# Trouble with getting casing to stick to meat in pepperoni snack sticks



## threemuch (Mar 11, 2015)

I have been trying to make my own pepperoni this year, with limited success.  Product tastes great, but the casings are not adhering well to the meat.  

I am making pepperoni with duck and goose meat ground with bacon ends at a 4 to 1 ratio. I then season the meat, put the cure in, and then stuff into 19mm brown collagen casings with a 5 pound LEM vertical stuffer.  90% was spicy cayenne pepperoni with high melt cheddar cheese. My kids will eat that stuff like it's their job.

I then hung them in my PID controlled electric UDS.  I have two coils on the bottom with chip pans on them hooked to the PID.  I started at 135F and ramped up 10 degrees every two hours until I hit 165.  Then I waited 2 more hours for internal temp to get to 155.  Then I pulled them and put them in an ice bath.  I did this because I was told by a pro sausage maker that might help my problem.  Then I hung them back up and let them dry at room temp before putting them in the fridge for 24 hours and then vac packing.

The result tastes great, but the casings are only adhered in some locations and not others.  Subsequently people don't know if the casing is edible, or if they want to eat it.  For home consumption it's fine, but I couldn't give it out as gifts.  It looks ugly and everyone likes the "snap" they get from good collagen casings on pepperoni sticks.

Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong?  What causes the protein bond between the casing and the skin?  What could get in the way?  

The duck and goose grind really, really wet and gooey.  I would think this would help with casing adhesion, but maybe not?

Thanks in advance for any help for a newbie!  I feel like an idiot because I get the impression looking around the internet that this is not a common problem.


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## daveomak (Mar 11, 2015)

Do not chill the sticks....   let them cool to room temp so the casing will shrink.....   These were not chilled in running water or ice bath....  they were left hanging in the smoker with the dampers wide open and door open...
When mixing the meat, be sure it is mixed thoroughly and for awhile, until the meat becomes sticky...   then stuff.... 













21ffad72_StringKnotsoncasings.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Mar 11, 2015


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## gary s (Mar 11, 2015)

Those look good

gary


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## dirtsailor2003 (Mar 11, 2015)

With the collagen casings I don't chill, straight hang and dry for 24 hours with the sticks. 

I've been having an issue this year with our fresh breakfast sausage using Colleen casings after its been frozen. Once in the pan the collagen casings start coming off. Which is fine I just peel them off and keep cooking the links without. Pitch the collagen and just eat the now caseless links.


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## gary s (Mar 11, 2015)

I'm learning lots of good stuff

gary


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## driedstick (Mar 12, 2015)

I had the same problem on mine ((and I know Dirtsailor will not agreeLOL)) but I found out if I cut back on the water they adhere better. Are you using any water in your recipe?? 

A full smoker is a happy smoker 

DS


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## elginplowboy (Mar 12, 2015)

Dave has u covered. No ice bath for small sticks. Also never put cold meat into hot smoker. I pull from the fridge and let hang for about 1hr to get to room temp before going into the smoker. Good luck


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## threemuch (Mar 12, 2015)

driedstick said:


> I had the same problem on mine ((and I know Dirtsailor will not agreeLOL)) but I found out if I cut back on the water they adhere better. Are you using any water in your recipe??
> 
> A full smoker is a happy smoker
> 
> DS


no extra water but waterfowl grinds really wet.  Might let it dry some before I grind it.


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