Chitterlings - definition of chitterlings by The Free Dictionary Chitterlings - definition of chitterlings by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Medical , Wikipedia . chit·ter·lings also chit·lins or chit·lings (chĭt′lĭnz) pl.n. The small intestines of pigs, especially when cooked and eaten as food. [From Middle English chiterling, probably diminutive of Old English *cieter, intestines.] chitterlings chitlings pl n (Cookery) (sometimes singular) the intestines of a pig or other animal prepared as a dish. Also called: chitlin [C13: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Middle High German kutel] chit•ter•lings n. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) the small intestine of swine, esp. when prepared as food. [1250–1300; Middle English cheterling; akin to German Kutteln in same sense] Chitlins Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content .

Link to this page: variety meat References in classic literature ? Tell 'em at hwome that I should like for supper,--well, lamb's fry if they can get it; and if they can't, black-pot; and if they can't get that, well chitterlings will do. View in context An' when I'd got 'em, my head was all of a boil like a kettle o' broth, thinkin' what sort o' life I should take to, for there war a many trades I'd thought on; for as for the barge, I'm clean tired out wi't, for it pulls the days out till they're as long as pigs' chitterlings. chitterlings - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com Random Word chitterlings Chitterlings are a type of food with an unappetizing origin: they’re the small intestines of a pig. Chitterlings are served boiled or fried. Many parts of a pig are used as food, but you’d think we’d draw the line with something as gross as its guts. However, you’d think wrong, because this is exactly what chitterlings are: a pig’s small intestines.

Chitterlings are then boiled or fried, and they’re often filled with mincemeat. Chitterlings can come from other animals too, but they’re usually from a pig. If you eat these on a regular basis, you may know them as chitlins. Chitterlings | Define Chitterlings at Dictionary.com chitterlings [chit-linz, -lingz] /ˈtʃɪt lɪnz, -lɪŋz/ Spell noun, (used with a singular or plural verb) 1. the small intestine of swine, especially when prepared as food. Expand Also, chitlins [chit-linz] /ˈtʃɪt lɪnz/ (Show IPA).

Origin of chitterlings 1250-1300; Middle English cheterling; akin to German Kutteln in same sense Dictionary.com Unabridged Examples from the Web for chitterlings Expand British Dictionary definitions for chitterlings Expand (sometimes sing) the intestines of a pig or other animal prepared as a dish Word Origin C13: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Middle High German kutel Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for chitterlings Expand n. late 13c., cheterlingis "entrails, souse" (early 13c. in surnames), origins obscure, but probably from an unrecorded Old English word having something to do with entrails (related to Old English cwið "womb;" cf.

German Kutteln "guts, bowels, tripe, chitterlings," Gothic qiþus "womb"). Variants chitlins (1842) and chitlings (1880) both also had a sense of "shreds, tatters." "While I was in this way rollin' in clover, by picturin' what was to be, they wur tarin' my character all to chitlins up at home." [John S. Robb, "Streaks of Squatter Life," Philadelphia, 1843] Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Chitterlings and Chitlins Recipe, Whats Cooking America 2 large onions, coarsely chopped 2 large potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 green or red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste Hot pepper sauce Instructions: Cleaning Chitterlings: Soak the chitterlings in cold water throughout the cleaning stage. Each chitterling should be examined and run under cold water and all foreign materials should be removed and discarded.

Chitterlings should retain some fat, so be careful to leave some on. Using a small soft brush, clean chitterlings thoroughly; rinse in several changes of cold water. Cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces. Place the cleaned chitterlings into a large pot; cover with water and vinegar. Add bay leaves, onions, potatoes, green or red pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil; turn heat to low and simmer approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until chitterlings are tender. Remove from heat and drain well. Serve with your favorite hot pepper sauce. Makes 6 servings. Health Officials Issue Precautions for Preparing Chitterlings by Virginia Health Department Families across Virginia will soon be cooking holiday meals. If your meal includes chitterlings (pig intestines), the Virginia Department of Health has recommendations for preparation that will keep your family from getting sick. "When preparing chitterlings the best way to avoid bacterial contamination and illness is to buy pre-cooked chitterlings," recommends State Health Commissioner Robert Stroube, M.D., M.P.H. "If raw chitterlings are used, they should be preboiled for five minutes before preparing as usual.

Pre-boiling makes cleaning chitterlings easier and faster and does not change the taste." Dr. Stroube warns that bacteria in raw chitterlings or pig intestines can cause severe diarrhea, especially in infants. Chitterlings, commonly called chitlins, may contain the Yersinia bacteria. The bacteria are spread from raw chitterlings by hands or by eating or drinking contaminated food or liquids. "Preparing chitlins is a lengthy process. Contamination within the home is hard to avoid. Baby food or formula should not be prepared or handled while preparing chitterlings due the potential for contamination. Infant formula or food should not be placed anywhere near raw chitterlings in the refrigerator. The Yersinia bacteria are different than many bacteria, because they multiply and spread even in the cold," Dr. Stroube said. Yersinia can cause severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. The symptoms usually begin within three to seven days after contact with the bacteria. Infants and small children who contract yersiniosis may require hospitalization, although the illness rarely causes death. Older children and adults may experience appendicitis-like stomach pain.

The Virginia Department of Health recommends the following tips when cooking chitlins: Wrap the container containing the raw chitlins in plastic wrap when thawing in the refrigerator. Keep children out of the kitchen until the chitlins are pre-boiled and the kitchen is thoroughly cleaned. Handle raw chitlins as little as possible until after they have been pre-boiled. Keep raw chitlins away from all baby food and formula. After touching the chitlins, wash your hands with warm water and soap, and clean under your nails. Clean sinks and all places touched by raw chitlins or their juice with hot soapy water or a chlorine bleach solution. Wrap all waste promptly and throw into an outside garbage can. Clean all pots, pans, buckets and utensils in the dishwasher or in hot soapy water. Wash dishcloths, towels or sponges used in cleanup in hot water. Chitlin - definition of Chitlin by The Free Dictionary Chitlin - definition of Chitlin by The Free Dictionary Related to Chitlin: chitlin circuit chit·ter·lings also chit·lins or chit·lings (chĭt′lĭnz) pl.n.

The small intestines of pigs, especially when cooked and eaten as food. [From Middle English chiterling, probably diminutive of Old English *cieter, intestines.] chitterlings chitlings pl n (Cookery) (sometimes singular) the intestines of a pig or other animal prepared as a dish. Also called: chitlin [C13: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Middle High German kutel] chit•ter•lings n. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) the small intestine of swine, esp. when prepared as food. [1250–1300; Middle English cheterling; akin to German Kutteln in same sense] Chitlins Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: References in periodicals archive ? The bands are: Girls on Girls, Blood Brothers, On The 5, Touched, Chitlin Brothers and Back Lash.

Indianola The other is a series of monologues (in wildly inventive, time -traveling pun-dialect--"Just surviving this was a chitlin circuit flangebanged worth staggering the ranch"--that reminded me of the Nadsat slang created by Anthony Burgess in A Clockwork Orange) spoken by "Hannie" (or, in one case, "Hammie") "Oakley," like the lines "Here's a theory of performance for you: aim for the rafters.

Life and career of guitar legend Jimi; Music When my shit blowz up it blowz up I don't give a f--k who ripped by the explosion who knocked out the dome until they doze in who close in to stifle the blast rip the white trash my noise, stan a revolution call il ruclion jam down & return with a jewel from the rootman's nazarene crown rep like religion preachin & ieuchin turnin the white man ladies feelin my diction stroking, caressin repressin corruption f-kin em up spontaneously combustin leave fools cussin & broke in bell's kitchen rob a store to buy a chitlin you don't know nothing bout livin so listen as I drop my wisdom jah kingdom inhale pollution exhale vision. Brains, Intestines, Pizzle - Chowhound Brains, Intestines, Pizzle By Eric Slatkin , published on Monday, April 16, 2007 / Edit Post Offal, the edible entrails and internal organs of animals, is widely regarded in American society as the Fear Factor cuts of meat.

For the past few years though, chefs have been integrating offal into their menus, exposing squeamish Americans to what was historically a poor man’s meal. Cooking it at home is the next step; cuts of offal are sold at ethnic markets, and surprisingly, a large selection is carried at Wal-Mart. Butchers will also be able to get it, though it typically has to be ordered, and is often shipped frozen. 1. Liver. The gateway meal to offal, liver is widely enjoyed chopped, in pâté, and simply fried with onions. Lamb, chicken, duck, pig, and cows or calves are all fair game for liver-lovers, though cows’ livers are thought to have too pungent a flavor for many palates. Liver is often used as a base to build off of in regional dishes like haggis or faggots . 2. Sweetbreads. These come from either the pancreas or the thymus of a young pig, lamb, or calf. They are soft in texture and mellow in flavor. Sweetbreads are common on restaurant menus; they are often lightly battered and pan- or deep-fried.

Don’t be fooled by the name, as they are neither naturally sweet nor bready (though sometimes breaded). 3. Head Cheese. Head cheese has nothing to do with cheese and a lot to do with heads. It’s a terrine made by slowly cooking a pig’s head in broth until all the meat, gelatin, and fat can be pulled from the bones. It’s often served cold. Chef Fergus Henderson explains in The Whole Beast that he likes to throw in a few trotters (pigs’ feet) for good measure. He pairs it with his Sorrel, Chicory, and Crispy Ear Salad. 4. Chitterlings (Chitlins). The uncontested American patriot of offal, chitlins are made from the small intestines of pigs. A staple in Southern culture, especially during the holidays, they’re typically deep-fried or thrown into a stew. There are multiple festivals dedicated to chitlins, notably the Chitlin’ Strut in South Carolina, which has been around since 1966. People get sick each year from improperly cleaned chitlins, so many Southern states give guidelines—like Georgia, which offers an unappetizing but informative poster . 5.

Oxtail. Richard Shepard of J.W. Treuth & Sons in Maryland says that oxtails (historically from oxen but now usually from cows) are spiking in popularity. A good butcher, says Shepard, will make the slice between the vertebrae at the end of the spinal column, which will provide a cut with flavorful cartilage as well as some meat, most of which sits at the base of the tail. A common preparation is a long, slow braise, though Shepard likes Caribbean-style oxtail stew. 6. Kidneys. Chef Laurent Quenioux of Bistro K in Pasadena, California, enjoys cooking and eating veal or goat kidneys because of their strong, distinct flavor and firm texture. When prepared correctly, he says, they should be “crunchy in the mouth.” Quenioux says that in France kidneys come surrounded by fat, and are much better to cook with, but the USDA requires that the fat be separated from the kidneys. According to Quenioux, people sometimes describe a faint taste of ammonia, which should be a marker that these cuts aren’t for everyone. 7. Tripe.

Spongy-textured tripe usually comes from the first three stomachs of the cow: the rumen (referred to as smooth tripe), the reticulum (honeycomb tripe), and the omasum (book or leaf tripe). The USDA bleaches all tripe to clean it of impurities, which changes it from gray to white, but Brian Cunningham of Niman Ranch claims this is an unnecessary step and potentially damaging to tripe’s rich flavor. 8. Blood. If you’ve ever pricked your finger and sucked, you pretty much have a sense of the flavor of blood. But according to CHOW Associate Food Editor Regan Burns, magic happens when blood (typically it’s pig’s blood) is cooked and combined with meats and fats to become sausage. There’s a blood sausage variant in almost every culture. Burns is a proponent of the Catalan variant, the butifarra negra . 9. Brains. The Dutch-German communities that settled in the Ohio River Valley brought with them many things, including their recipe for brain. The Hilltop Inn in Evansville, Indiana, has served it up since the restaurant was built in the 1840s.

Co-owner Lanette Snyder made a cow brain sandwich until two years ago, when the USDA outlawed brains from cows over 30 months old for fear of mad cow disease. She says it took her six months to test and re-create an acceptable recipe for the still-legal pork brains. “Pig brains are more delicate and fall apart much easier than cow brains, which have a chunkier texture,” she states. “People were hesitant at first to the change, but now say that they like the creaminess of the pig and its texture better.” 10. Pizzle. Not usually found on Michelin-rated wine lists, pizzle wine is a traditional Chinese remedy for diminished virility. It’s made from any combination of powdered dog, horse, deer, seal, sheep, or ox penis. Powdered seal penis is an expensive commodity, so be sure you’re getting the real thing: A 1998 study reported that powdered pizzle sold in Toronto as seal penis included dog DNA. Pizzle isn’t always powdered—ox penis is said to be excellent poached in vinegar and sautéed. CASINGS CASINGS Casings are soft cylindrical containers used to contain sausage mixes (Fig. 314).

Casings can be of natural origin or artificial. Natural casings are obtained from animal intestines derived from slaughtering. Manufactured artificial casings are made of cellulose, collagen or synthetic materials. Sausage fillings are mostly minced or comminuted meat mixes held together by the casings during further processing steps such as smoking, boiling, frying or roasting. In addition, casings also protect products during storage. Fig. 314: Casing of different colour Natural casings Natural casings are mainly derived from small and large intestines from sheep, goats and pigs, but also from cattle and horses. They are strong enough to resist the pressure produced by filling them with sausage mix are permeable to water vapour and gases, thus allowing fillings to dry 1 absorb smoke for additional flavour and preservation expand or shrink firmly attached to the sausage mix and can be closed at the ends by tying or clipping. Small intestines of sheep, goats and pigs are popular small calibre natural casings. They are processed in a way that makes them tender (edible) (see page 252) and are mostly eaten with the sausage (Fig. 323).

Many other parts of the intestinal tract of slaughter animals can also be used for natural casings. Those casings are processed differently and have stronger and tougher casing walls. Due to their toughness they are generally not considered “edible” (although not unfit for human consumption) (Fig. 205, 320) and are usually peeled off before consuming the sausages. 1) Reduction in moisture content -“drying”- is only needed and desirable for raw-fermented sausages (see page 115). In many parts of the world the proper manufacture of sausage casings from animal intestines is unknown. Intestines, if not used for human food, are often wasted. Many people in the livestock and meat sector are unaware that processing of intestines into natural casings for sausage production is relatively simple and can be a profitable 1 business. If natural casings can be produced locally, this may help to reduce overall production costs. Even in remote or rural settings with no access to commercial casing suppliers, natural casings can easily be processed from intestines derived from local slaughter.

The availability of locally produced natural casings will considerably facilitate rural meat processing but proper advice and training on casing preparation is essential (for technical instructions see page 253). Anatomically the walls of the intestinal tract of slaughter animals consist of four layers of intestinal tissue. These layers from inside to outside are: Mucose membrane (I), submucose membrane (II), muscular layer (circular and longitudinal) (III) and serose membrane (IV). For natural casing manufacture, one or more of these layers are removed during casing processing depending on the type of casing (thin/thick, edible/non-edible) to be fabricated. Fig. 315: Animal small intestine, cross section From inside: Fig. 317: Gastro-intestinal tract of sheep Natural casings from sheep: Sheep casing (small intestines) (1) Sheep fore-stomach and tripes (cleaned and scalded stomach) (2) From the gastro-intestinal tract of sheep and goats (Fig. 317) normally only the small intestines are processed to be used as casings for products such as fresh frying sausages, frankfurters, BBQ sausages, hot dogs and thin dried fermented sausages.

These casings are processed in a way that they become tender enough to be easily chewed (see Fig. 316 and page 252). Usually they are not peeled off before consumption but eaten together with the sausage filling. Therefore they are called “edible” in this context. All other natural casings are also edible in principle, but most of them are peeled off as they are too tough to be chewed. Processing of small intestines at medium- to the small-scale level The processing of natural casings must be started as soon as possible after slaughter, as bacterial spoilage of the intestines tissues sets in rapidly. For ease of processing it is recommended to start the operation while the intestines are still warm. The small intestines are detached from adhering mesenteric (connective and fatty) tissue (Fig. 318, step 1). The intestinal content is removed manually (Fig 318, step 2). The empty casings are flushed with water and subsequently de-slimed by using either manual or electrically operated casing-cleaning machines. For this purpose, the small intestines are passed through a set of rollers to loosen the tissue layers (Fig.

318, step 3) and to remove the “slime”. “Slime” is the internal layer of the intestine, basically the internal (“mucose”) membrane (Fig. 315, I and Fig. 316). In the slaughtered animal this membrane disintegrates rapidly and can easily be removed. Because of its structure it is commonly known as “slime”. The removal of the “slime” can also be done manually by using a tablespoon or a specially shaped piece of wood. With the spoon firmly pressed onto the intestine, and pulling the intestine through in its full length between spoon and finger, the internal (“mucous”) membrane can be loosened and removed. The loosened tissues inside the casing are pressed out manually (see Fig. 318, step 5.) and the remainder rinsed off with water. Parts of the outside layers (“serous” membrane) are automatically removed when detaching the small intestine from the mesenteric tissue (Fig. 318, step 1 and step 4). The rest of the outside layer and the intermediate (“muscular”) layer will be removed during the casing de-sliming and cleaning operation.

The remaining strong-elastic tissue is a layer composed mainly of connective tissues (“submucous membrane”) (Fig. 315 II, Fig. 316, Fig. 318, step 6, b2). This connective tissue membrane forms the edible sheep casing. Sheep casings are not reversed (turned inside out) during their processing. For completion of the processing, the casings are inflated for grading, flushed with salted water, stripped for water removal, dry salted (Fig. 318, step 7) and stored in a cool place, preferably in the chiller. In this form they can be stored for three months, preferably under storage temperatures not exceeding +15°C. By no means should natural casings be frozen, as they would lose their elasticity and firmness. The average length of the small intestine from sheep is 17 to 24 meters depending on the size of the animal.

Sheep and goat casings for the international casing trade are produced in largely mechanized operations, usually packed in hanks (91.4m or 100 yards) and graded according to their diameter and colour coded as follows: 28/ + mm 14/16 mm yellow Sheep casings, as well as other natural casings are soaked in water before filling the sausage mix. This treatment removes part of the salt and the casing walls become more elastic, as their collagen fibers absorb water. Addition of organic acids, in particular lactic acid (2% to the water), also assists in this process. Fig. 318: Processing steps for small intestines Step 1: Separation of the small intestines from mesenteric tissue Step 2: Stripping out intestinal content Step 3: Loosening of tissue layers using a small-scale manual casing cleaning machine Fig.

318: Processing steps for small intestines (continued) Step 4: Removal of remaining parts of the serose membrane Step 5: Removal of "slime" by using spoon (white arrow) Step 6: Flushing of clean casings The photo shows the remaining submucose membrane b1/b2 ("edible" casing) a = unprocessed casing b1 = processed casing (slimed and cleaned) b2 = processed casing (slimed and cleaned and being flushed with water) c = "slime" removed from inside of casing d = tissue layers removed from outside Step 7: Salting of clean "edible" casings for storage Fig. 319: Small-calibre sausages in "edible" sheep casings Fig. 320: Large-calibre sausage in large pig intestine (pig middles) (not "edible") Pig casings Fig.

321: Gastro-intestinal tract of pigs Natural casings from pigs: Oesophagus and tongue (1), stomach (2), small intestine (3), cap (4), pig middles (chitterlings) (5), pig middles (after ends) (6), pig bung (7), pig bladder (8) Several parts of pig intestines are processed to casings (Fig. 321). The most important are the small intestines. The processing technique used is similar to the procedure for sheep casings. Hence they are also considered “edible” (Fig. 322, 323). Small pig intestines, also called rounds, with an average length of 15 to 20m, are mainly used as casings for fresh sausages (e.g. fried sausages, Fig. 322), raw/cooked sausages and dried fermented sausages (e.g. chorizos) (see also pages 103, 115, 127).

Pig rounds are packed in hanks of 100 yards (91.4 m), consisting of 15 to 20 single casing strings of 18 ft each (5.5m), sorted according to their diameter and colour coded as follows: - /26 mm Fig. 322: Fresh sausages in pig casings (for frying) Fig. 323: Raw-cooked sausages in pig casing, left cut open Pig middles (large intestines with an average length of 3 m) and the cap (Fig. 324) are used as casings for coarse liver sausage (see Fig. 320) and sometimes also for salamis. The bung (last part of the gastro-intestinal tract with an average length of 0.8 m) is due to its strength and shape used as casing for products such as cervelat (finely chopped dry fermented salami) and fine emulsified liver paste. Also the bladder can be used for products such as black pudding or gelatinous meat mixes (see page 164, 166). Fig.

324: Salted pig stomach and cap (above), pig middles and bung (below) These parts of the pig intestines are stripped of their intestinal content and must be reversed (turned inside out), washed and slimed (removal of internal slimy cover, now situated outside due to reversing the intestine). In contracts to the processing of “edible” sheep and pig casings from small intestines, only the mucose membrane is removed through “sliming” from the large intestines and most of the serosa will automatically be detached during separating from the mesenteric tissue. The casing wall is therefore composed of a submucose membrane and muscular layer. These casings are relatively strong and tough and are usually not eaten with the sausage (Fig. 320). Pig stomachs can be processed in two ways. If the stomachs are to be incorporated into meat mixes for sausage, they are scalded before further processing. If they are used as casings, only a small opening is made, through which they are cleaned by flushing with plenty of clean water. Thereafter they are turned inside out and kept in salt.

They are used as casing for precooked-cooked sausages such as gelatinous meat mixes (Fig. 205) and blood sausages such as black pudding (see page 164). Before being used they need to be soaked in warm water to regain elasticity and to wash out the adhering salt. Beef casings 1 Several parts of the gastro-intestinal tract of cattle (Fig. 325) are used as casings in sausage production. Small intestines -“rounds”- have a typical circular shape and are used for stuffing sausages such as lyoner, liver and blood sausages and dried fermented beef products. Rounds are 40 m long and are normally readily available where cattle are slaughtered. They are used for all types of sausages in Muslim countries. The middles are around 7 m long and used for dried fermented and precooked-cooked sausages such as hunter’s sausage and coarse liver sausage. The blind gut is also used for precooked-cooked sausages and raw-cooked products such as large bologna etc. Their diameter varies from 76 to 102mm.

Beef bladders are used for mortadellas and other specialities. In preparation for processing, beef rounds are turned inside out and slimed. The mucose and serose membranes are removed from the intestines, leaving the submucose and muscular layer. The processing of beef small intestines does not remove the muscular layer (see Fig. 316) as it is the case when processing small sheep and pig intestines. 1) If should be noted that from 2001 in the EU no beef casings can be processed but the cattle tract from duodenum to rectum must be condemned due to BSE concern. Certain non-EU countries are authorized to produce beef casings for the EU. Although these natural casings are edible they are usually not eaten due to their tough casing walls. After submerging the casings in water and thorough washing, the beef rounds are calibrated, tied and salted. Salted rounds are marketed in sets of around 100 yards (91.4m), each set containing a maximum of five pieces. Fig.

325: Gastro-intestinal tract of cattle Natural casings from cattle: Beef rectum (6) Beef bladder (7) The beef middles are separated from the mesenteric fat (ruffle), flushed out with water, trimmed free of fat, turned inside out, slimed and salted. Beef middles include the “straight” casing (long, not curved part) and are packed in sets each measuring about 17m after salting and composed of 5 pieces. Beef middles (narrow end, wide end and fat end) are used as containers for different salamis and other large-diameter sausage products. Beef bladders are washed, turned inside out and either salted or inflated with air and dried, before they are used for different sausage specialties. Beef bladders are usually graded in large, medium and small sizes. Recommended treatment of natural casings Natural casings are usually available and best stored dry-salted. Prior to the filling of sausage mix into such kind of casings all the adhering salt must be washed off with cold water.

Dry-salted casings need to be then soaked in water for several hours (3-5 hours in lukewarm water or over night in cold water). Soaking in water does not only remove remaining salt but also serves to make the connective tissue fibres of the casing wall more elastic in order to optimally enclose and hold the sausage mix to be filled. Addition of lactic acid (2%) to the water can support this process further. An alternative way of storing natural casings is in saturated salt solutions. This is the ready-to-fill natural casing type, as it requires only brief soaking periods ranging from minutes to up to one hour, and proper rinsing. This type must always be stored chilled. Recommended periods for soaking in water Dry salted natural casings: (saturated salt solution) Sensory and hygienic quality The principle for optimal natural casing production is to start processing the casing as soon as possible after slaughter. Intestines should ideally be processed when still warm as they are easier to manipulate (cleaning, sliming, washing) and bacterial growth can still be contained.

The subsequent salt treatment, usually dry salting, will create high salt concentrations in the casing tissue, which easily reach the concentration of 15%, at which bacterial growth is halted (see page 33). Some countries have established requirements for imported natural casings most of which derive from developing countries. A summary of such requirements is given hereunder: Sensory quality: 1 x 103 Artificial (manufactured) casings Artificial casings were developed at the beginning of the 20th century when, in some countries, the supply of natural casings could no longer cope with the demand for such natural casings from the growing meat industries. Following the development of highly automated sausage filling equipment, artificial casings proved to be better suited to those systems, mainly due to their uniformity. Also from the hygienic point of view, there were certain advantages to artificial casings as the microbial contamination is negligible, refrigeration is not needed and there are no spoilage problems during transport and storage. Nowadays, for wide sausage calibres, artificial casings are the material of choice, while for smaller calibre products, artificial and natural casings remain equally important.

According to their structure and composition of material 1 , artificial casings can be subdivided into 1) casings made of natural materials, with two groups: a) casings made of organic plant material, namely cellulose b) casings made of animal by-products, namely collagen 2) casings made of synthetic substances deriving from thermoplastic materials (“synthetic casings” which can be subdivided in “polymer casings” and “plastic casings”). 1) There are also casings made from textiles or co-extruded coatings based on alginate used for special products. They are not discussed here. Cellulose casings Cellulose as a natural material derived from wood or cotton has proven to be suitable for sausage casings as it is: mechanically resistant widens when soaked in water and shrinks when dried (which exactly meets the requirements for a tight and smooth casing without formation of wrinkles on the sausage surface) permeable for gases, smoke and water vapour Simple thin cellulose casings are used as so called peeling casings for frankfurter type sausages. The batter is filled into such casings (calibre range 12-42 mm) and portioned.

Thereafter the products undergo smoking and cooking (at 74˚C), which causes the build-up of a firm layer of coagulated protein under the casing. After this heat treatment, the cellulose casings are removed and the sausages maintain their shape due to the firm external layer of coagulated protein. As ready-to-eat sausages do not have a casing, they are also known as “skinless sausages” (Fig. 326, 327, 328). Cellulose casings are not suitable for larger sausage calibres as frequent breakages may occur due to rupture of the cellulose wall. In order to solve this problem, fibrous casings were developed. Fibrous casings are cellulose casings reinforced with strong cellulose fibres. These fibrous casings are resistant enough for large sausage calibres and still suitable for smoking (Fig. 329). As a further step in the development of strong fibrous casings for large calibres, a layer of synthetic material, (e.g. PVDC) was added to the inside or outside of the casings (coated fibrous casings).

The coating made the casing mechanically very resistant and created a complete barrier for gases, i.e. no evaporation losses can occur (Fig. 330). However, fibrous casings with an inside or outside synthetic coating cannot be used for products to be smoked, as no smoke penetration is possible, and for products to be dried and fermented, as no water vapour evaporation is possible. They are mainly used for cooked sausages of the raw-cooked and the precooked-cooked type. The main advantage of coated fibrous casings for cooked sausages is the casing wall tightly enclosing the sausage mix and the easy peeling. As smoke does not penetrate through coated fibrous casings, smoke flavour can be added during manufacture of the sausage mix if desired. Fig. 326: Products in transparent cellulose casings (cal. 22) (after filling and before smoking/cooking) Fig. 327: Product in red coloured cellulose casings (cal. 22) used to transfer colour to sausage surface Fig. 328: Sausage after removal of peeling casing (middle); removed casing (left); peeling casing still on (right) Fig.

329: Fibrous casings (medium calibres) Fig. 330: Coated fibrous casings Fig. 331: Frankfurters in collagen casing Fig. 332: Larger calibre (raw-fermented) sausage in collagen casing Collagen casings This type of casings is fabricated from collagen, which is obtained from the corium layer of selected split cattle hides 1 . The collagen-rich tissue is homogenized under high pressure, ring-extruded (hose-shaped) and hardened and results in a mechanically strong casing. Collagen casings are permeable for smoke and water vapour. While wide calibres must have a relatively thick casing wall as increased stability is required, small calibres can be made with relatively thin casing walls. As collagen is an animal tissue fit for human consumption, the thin collagen casings are easy to chew and “edible”. They are an alternative to replace natural sheep, goat or thin pig casings (page 251, 255). The advantages of collagen casings are their standard diameter and strength and that they can be “shirred” i.e.

folded together, in long lengths and used for manual or automatic filling stations without pre-soaking in water (Fig. 331). Traditionally many consumers still prefer frankfurter type sausages in the natural casing, although with recent advances in edible collagen casings there is not much difference between both types terms of in tenderness and mouth-feel. The edible collagen casings are also used for fried sausages (including the typical breakfast sausages) and small calibre dry sausages such as beef sticks, etc. Collagen casings of 32 mm and above are not intended to be eaten as part of the sausage, they have to be peeled off. They can be used for most fresh sausages, raw-cooked and smoked sausages or raw-fermented sausages (Fig. 332). 1) For leather fabrication the middle portion of the cattle hide, also called corium, is used. The corium can be separated by using splitting machines in up to three layers for leather fabrication. Tissues from the corium middle layer are used for production of collagen casings. Synthetic casings These casings are made of synthetic thermoplastic materials (Fig.

203, 333, 334). Suitable materials are Polyamide (PA), Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyvinylidenchloride (PVDC) and Polyester (PET). While previously only synthetic casings from individual synthetic substances (mono-materials) could be fabricated, recently developed co-extrusion 1 techniques can be used to produce casings composed of combinations of several synthetic materials. Synthetic casings can therefore be manufactured with tailor-made properties. The resulting casings are mechanically strong, relatively heat resistant, impermeable for smoke, gases and water vapour.

Synthetic casings are particularly well suited for: Sausages with larger calibre Sausages where water vapour losses are not wanted Sausages to be cooked at relatively high temperatures Sausage ends to be clipped Sausages with long shelf life and good preservation of taste and flavour (prevention of rancidity, discoloration, flavour losses) The latest development in synthetic casings are casing walls consisting of two to five layers of synthetic material with extreme barrier properties for gases and temperature resistance from -18° to 105/121°C They are suitable for production of sausages with long shelf life as they can be mildly sterilized and stored frozen if necessary. Synthetic casings cannot be used for products which have to undergo drying, ripening and fermentation, such as dry sausages, as the casings are impermeable for gases and water vapour. Fig. 333: Liver sausages in synthetic casing Fig. 334: Meat in jelly in synthetic casing, casing end closed by clip

Question: Chitterlings are the small intestines of which animal?
Answer: Pig