How do you order your sausage casings?

[wolfstar]

Soooo... I am making smoked kielbasa today. For the second time from the same butcher I have had problems with them providing the amount of casings I ask for. Last time I asked for enough to do 5 pounds, I got enough to do 3. This time I asked for enough to do 10 pounds, but planned on making only 8...they sold me enough to do 4 pounds. The way they do business? I ask for casings and they go in the back and put the casings in a small plastic container like you get at the deli counter and wrap that in plastic wrap. Unless I open the package up in front of them and measure it, I have no real way of telling I am getting what I asked for.

It is a real PIA when me or my wife has to go all the way back there (45 miles, the closest place that sells casings) to get more....

So what do y'all do to make sure you get what you asked for on the first trip?

 

[Pumbaa]

I do this . . .
http://www.sausagemaker.com/naturalcasings.aspx

 

[passedpawn]

I do this . . .
http://www.sausagemaker.com/naturalcasings.aspx

I got better casings here: (I've gotten them from sausagemaker too)

http://www.butcher-packer.com/

Man do those suckers stink when I take them out of the salt! Do you guys soak in vinegar to loosen them up before you stuff them? I do and it makes a world of difference.

 

[Pumbaa]

I got better casings here: (I've gotten them from sausagemaker too)

http://www.butcher-packer.com/

Man do those suckers stink when I take them out of the salt! Do you guys soak in vinegar to loosen them up before you stuff them? I do and it makes a world of difference.

I actually found another website I like more BUT that link is on my home computer but yeah basically I just bypass the expensive and sometimes dishonest less then helpful locals

 

[gregkeller]

It's weird, but I just asked my local supermarket. I went to the meat department and asked. I know that they stuff their own sausage, so i figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. They came out with a 8 oz plastic container of casing. It was like 5 bucks and probably has enough to do tons of sausage. I really only wanted enough to do 5 lbs, but the local butcher charged me something crazy for a few feet of it. I figure it's packed in salt, and if i keep it in the fridge it will keep for a long enough time for me to use up most of it.

 

[JohnTheBrewist]

If I'm doing under 50lbs, then I usually get mine from the local mexican meat market. 8 oz will make about 20lbs, so I just ask for the amount I want by weight. You can watch them weigh it and you'll know what you've got.

But, when I happen to be near the butcher supply house, I'll usually pick up a whole hank. You can re-salt and keep them in the fridge for more than a year.