Whether for health reasons or for personal taste, it's always beneficial to know how to remove the skin from sausage . We're going to give you a simple trick to do this. You'll also learn what the skin contains, and when it's best to remove it and when it's best to leave it on.
What is sausage skin made of?
The skin of the sausage , called casing, can be natural or synthetic.
Natural casings
Natural casings can be made from sheep, pork, or beef . Their preparation follows a very rigorous procedure. In fact, the intestines have three fragile layers, and casing involves getting the best out of them to form a suitable sausage casing. These are:
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Empty the intestines then remove the outer layer made up of fat and serous membrane: this is done in hot bath rolls.
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Remove the mucous membrane from the inner layer, then cool with ice water.
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Salt and size the intestines.
At the end of the process, only the central layer remains. It is ready for embossing, i.e., filling.
In our workshops, we use natural pig casings , often the hog casing which comes from the animal's large intestine. This type of casing is both flexible and strong . The size may vary slightly, but this attests to the natural origin of the casing and adds to the charm and flavor of real dry sausage.
Artificial intestines
Edible synthetic casings are usually made from collagen or cellulose . Collagen sausage skin is of animal origin, while cellulose can be plant-based and is used for "vegan sausages," which are therefore nothing like real sausages. These casings don't really have a taste; they are favored by manufacturers for their lower cost and standardized sizing.
Finally, plastic skin is used on mortadella and various industrial cured meats. Of course, it is not edible.
To recognize a natural casing , you have to look closely. The meat should stick to the casing, but the casing should not be sticky on the outside. If this is the case, and especially if you see a crumpled part at the end of the sausage, it is certainly an artificial casing and plastic in many cases.
Should you always remove the skin from sausage?
Real sausages are eaten with the skin on . In fact, it is not necessary to remove the casing from artisanal dry sausage, knowing that it is the natural casing of an animal, and that the casing can be classified as offal. In reality, this casing enhances the taste of the meat, especially with the flower which attests to its perfect maturation. In addition, this natural casing facilitates smoking. Thus, to properly enjoy an artisanal dry sausage, simply cut it into thin slices, without removing the skin.
On the other hand, for industrial cold meats, it is preferable to remove the skin .
How to remove the skin from dry sausage?
Although it's not really recommended to remove the natural skin from an artisanal dry sausage, it is possible to do so. This can notably avoid awkwardness during service, and you may find yourself with guests struggling with the skin or leaving small pieces of casing on the table... Finally, you may need to remove the skin before using the sausage in a specific recipe.
Here's how to remove the skin from sausage in 3 simple steps :
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Since the sausage is dry, it should be softened first. To do this, run it under warm water for a few seconds.
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Rub quickly with a clean cloth to remove excess water and prevent it from penetrating the sausage.
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Place the sausage on a cutting board and make a lengthwise incision.
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Open the casing and remove it; it will slide out easily. You can now cut your sausage.
And there you have it, all that's left is to serve for tasting or use in cooking as you wish.
How to remove the artificial skin from dry sausage?
Normally, artificial skin that is unfit for consumption must be indicated on the sausage label. If you come across this type of charcuterie, be aware that it is generally not very tasty. Indeed, the use of an artificial casing for a sausage that can be calibrated in a natural casing shows that profitability takes precedence over quality.
However, if you need to remove the artificial skin from a sausage, simply make a vertical cut and peel it off . An artificial casing is less solid; it does not stick to the meat like natural casing. And if it is a frozen sausage, you can simply peel it off with a small, sharp knife, like a vegetable.
Regarding the paper on frozen deli meats , you can place the sausage in a sealed plastic bag, then place the bag in a container of water or a full sink. The temperature will rise just enough to lift the wrapping paper without making it soggy.
