6 Best Sausage Casings For Homemade Sausages That Old-Timers Swear By
Choosing the right casing is key. This guide covers the 6 types old-timers swear by, from natural hog to collagen, for that perfect, authentic snap.
Choosing the right sausage casing is just as important as getting your spice blend right. It’s not just a wrapper; it’s the skin that gives your sausage its signature snap, texture, and shape. Getting this part wrong can turn a perfect grind into a frustrating mess on stuffing day.
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A Farmer’s Guide to Natural vs. Collagen Casings
The first decision you’ll make is between natural and collagen casings. There’s no single right answer, just a tradeoff between tradition and convenience. Natural casings—typically from the intestines of hogs, sheep, or cattle—give you that classic "snap" and are permeable, which is fantastic for smoking. They have character, but they also have irregularities. You have to rinse, soak, and handle them with care.
Collagen casings, on the other hand, are the picture of consistency. Made from processed animal collagen, they come ready to use right out of the package, with uniform sizes and no weak spots. They’re a huge time-saver and great for beginners. The tradeoff is in the texture; while edible, they don’t quite replicate the satisfying bite of a true natural casing. It’s a choice between old-world feel and modern efficiency.
Syracuse Hog Casings: The All-Purpose Standard
If you’re only going to keep one type of casing on hand, make it a natural hog casing. This is the workhorse for everything from Italian sausage to bratwurst to kielbasa. They are the perfect middle ground—strong enough to withstand a bit of mishandling from a beginner but tender enough to provide a great eating experience. Their typical 32-35mm diameter is exactly what most people picture when they think of a classic sausage link.
Brands matter when it comes to natural casings, because quality control means fewer pinholes and less wasted time. A reputable supplier like Syracuse Hog Casings consistently delivers clean, well-preserved hanks with plenty of usable length. Spending a little extra here saves you the immense frustration of dealing with casings that split and tear the moment you start stuffing.
The Sausage Maker Sheep Casings for Breakfast Links
When you move to smaller, more delicate sausages like breakfast links or frankfurters, you need a different tool for the job. Sheep casings are incredibly thin and tender, giving you that perfect, subtle bite you want in a small-diameter sausage. They are much narrower, usually in the 20-26mm range, and are the secret to professional-quality small links.
The catch is their fragility. You can’t manhandle sheep casings; they require a gentle touch and a bit of practice to stuff without blowouts. This is why sourcing from a quality brand like The Sausage Maker is critical. Their casings tend to be more uniform and stronger than cheaper alternatives, giving you a fighting chance. The end result is a texture that collagen simply can’t match for this style of sausage.
Oversea Casing Beef Rounds for Hearty Sausages
For big, bold sausages like ring bologna, andouille, or large German wursts, hog casings just won’t cut it. You need the strength and size of beef rounds. These casings are noticeably thicker and more durable, with diameters often starting at 40mm and going up. This strength is essential for holding coarse, heavy fillings without bursting during stuffing or cooking.
Beef rounds also have a more pronounced chew and can contribute a subtle, savory flavor to the final product. They are less forgiving if not cleaned properly, which is why a trusted name like Oversea Casing is a smart choice. They provide consistently high-quality rounds that are ready for stuffing after a good soak, giving your heartiest sausages the structure they need.
LEM Edible Collagen Casings: A Consistent Choice
There are days when you just need to get the job done quickly and reliably. That’s where edible collagen casings shine. They are the ultimate in convenience—no rinsing, no soaking, just slide the shirred tube onto your stuffing horn and go. For making large batches of snack sticks or uniform breakfast links, they are a game-changer.
A brand like LEM is a staple for a reason. Their casings are consistent in size and strength, which means no surprises during stuffing. While they don’t offer the same "snap" as a natural casing, they provide a pleasant, tender bite that works well for many applications. Think of them as the reliable, predictable option for when consistency is more important than tradition.
Natural Beef Bung Caps for Old-World Mortadella
When you’re ready to tackle serious, old-world charcuterie, you’ll need specialty casings. For large-format cured meats like Mortadella or some types of salami, the natural beef bung cap is the only choice. This is the wide, closed end of the beef large intestine, capable of holding ten pounds of meat or more.
Its unique, slightly irregular shape and incredible strength are essential for these projects. The bung cap holds the heavy, emulsified meat securely through a long cooking or curing process. It’s not an everyday casing, but for the hobbyist looking to authentically replicate traditional recipes, mastering the beef bung is a rite of passage.
Walton’s Fibrous Casings for Smoked Sausages
Not all casings are meant to be eaten. For smoked summer sausage, large-diameter salami, or bologna that you plan to peel before serving, fibrous casings are the professional standard. Made from plant cellulose, these casings are exceptionally strong, uniform, and designed to be permeable to smoke.
A trusted supplier like Walton’s offers fibrous casings that have another key feature: they shrink with the meat as it dries and cools. This is crucial for preventing air pockets and fat separation, ensuring a tight, dense sausage with a perfect texture. They come in a huge range of sizes and are often pre-tied on one end, making them simple to use for large-batch smoking projects.
Prepping and Storing Your Natural Casings Right
Your natural casings will arrive packed in a heavy salt brine. The first step is to rinse the exterior thoroughly under cool running water to remove the excess salt. Then, you need to flush the inside. Hold one end open under the faucet and let water run all the way through, which also helps you spot any major tears.
After flushing, soak the casings in a bowl of warm—not hot—water for at least 30 minutes, or up to a couple of hours. This makes them soft and pliable. A splash of white vinegar in the soaking water can help neutralize any lingering odors. For leftovers, never freeze them. Simply drain them well, cover them generously in fine salt, and store them in an airtight container in the back of your fridge. They’ll keep perfectly for a year or more.
Ultimately, the casing you choose defines the sausage you make. Matching the casing’s size, strength, and texture to your recipe is the final step in crafting something truly special. Don’t be afraid to experiment; the satisfaction of linking up a perfect batch of homemade sausage is one of the great rewards of this craft.
