Types of Sausage Casing

 Casings for sausage

(For the caliber, the specification Ø is made in mm)

Here is a list especially for the newbies and beginners among the hobby sausage lovers 

Pig Casing:

The most common intestines is the pig's small Casing, which is available in the following sizes:
24/26, 26/28, 28/30, 30/32, 32/34, 34/36, 36/40 and 40+
This casing is often used for bratwurst, bockwurst, raw sausage, Mettenden, raw Polish, knackwurst.
Chitterlings Casing, mainly blood and Make liver sausage.
Fat ends are mainly used for cooked, raw and yellow sausage.

Blood sausage and liver sausage are filled into the bladders.

Beef Casing:

Coronal casings are available in the following sizes:
32/35, 35/37, 37/40, 40/43, 43/46, and 46+
it is used to fill blood, liver, meat and meat sausages, as well as the Lyoner sausage.

Middle intestines, it is available in the following sizes:
40/45, 45/50, 50/55, 60/65, 65/70 and 70+, it is used for scalded and cooked sausages, but also for raw sausages.

The beef hips are suitable for large diameters of tongue blood sausage or meat blood sausage or beef stomachs.
Then there are the fat ends, which is where cookt and raw sausage is filled.

Sheep Casing:

The string is most commonly used, it is available in the following sizes:
14/16, 16/18, 18/20, 20/22, 22/24, 24/26, 26/28 and 28+
Saitlinge offer the thinnest and most delicate skin for all sausages.
Mainly used for boiled sausages, such as B. Wiener, Frankfurter or fine
Grilled sausages, such as B. Nuremberg and also for raw sausage, such as. B. Debreziner and Cabanossi.

The butte or the cap is used from the sheep for raw and boiled sausage. 

 

Types of Artificial Casings

• Collagen casings: These casings are made from collagen, a protein found in animal skin. They are a popular choice for breakfast sausages, hot dogs, and Italian sausages.

• Cellulose casings: These casings are made from cellulose, a plant-based fiber. They are a popular choice for fresh sausages, such as bratwurst and kielbasa.

• Plastic casings: These casings are made from plastic. They are a popular choice for large sausages, such as salami and mortadella.

Advantages of Artificial Casings

• Consistent: Uniform in size and thickness.

• Easy to clean: Require less preparation than natural casings.

• Long shelf life: Can be stored for extended periods.

Disadvantages of Artificial Casings

• Less permeable: Do not allow the meat to breathe as well as natural casings.

• Less authentic flavor: May not impart the same traditional flavor as natural casings.

Applications of Natural and Artificial Casings

The type of sausage casing used depends on the type of sausage being made. Here are some general guidelines:

• Natural casings: Typically used for fresh sausages, such as bratwurst, kielbasa, and Italian sausages.

• Collagen casings: A versatile choice for a variety of sausages, including breakfast sausages, hot dogs, and fresh sausages.

• Cellulose casings: A good choice for fresh sausages, particularly those that are to be cooked in water, such as hot dogs.

• Plastic casings: Typically used for large sausages, such as salami and mortadella.

In conclusion, the choice between natural and artificial sausage casings depends on your personal preferences and the type of sausage you are making. Natural casings offer a traditional flavor and a more authentic experience, while artificial casings offer convenience and consistency.

 

 More information about sausage casings, more details:

Sausage casings fall into a few main families: natural (darm), collagen, cellulose/fibrous and plastic/other synthetics, and each has ideal uses, prep and storage.

Overview of casing types

Casing type	Edible	Typical sizes/animals	Main uses	Key properties
Natural (hog)	Yes	~28–32 mm	Bratwurst, fresh sausages, smoked links	Classic “snap”, permeable to smoke, irregular.
Natural (sheep)	Yes	~18–24 mm	Nürnberger, breakfast links, hot dogs	Very tender, thin bite, small diameter.
Natural (beef)	Yes (except middles/rounds often peeled)	32–40+ mm	Krakauer, kielbasa, ring bologna	Stronger, for larger calibers, good for smoking.
Natural (other: bung, bladder, stomach)	Sometimes eaten, sometimes peeled	50–120+ mm	Leberwurst, Mettwurst, salami, blood sausages	For very large or fermented products.
Collagen – fresh	Yes	~21–32 mm	Fresh bratwurst, grillwurst	Uniform, easy to stuff, not ideal for smoking.
Collagen – smoked/snack	Yes	~17–30 mm	Snack sticks, smoked sausages	Stronger, tolerates smokehouse and hanging.
Collagen – large caliber	Often peeled	40–100+ mm	Cooked salami, summer sausage	For uniform industrial chubs.
Cellulose	No	Small calibers (e.g. 21–28 mm)	Skinless hot dogs, skinless breakfast sausage	Permeable, peeled after cooking.
Fibrous (cellulose + fibers)	No	40–120+ mm	Salami, summer sausage, some ham rolls	Strong, good for smoking/hanging, peeled.
Plastic / polyamide	No	All calibers	Boiled sausage, Lyoner, bologna, cooked ham emulsion	Very strong, not smoke-permeable, great moisture retention.
“Vegetable” / vegan	Usually yes	Small–medium	Veggie/vegan sausages	Plant-based alternative to natural casings.​

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Which casing for which sausage?

Think first about: fresh vs cooked vs fermented/dry, diameter, and whether the casing should be eaten.

• Fresh frying/grilling sausages (Bratwurst, Thüringer, Italian sausage, Merguez):

  • Best: Natural hog (28–32 mm) for standard brats, sheep (20–24 mm) for thin grillers or Nürnberger style.

  • Alternative: Fresh collagen casings in similar calibers if you want speed and uniformity.

• Small breakfast links / Cocktail sausages:

  • Best: Sheep casings 18–22 mm for very tender bite.

  • Alternative: Small fresh collagen casings.

• Smoked “Brühwürste” (Frankfurter, Wiener, Bockwurst, smoked Polish):

  • Natural sheep or small hog casings for edible smoked links.

  • Collagen casings designed for smoking also work for consistent diameter.

  • Industrial skinless hot dogs: cellulose casings; peel after smoking and cooking.

• Coarse cooked sausages & ring types (Krakauer, Kielbasa, ring bologna, some Leberwurst):

  • Hog casings 32–36 mm or beef rounds 38–45 mm for hearty bite.

  • For very uniform rings/chubs: fibrous or large-collagen (peeled before eating).

• Emulsified cooked sausages, sandwich meats (Lyoner, Mortadella, Jagdwurst, Fleischkäse chubs):

  • Large beef bung, bladders, or fibrous casings for salami‑type sizes.

  • Plastic/polyamide for water‑cooked, non-smoked loaves where you don’t want weight loss.

• Fermented / dry-cured sausages (Salami, Chorizo, Pepperoni, Landjäger, dried Mettwurst):

  • Traditional: natural hog casings (30–40 mm) or beef middles/rounds (40–60+ mm) depending on diameter and drying time.

  • For large-diameter salamis and summer sausages: fibrous casings – strong, hang-stable, peel at slicing.

• Blood sausages, Liverwurst, Teewurst:

  • Beef bungs or hog bungs/bladders for large blood/liver sausages.

  • For spreadable sausage chubs: fibrous or plastic casings, peeled for slicing.

• Vegan / vegetarian sausages:

  • Edible vegetable casings or certain collagen variants marketed as plant-based; designed for grill/fry similar to small hog casings.​

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Preparation before use

Natural casings (salted or in brine)

• Desalting and soaking:

  • Rinse well under running cold water (inside and outside) to remove surface salt.

  • Soak in fresh lukewarm water (around 25–32 °C) for at least 30 minutes; heavily salted or older casings often benefit from 1–2 hours with a water change.

  • Just before stuffing, many butchers switch to slightly warmer water (up to ~35–40 °C) for 5–10 minutes to maximize elasticity.​

• Flushing the lumen:

  • Open one end over the tap and run water through the length to ensure no salt pockets or knots remain and to check for holes.

• During stuffing:

  • Keep the “working” bundle in a bowl of clean, cool water next to the stuffer; change water periodically if it turns slimy.​

Collagen casings

• Edible collagen (sticks/strands on shirred tubes):

  • Usually ready to use; do not soak unless the manufacturer explicitly recommends it.

  • Load directly on the stuffing horn, avoid overhydrating or they become weak.

• Large collagen chubs:

  • Some types benefit from brief soaking in lukewarm water to improve flexibility; follow producer instructions.

Cellulose and fibrous casings

• Soaking:

  • Fibrous and many cellulose casings must be soaked in warm water (often 20–30 minutes) before stuffing so they expand fully and don’t burst.

  • Typical recommendation: submerge in 25–30 °C water; some producers add a little salt or vinegar for pliability and color development.

• Tying and pricking:

  • Tie off with butchers’ twine and prick visible air pockets after stuffing to avoid “blowouts” and case-hardening.

Plastic / polyamide casings

• Usually no soaking:

  • Most are ready to use dry; you simply clip/tie one end, stuff, then clip the other end.

  • Use tight clips or metal closures to prevent water ingress during cooking.

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Processing considerations (stuffing, cooking, drying)

• Filling level:

  • Natural casings: fill firmly but not rock-hard; allow some elasticity so links can be twisted without bursting.

  • Collagen and fibrous: can be filled slightly firmer due to more uniform strength, but overstuffing still risks splits.

• Linking and twisting:

  • Natural casings tolerate traditional twisting with alternating directions; if very full, twist more gently or link with string.

  • Collagen casings can crack if twisted too aggressively when cold and dry; many makers stuff slightly less tight for easy linking.

• Smoking:

  • Natural, collagen (smoke-grade), cellulose and fibrous are permeable and allow smoke to penetrate.

  • Plastic/polyamide is usually not smoke‑permeable; if you want smoke, you must smoke before cooking in plastic or use a smoke‑permeable version.

• Drying/fermentation:

  • For salami, choose casings appropriate to the target water activity and time: smaller diameters for shorter drying, larger for long cures.

  • Natural casings breathe well; fibrous casings are stronger but can reduce airflow slightly, so control humidity and temperature carefully to avoid case hardening.

• Peeled vs eaten:

  • Natural and edible collagen are consumed with the sausage.

  • Cellulose, fibrous, and plastic are peeled after cooking or curing; plan your product and slice thickness accordingly.

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Storage and shelf life

Natural casings

• Short-term (hours to 1 day after soaking):

  • Keep soaked casings in lightly salted water in the fridge and use within 24 hours for best quality.

• Medium-term (weeks):

  • Store unused casings heavily salted, in an airtight container, refrigerated (around 0–4 °C).

  • Properly salted natural casings can last several weeks to a year, depending on producer guidance.

• Handling leftover pre-soaked bundles:

  • Re-salt thoroughly, drain excess water, refrigerate; check smell and appearance before next use and discard if sour or slimy.

Collagen casings

• Store cool and dry:

  • Keep in original packaging, away from heat and direct sun; room temperature or slightly cool is usually fine.

  • Avoid high humidity, which can soften and weaken them before use.

• Shelf life:

  • Often 1–2 years if unopened and stored correctly; check the manufacturer’s best-before date.

Cellulose and fibrous casings

• Dry storage:

  • Keep them dry, cool, and away from pests and strong odors; often shipped in bundles or sticks.

  • Soak only shortly before use; resoaking already used but unstuffed pieces is not recommended for long storage.

Plastic / polyamide casings

• Very stable:

  • Store sealed, cool and dry; they have long shelf life and low sensitivity to ambient humidity.

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Practical rule-of-thumb for your own production

• If you want traditional bite and appearance (artisanal Bratwurst, Polish, salami): choose natural casings in the appropriate diameter and prepare with careful soaking and flushing.

• If you want maximum uniformity and speed (snack sticks, industrial-style brats, skinless hot dogs): use collagen, cellulose or fibrous, depending on whether the casing is eaten or peeled.

• For high-yield cooked emulsions or spreadable sausages that are always peeled: plastic or fibrous casings help control shape, weight loss and slicing quality.