Natural casings are made from animal intestines, usually pig, sheep or beef. They are carefully cleaned and processed to remove any residue and to ensure they are safe for food use. Natural casings are more fragile than artificial casings and tend to be more difficult to handle during the filling process.
You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.
Artificial casings are made from synthetic materials, such as cellulose, collagen or plastic. They are stronger than natural casings and can be easier to handle during the filling process. Artificial casings also have the advantage of being uniform in size and shape, which can make the sausage production process more efficient.
Both types of casings have advantages and disadvantages, and the choice will depend on the producer's needs. Natural casings are often preferred by artisanal sausage makers seeking a more traditional and authentic experience, while artificial casings are more common in large commercial productions due to their uniformity and ease of use.
Authentic flavor: Natural casings have a unique texture and flavor that help to enhance the flavor of the meat and seasonings used in the sausage. This can result in a tastier and more authentic final product.
Air Permeability: Natural casings allow air to circulate around the sausage during the curing process, which helps improve the flavor and texture of the final product.
Tradition: The use of natural casings is an ancient practice in sausage production, dating back centuries. Using them to make sausages can help maintain tradition and preserve the culture of food production.
Eco-friendly: Using natural casings to make sausages can be more eco-friendly than using artificial casings, as they are biodegradable and compostable.
Variety: Natural casings are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, which can allow the producer to create a wide variety of sausages with different shapes and sizes.
Fragility: Natural casings are thinner and more fragile than collagen casings or plastic casings, which can result in rupture, holes or leaks during the production or cooking process.
Irregular: The natural variation in diameter makes it difficult for producers to assess the weight of products in advance. Some people may find that meat products packaged in natural casings have a less uniform appearance than those packaged in collagen or plastic casings.
Preparation: Natural casings require careful preparation before being used in the production of meat products. This includes removing fat and other tissue that could affect the quality of the casing and the final product.
Hygiene: Natural casings require additional care in terms of hygiene and cleaning, as they may contain bacteria and other microorganisms that can affect the quality of the final product.
Uniformity: Collagen casings are made in a controlled industrial process, which means they have a uniform thickness and are stronger than natural casings. This can help ensure the consistency of the final product and make the production process more efficient.
Hygiene: Collagen casings are made from hygienic materials and are sterilized during the production process, which can help reduce the risk of bacterial contamination.
Easy handling: Collagen casings are easier to handle than natural casings, as they are less fragile and more resistant. This can make the filling process faster and more efficient.
Conservation: Collagen casings are individually packaged and vacuum sealed, which helps extend their shelf life and reduce waste.
Flavorless: Collagen casings are odorless and flavorless, which means they do not affect the flavor of the sausage.
Suitable for restrictive diets: Collagen casings are free of fat and carbohydrates, making them a suitable option for people with dietary restrictions.
Although collagen casings are widely used in the production of meat products, they also have some disadvantages, such as:
Size limitations: Collagen casings have limitations in terms of size and diameter, which may restrict the production of certain types of meat products.
Low elasticity: Collagen casings are less elastic and expand less than natural casings, which can result in ruptures or leaks during the production or cooking process.
Temperature sensitivity: Collagen casings are more sensitive to temperature than natural casings, which can make the production process of meat products more difficult.
Appearance: Collagen casings can affect the appearance of meat products. Some people may find that meat products packaged in collagen casings have a less natural appearance than those packaged in natural casings.
Price: Collagen casings can be more expensive than natural casings, which can increase the production cost of meat products.
Sausages: Plastic casings are often used to make sausages, as they are stronger than natural casings and allow for greater uniformity and quality control in large-scale production.
Sliced products: Plastic casings are also used to package sliced meat products, such as ham, turkey breast, among others. This is because they help protect the product from oxidation and extend its useful life.
Smoked products: Plastic casings are ideal for the production of smoked meat products, such as sausages, as they are able to withstand the high temperatures of the smoking process.
Frozen products: Plastic casings are often used to package frozen meat products, as they help protect the product from freezing and dehydration.
The use of plastic casings in meat products also has some disadvantages, such as:
Loss of flavor: Plastic casings can affect the flavor of meat products as they prevent the release of vapors and gases. This can lead to a loss of flavor or aroma during the cooking process.
Appearance: The use of plastic casings may affect the appearance of meat products. Plastic casings tend to be shinier and less natural than collagen or natural casings.
Adhesion: The adhesion of plastic casings to meat can be a problem, especially when it comes to meat products that contain a high fat content. This can result in meat products with an unpleasant appearance and poor visual quality.
Environmental impact: Plastic casings are generally made from non-biodegradable materials, which can have a negative impact on the environment. Furthermore, improper disposal of plastic casings can lead to environmental pollution.
Regulatory restrictions: In some countries, plastic casings are prohibited for use in meat products due to food safety and consumer health concerns.
Smoked sausages: Cellulose casings are good for smoked sausages as they are able to withstand the high temperatures of the smoking process. Additionally, the cellulose casings are air permeable and allow smoke to penetrate the sausage, which contributes to the characteristic smoky flavor and aroma.
Sausages and cooked sausages: Cellulose casings are also used for sausages and other cooked sausages, as they are able to withstand the high temperatures of the cooking process and maintain the shape and volume of the sausage.
Cured sausages: Cellulose casings are also used for cured sausages, such as salami, because they help maintain their shape and prevent moisture loss during the aging process. Furthermore, cellulose casings are air permeable and allow beneficial microorganisms from starter cultures to develop inside the sausage, contributing to the characteristic flavor and aroma.
Vegetarian products: Cellulose casings are a suitable option for vegetarian products as they do not contain ingredients of animal origin.
Although cellulose casings are a popular option for certain types of meat products, they also have some disadvantages, such as:
Cost: Cellulose casings are more expensive than natural casings or collagen casings, which can increase the production cost of meat products.
Manufacturing process: The manufacturing of cellulose casings is a complex process that involves mixing cellulose, water and other chemical additives. This can make the production of cellulose casings more difficult and complicated than the production of other types of casings.
Consumer rejection: Some consumers may prefer meat products packaged in natural or collagen casings rather than cellulose casings due to their appearance and texture.
Size Limitations: Cellulose casings generally have a limited size, which may restrict the production of some types of meat products.
Non-biodegradable: Cellulose casings are not biodegradable, which can be a problem from an environmental point of view, especially if they are not disposed of correctly.
Buying a dedicated sausage stuffer is usually the final step on your journey to becoming a sausage-obsessed maniac.
By this point, you’ve probably become frustrated with using the attachment that came with your meat grinder.
For a budget-friendly stuffer for making small batches, we recommend the MEAT! Your Maker 5lb Sausage Stuffer. It’s a manual stuffer but has plenty of features that make it easy to use. If you want to make a lot of sausage, you’ll want to go for a motorized option like the LEM 20 Pound Motorized Sausage Stuffer.
Keep reading, and we’ll take you through all of the best sausage stuffers for making your own sausage.
Meat! Your Maker vertical sausage stuffers are great competitors in the market space.
You can choose from either 5 lb and 15 lb varieties, depending on your sausage-making requirements.
I’ve tested both models. The 5lb is good value for money compared to other stuffers on the market. If you want to make a lot of sausage and don’t want to reload, then it would be worth upgrading to the 15 lb model.
All the removable parts are made of stainless steel and feel high quality. Assembly and cleaning were a breeze.
There are three different-sized stuffing tubes included, for making a variety of different types of sausage.
I found the air release valve super handy to clear the cylinder of air so it doesn’t get trapped in the casings.
While the unit moved around a little while I used it, it has mounting holes so you can secure it to a surface.
Or just get someone to hold it while you are cranking.
Meat! (or Meat! Your Maker) is a new brand, making a big impact in the home meat processing space with a range of meat grinders, food slicers, and dehydrators.
The Meat! 5lb vertical stuffer is a quality and effective manual stuffer that’s ideal for casual-to-frequent stuffing needs.
Pengkai Machinery supply professional and honest service.
Stepping up to a 20-pound, motorized sausage stuffer puts you into the enthusiast territory.
If you need to process a lot of sausage, you’ll appreciate the one-person operation, power, and precision of the LEM motorized stuffer. You can select eight different speeds depending on how fast you want to go.
There’s a foot switch included to free up your hands. Once you’ve tried making sausage with a foot pedal you’ll never want to go back to manual.
Also included are four stuffing tubes, measuring 1/2″, 5/8″, 1″ and 1-1/4″.
This stuffer comes in a range of configurations and only two of them are motorized (20 and 30lb models) so be sure you select the right when to go to purchase.
Coming in a little cheaper than the Meat! we have the Hakka stuffer. This model also has 2lb more capacity to work with.
Hakka has a range of options. You can choose from vertical and horizontal options and capacities ranging from 7lb – 30lb for vertical and 7lb – 15lb for horizontal.
Build quality and features don’t change, so consider how much meat you want to process. The larger the volume, the more sausages you can make in a single batch without having to refill.
One thing to note, in real-world use, you won’t be able to fit the exact size of meat in. On the 11lb stuffer, you might find around 9lbs.
The base, plate, cylinder, stuffing tubes, and canister are all stainless steel, and all parts that contact food directly reach SGS food hygiene standards.
The handle is well-sized, and you can switch between two different speeds depending on the position of the handle.
The base is also solid and stable. This unit won’t move around on the bench while you are stuffing.
The Hakka Sausage Stuffer is a reliable and efficient manual stuffer that’s ideal for daily or weekly sausage-stuffing needs.
Lots of us start our sausage-making journey by picking up the grinder attachment for the KitchenAid mixer.
This kit consists of two different stuffing tubes that measure in at 3/8 of an inch and 5/8 of an inch, respectively.
The tubes are accompanied by a plastic attachment ring to secure the tubes to the KitchenAid grinder firmly.
Each of the tubes is made of a durable plastic that is dishwasher safe to allow for easier cleaning.
We have a more detailed KitchenAid Meat Grinder review you can check out.
Considering the low price, this is a great option if you are only going to make sausage occasionally or in small batches and already have a KitchenAid grinder.
I wouldn’t recommend going down the KitchenAid path if you plan on making hundreds of pounds of sausage a year.
This is the more budget, manual version of the electric stuffer we’ve already reviewed.
It comes in several sizes and is available in both vertical and horizontal varieties.
The LEM Vertical Manual Stuffer has a cylinder that is easily removable for both filling and cleaning. You won’t have to awkwardly maneuver the stuffer around when beginning your work.
It’s got two clamps to secure the unit to your countertop and three different plastic stuffing tubes for different sizes of links.
A 2-year warranty is included that covers parts and labor. All of these aspects combine to make this stuffer well worth its asking price.
If you already own meat grinder, it could already include some sausage stuffing capability.
So why spend the money on a dedicated sausage stuffer?
Meat grinders are primarily designed to grind meat (duh!) and are not shaped and specialized for loading ground meat into a sausage casing the way a stuffer is.
A dedicated sausage stuffer has advantages like:
If you plan on eating sausage frequently, you’ll get a lot more mileage out of a sausage stuffer than you would a meat grinder.
On the other hand, if you’ll only enjoy sausage once in a while it may not be economically worthwhile to purchase the extra machine.
It all depends on your needs.
These are the most important factors to keep in mind when choosing your ideal sausage stuffer.
There are three types of sausage stuffer you might find.
Most of the sausage stuffers in this guide come in multiple sizes.
You want one that is big enough so you’re not constantly reloading, but it also needs to fit in your kitchen, and you should be comfortable moving it around. Not many people want to leave the sausage stuffer out on the kitchen all the time.
Most home use sausage stuffers start at around 3 pounds and will go all the way up to 30.
We find that somewhere between 5-10 is perfect for most people, while hunters or people who process a serious amount of meat will want to step up to a 20lb+ stuffer.
You’ll also pay extra for larger sizes.
You can find sausage stuffers in either motorized or manual variants.
Motorized or electric sausage stuffers are more expensive than manual sausage stuffers.
But they have an advantage in that they are usually quicker at stuffing sausage tubes. They are also much easier to use than manual stuffers, as no muscle power is required on your part.
The best-motorized stuffers come with a foot pedal which frees up your hands.
Manual sausage stuffers come in a wide variety of sizes and builds. You can use these types of stuffers anywhere you like since the presence of an electrical outlet is not necessary.
Manual stuffers tend to be smaller and more compact than electric stuffers. Those are often attached to a larger meat grinder unit.
They also tend to be cheaper than their electric counterparts. The biggest downside is that you won’t have both hands free to focus on making the sausages.
Sausage stuffing is typically a two-person job. One person either turns the hand crank or controls the electric switch. The other moves the sausage casing along and presses out air pockets.
But a foot switch eliminates the need for a second person. A foot switch allows you to turn an electric stuffer on or off so you can use your hands to control the casing of your sausage. Electric stuffers that have foot switches are usually a little more expensive than models that do not. But this can be a handy feature if you don’t always have a helper around when making your own sausage.
Finally, don’t forget the price.
For a well made, dedicated stuffer, you are looking at spending over $100.
That will get you a very high quality unit, that should last you for many years.
We recommend spending a little extra money if possible and getting the best sausage stuffer you can. You’ll be more likely to get a high-quality stuffer if you spend a bit more. You may also save money in the long run since higher-priced stuffers aren’t as likely to break down, requiring you to buy a new model entirely.
The best way to learn how to use a sausage stuffer is to see it in action. You can see the general process in my sausage-making video on YouTube.
We’ve also broken the steps down for you below.
You can read our guide on how to make your own sausage.
Any of these choices will be excellent for stuffing sausage, but the MEAT! Your Maker 5lb Sausage Stuffer is the best for most people. It has durable and sanitary parts, and a well-designed cylinder.
Operating and cleaning this sausage stuffer is much easier than relying on a grinder or filling your casings by hand.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website sausage clips.