consideration is the outer appearance and cohesiveness of the product as is the case with deli meats and certain cooked sausages.
How to Choose the Best Sausage Casings in Canada?
When selecting sausage casings in Canada, consider the following factors to ensure you choose the best option for your sausage-making needs:
Type of Sausage: The kind of sausage that you intend to produce depends on the kind of casing that you should go for. For instance, natural casings are preferred for traditional kind of sausages whereas collagen casings are ideal for uniformity for small sized sausages like the breakfast link sausages.
Cooking Method: Think on how you will be grilling your sausages. The natural casings are best used when grilling or smoking since the flavors will seep in while the collagen casings are perfect for deep frying of boiling.
Skill Level: For the first timer, it is easy to work with collagen casings since they are uniform in size and do not have to be rehydrated. Although the natural casings are more realistic in appearance they may be more difficult to manage.
Source and Quality: In Canada where you buy sausage casings must also be of the best quality and must not be a source of contamination in any way. One should look for suppliers who present a range of casing kinds and explain how to employ them.
Personal Preference: As one can deduce, it all boils down to a personal decision of which casing to use. While many producers like the authentic natural casings which are the intestines of animals, there are others who like collagen casings or the synthetic ones.
Conclusion
Selecting the right ones depends on the kind of casings you want which are discussed below before looking into the best sausage casings Canada. Whether you are making simple homemade sausages for the conventional use by your family and neighbors or if you are making sausages commercially, then casing can be very central to the kind of sausages you will produce. If one is to know the type of sausage and or the process to be executed, the expertise level one has and the quality of the casings used, then there would be worthwhile sausage-making session always.