Whether for health reasons or simply a matter of taste, it's always beneficial to know how to remove the skin from a sausage. We'll share a simple trick to achieve this. You'll also learn what this skin contains and in what circumstances it's best to remove it or not.
What is sausage skin made of?
The skin of a sausage, called the casing, can be natural or synthetic.
Natural casings
Natural casings can come from sheep, pigs, or cattle. Their preparation follows a very rigorous procedure. Indeed, intestines have three fragile layers, and the casing production process involves extracting the best parts to form an adequate sausage casing. This involves:
- Emptying the casings then removing the outer layer consisting of fat and serosa: this is done in hot bath rollers.
- Removing the internal mucosal layer, then cooling with ice water.
- Salting and calibrating the casings.
At the end of the process, only the central layer remains. It is ready for stuffing.
In our workshops, we use natural pork casings, often the chitterlings which come from the large intestine of the animal. This type of casing is both flexible and resistant. The calibration may vary slightly, but this attests to the natural origin of the casing and adds to the charm and flavor of true dried sausage.
Artificial casings
Edible synthetic casings are generally made from collagen or cellulose. Sausage skin made of collagen is of animal origin; cellulose can be plant-based and is used for "vegan sausages," which have nothing to do with real sausages. These casings don't really have much flavor; they are favored by industrial producers for their lower cost and standardized calibration.
Finally, plastic casing is used on mortadellas and various industrial cured meats. Of course, it cannot be eaten.
To recognize a natural casing, you need to observe carefully. The meat should stick to the casing, but the casing itself should not be sticky on the outside. If this is the case, and especially if you see a crinkled part at the end of the sausage, it is certainly an artificial casing, and in many cases, plastic.
Should you always remove the skin from a sausage?
Real sausages are eaten with the skin. Indeed, it is not necessary to remove the casing of artisanal dry sausage, knowing that it is a natural animal casing, and that the casing can be classified as offal. In reality, this casing enhances the flavor of the meat, especially with the "fleur" (bloom) that attests to its perfect maturation. Moreover, this natural casing facilitates smoking. Thus, to properly enjoy an artisanal dry sausage, simply slice it thinly, without removing the skin.
However, for industrial cured meats, it is preferable to remove the skin.
How to remove the skin from dry sausage?
Even if it's not really recommended to remove the natural skin from an artisanal dry sausage, it is possible to do so. This can, in particular, avoid awkwardness during serving, and prevent guests from struggling with the skin or leaving small pieces of casing on the table... Finally, you might need to remove the skin before using the sausage in a specific recipe.
Here's how to remove the skin from a sausage in 3 simple steps:
- Since the sausage is dry, it should first be made more flexible. To do this, run it under lukewarm water for a few seconds.
- Quickly rub it with a clean towel to remove excess water and prevent it from penetrating the sausage.
- Place the sausage on a cutting board and make a lengthwise incision.
- Open the casing and remove it; it will slide off easily. You can now slice your sausage.
And there you have it, all that's left is to serve for tasting or use in your cooking as desired.
How to remove artificial skin from dry sausage?
Normally, artificial skin unsuitable for consumption should be indicated on the sausage label. If you encounter this type of charcuterie, know that it is generally not interesting in terms of taste. Indeed, the use of an artificial casing for a sausage that could 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 adherent; it does not stick to the meat like a natural casing. And if it's a frozen sausage, you can simply peel it with a small sharp knife, like a vegetable.
Regarding the paper on frozen cured meats, you can place the sausage in a sealed plastic bag, then place it in a container of water or a full sink. The temperature will rise just enough to lift the wrapping paper without soaking it.
