Snack Stick Casing Issue

[reprice]

First batch of 80/20 beef snack sticks today with 19mm collagen casings. Good protein extraction and easy stuffing with slightly less water than recipe. Problem is the ends of the tubes oozed out when cut to length. Don’t believe casings were over-filled, but there seemed to be a little residual pressure released when cut. Temp of the mix had risen up into the 40’s F–is re-chilling before stuffing recommended to help prevent the oozing?

[Jonathon]

reprice Just to be sure the casings were the 19mm smoked collagen right? Can you attach any pictures of what the ends look like? How much product oozed out, was it just bulbs at the cut or did it leak out of the casing and land on your drip tray or bottom of the smoker?

If your meat had gotten into the 40s when mixing I would have stuck it back in the freezer for a while before stuffing. I’m not convinced this is the cause of the oozing though. Let me know about the above questions and I will talk with our food scientist here and see what he thinks.

[reprice]

Thanks for prompt reply. Yes, casings were smoked collagen, but too late for photos (had already trimmed ends). Oozing ranged from about 1/4" to 3/4" at each cut end, with most 1/2" or less, and no drips below. This was the first time for me using such a narrow (1/2") stuffing tube, and I was concerned that the meat mix remain fluid, for easier cranking. Maybe next time I’ll use a little less water, and add a brief trip to the freezer before stuffing.

[Jonathon]

reprice I think you are correct if you reduced the water a little that would clear up and stop happening. I’m not sure if a trip to the fridge would help this but it certainly wouldn’t hurt so I would recommend you do that as well! Also, I’m not sure if you used a binder or not but that might also help. I’d go with either Sure Gel or Carrot Fiber. Let us know how the next batch goes!