Sausage Casings 101: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Casing
Sausage casings are an essential part of making sausage. After all, when we have a look at what sausages are made of, we have, of course, the stuffing with the meat, the sausage seasoning, and the meat casing. After all, a sausage simply isn't a sausage without something to stuff it in. But beyond form, sausage casings are also important in ensuring your end product is flavorful, processed evenly, and has great texture.
The type of casing used is typically dictated by tradition but also varies by processing technique, ingredients, and size. Most sausage casings are natural, collagen or fibrous, with a wide array of sizes and applications depending on the type of sausage. Fibrous casings are the most popular choice for home sausage makers because they are durable, easy to handle, and perfect for larger diameter sausages like summer sausage.
But what is the casing on sausage? Is the sausage casing edible? What are sausage casings made of? PS Seasoning professional chefs answer all your questions in this comprehensive sausage casing guide.
What is the Casing on Sausage?
Sausage casing is the material that encases the filling of a sausage. Natural sausage casings are usually made of animal intestines but can also be made from collagen, or cellulose material. These materials affect not only texture, but also how the sausage cooks and tastes.
What are Sausage Casings Made of?
Generally, sausage casings are made either from beef or sheep intestines, collagen, or cellulose. Though more rare, some sausage casings are made of plastic such as lunch meat and bologna. Understanding what sausage casings are made of helps you choose the best option for your needs.
Types of Sausage Casings
Natural Casings
Natural sausage casings are made from the submucosa of the small intestine, a layer of the intestine that consists of naturally occurring collagen. The use of natural casing goes back centuries — it’s one of the oldest forms of sausage-making, a classic in the sausage tradition. They are the most popular choice today because of the “snap” they make when bitten. Natural sausage casings are also flexible, tender, easy to stuff, and are durable enough to hold up to smokehouse processing. Natural casings are commonly used for fresh sausage, smoked sausage, snack sticks, brats and more.
If you’re wondering how to prepare natural sausage casings, they will typically come either packed in salt or a saline solution. The saline solution is designed for quick use, so once you rinse them off, you can use them within about 30 minutes after soaking in warm water. If salt-packed (in other words, heavily salted), you need to rinse off the salt from the natural casings, soak them in cold water and run cold water through them. After about half an hour of soaking in warm water, are ready for stuffing casings properly. These natural casings can be repacked in salt and stored in the freezer for up to a year.
Flush your natural casings before stuffing. Run water through the inside of each casing. Any hole or weak spot shows itself immediately, which is better than finding it with a stuffer full of meat behind it.
Hog casings
Hog casings are the traditional choice when making any type of link sausage like bratwurst, Italians, and kielbasa. This type of natural casing is also commonly used for making smoked polish sausages, ring bologna with a small diameter and landjäeger. For bratwurst, try the tropical-sweet flavor of our Pineapple Teriyaki Bratwurst Seasoning for a unique twist. If you’re making Italian sausage, Hot Italian Seasoning adds the perfect blend of heat and herbs. For kielbasa, our Smoked Polish Kielbasa Seasoning delivers an authentic smoky and garlicy notes. Our Blue Ribbon Bologna Seasoning provides and award-winning, classic flavor with just the right spice.
| 29-32 mm | Small Brats • Link Sausage • Landjaeger |
| 32-35 mm | Brats • Italian Sausage • Rope Sausage |
| 35-38 mm | Polish • Kielbasa |
| 38-42 mm | Bologna |
Sheep casings
Sheep casings are the most tender of the natural sausage casings. The smaller diameter of sheep casings makes the perfect for making small link sausages like breakfast sausages, hot dogs, and snack sticks. For a classic breakfast sausage flavor, try our Breakfast Sausage Seasoning, which delivers a perfect balance of savory and sweet. If you’re making hot dogs, the Blue Ribbon Weiner Seasoning is an award-winning blend that provides that authentic frank flavor. For snack sticks, consider pairing the casing with a bold option like Jalapeno Snack Stick Seasoning for a kick of heat.
| 20-22 mm | Breakfast Sausage • Small Snack Sticks |
| 22-24 mm | Breakfast Sausage • Snack Sticks |
| 24-26 mm | Small Hot Dog • Wiener |
| 26-28 mm | Large Hot Dog • Wiener • Landjaeger |
Beef Rounds
Beef rounds get their name from their characteristic round shape. They have minimal fat and are ideal for fresh, cooked or smoked sausage such as Ring Bologna, Polish, Mettwurst, Holsteiner, and Blood Sausage. For a bold, savory flavor, try Whiskey Old Fashioned Seasoning, which combines the rich taste of whiskey with sweet notes of cherry and orange for a unique twist. These beef casings are very heavily salted in order to conserve them, so you need to rinse them in cold water then run warm water through them. The best treatment is to soak the beef casings overnight in cold water and soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes before beginning your sausage stuffing sausage casings properly
Beef Middles
Beef middles are straight, long casings with a heavier wall texture and a bit of fat, making them ideal for dry and semi-dry sausages such as salami, liverwurst, bologna, and summer sausage. Their durability and size make them a top choice for larger, cured meats. For salami, try the bold, malty flavor of Beer Salami Seasoning to give your sausage a unique twist. If you’re making summer sausage, the Blue Ribbon Garlic Summer Sausage Seasoning delivers a classic, garlicky flavor with award-winning quality. For a rich and authentic taste in bologna, go with German Bologna Seasoning for that old-world, smoky profile.
Collagen Casings
What is a collagen casing? Collagen casings are processed, edible sausage casings produced from the collagen in cow or pig hides, bones, and tendons. While they don't offer the same "snap" as natural casings, they’re inexpensive and give more uniformity in weight and size compared to their natural counterparts. Collagen casings are packaged in sheets around a tube that can easily be loaded on your stuffing horn, with no soaking required. They come in two varieties based on processing:
Fresh Collagen Casings
As the name implies, fresh collagen casings are used specifically for fresh sausages like bratwurst and breakfast links. These tend to be more tender casings not suitable for smoking, making them ideal for quick, stovetop or skillet cooking. For flavorful breakfast links, try Maple Pancake Breakfast Sausage Seasoning for a sweet, savory blend that pairs perfectly with your morning meal. If you’re making bratwurst, the Badger Brat Seasoning delivers a classic Wisconsin-style flavor that can’t be beat.
Smoked Collagen Casings
Smoked or processed collagen casing are a bit stronger and thicker than fresh collagen to hold up to the processing schedule in the smokehouse, and can be used for making snack sticks, ring bologna, hot dogs or wieners. Their durability holds up well when hung on smoke sticks during processing. Collagen casings are available in clear and mahogany colors (no taste variation).
| 19 mm | Smoke | Mahogany | Small Snack Sticks |
| 21 mm | Fresh | Clear | Small Breakfast Sausages |
| 21 mm | Smoke | Clear or Mahogany | Snack Sticks |
| 23 mm | Smoke | Clear | Large Snack Sticks • Small Pepperoni |
| 26 mm | Smoke | Clear | Hot Dogs • Wieners |
| 30 mm | Fresh | Clear | Brats • Link Sausage |
| 40 mm | Smoke | Clear | Ring Bologna • Liver Sausage • Kielbasa |
| 43 mm | Smoke | Clear | Ring Bologna • Liver Sausage • Kielbasa |
Fibrous Casings
Fibrous casings are inedible sausage casings made from a form of cellulose material that peels away easily when cooked. They are also made from a specific tree called the Abaca. The fibers in the Abaca tree are very strong yet easy to work with — they’re very stretchable. Fibrous casings are most commonly used for making pepperonis, summer sausage, bologna, liverwurst, and other fine smoked sausages. Their durability allows tight stuffing, making them ideal for fine or emulsified sausages.
To prepare, soak fibrous casings in warm water (80-100 F) for at least 25-30 minutes. Lay the sausage casings flat in warm water and submerge completely, with the tied ends lower so that any trapped air can escape. After soaking, squeeze excess water out before stuffing your sausages.
There’s two main kinds of fibrous sausage casings — clear and mahogany. You can also get them printed with a design. Mahogany casings are especially popular for smoking, as they provide a consistent, rich color to the finished sausage.
| 1" | Thuringer • Pepperoni • Salami • Cracker-Sized Sausages |
| 2-2.5" | Traditional Summer Sausage |
| 4" | Large Summer Sausage • Hard Salami |
| 8" | Olive & Pimento Loaf • Mortadella • Deli & Sandwich Meats |
Which Casing Do I Need?
| I'm Making | Use This Casing | Size |
| Snack sticks | Smoked collagen, or natural sheep | 21 mm or 23 mm collagen, or 20-22 mm or 22-24 mm sheep |
| Summer sausage | Fibrous, or natural beef middles | 2" x 12", 2.5" x 14" or 2.5" x 20" fibrous, or 60 mm+ beef middles |
| Bratwurst and fresh sausage | Natural hog, or fresh collagen | 32-35 mm hog, or 30 mm collagen |
| Breakfast links | Natural sheep, or fresh collagen | 20-22 mm or 22-24 mm sheep, or 21 mm collagen |
| Hot dogs and wieners | Natural sheep, or smoked collagen | 24-26 mm or 26-28 mm sheep, or 26 mm collagen |
| Ring bologna | Natural beef rounds, or collagen tied rounds | 40-43 mm or 43-46 mm beef rounds, or 40 mm or 43 mm tied rounds |
| Landjaeger | Natural hog, or natural sheep | 29-32 mm hog, or 26-28 mm sheep |
| Italian sausage | Natural hog, or fresh collagen | 32-35 mm hog, or 30 mm collagen |
| Rope sausage | Natural hog | 32-35 mm hog |
| Link sausage | Natural hog, or fresh collagen | 29-32 mm hog, or 30 mm collagen |
| Polish sausage and kielbasa | Natural hog, or natural beef rounds | 35-38 mm hog, or 40-43 mm or 43-46 mm beef rounds |
| Bologna | Natural hog, or natural beef middles | 35-38 mm hog, or 60 mm+ beef middles |
| Liverwurst and liver sausage | Natural beef rounds, or natural beef middles | 40-43 mm or 43-46 mm beef rounds, or 60 mm+ beef middles |
| Mettwurst | Natural beef rounds | 40-43 mm or 43-46 mm beef rounds |
| Salami | Fibrous, or natural beef middles | 2.5" x 14" or 2.5" x 20" fibrous, or 60 mm+ beef middles |
Casing Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
| Casing bursts while stuffing | Over-stuffed, or natural and fibrous casings not soaked long enough | Fill firm but with some give. Soak natural and fibrous casings fully before loading. |
| Collagen casing cracks | Too dry when stuffed | Mist lightly with water before loading onto the tube. They should feel slightly tacky, not dry. |
| Natural casing tears | Stuffing too fast, or an unnoticed hole | Flush casings with water before stuffing to find holes, and stuff at a steady pace. |
| Casing wrinkles after cooking | Fat rendered out, or the casing dried too fast | Use a step-up smoke schedule and move to an ice bath straight off the smoker. |
| Fibrous casing will not peel | Not soaked long enough | Soak fibrous casings at least 30 minutes. Score the end with a knife and peel from the cut. |
| Collagen casing is gummy | Held too long in the smoker | Pull at the finish temperature on the packet rather than by time. |
| Natural casing is tough or chewy | Dried out during cooking | Add a water pan to the smoker and do not extend the dry-down stage. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are collagen casings edible?
Yes. Collagen casings are edible and do not need to be peeled. Fibrous casings are not edible and have to be peeled off before you slice.
Do I need to soak collagen casings?
No. Collagen casings are ready to load onto the stuffing tube straight out of the package. If they feel dry or brittle a light mist of water helps, but a full soak makes them too soft to work with.
How long do I soak natural and fibrous casings?
Natural casings need a rinse and 30 to 60 minutes in lukewarm water. Fibrous casings need at least 30 minutes in warm water and should feel soft and pliable before you stuff them.
What size casing do I need for snack sticks?
21mm or 23mm smoked collagen is the standard and needs no prep. If you want a more traditional bite, 20-22mm or 22-24mm natural sheep casings work well, though they need soaking and are more delicate to stuff.
Why did my casing split in the smoker?
Usually one of three things. The casing was stuffed too tight to leave room for expansion, the smoker temperature climbed too fast, or there were air pockets in the meat. Stuff firm but with some give, step the temperature up gradually, and prick any visible air pockets before it goes in.
