Sausage casing types: natural, collagen, fibrous
The main types
| Casing | Edible | Good for | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural hog, 28–42 mm | yes | Bratwurst, smoked sausage, hot links, kielbasa | Rinse, soak 30 min, flush |
| Natural sheep, 19–26 mm | yes | Breakfast links, chipolatas, snack sticks | Rinse, soak, flush gently |
| Beef rounds, 40–46 mm | yes, chewy | Ring sausage, bologna, black pudding | Rinse, soak, flush |
| Collagen, 16–32 mm | yes | Snack sticks, fresh and smoked links | Usually used dry |
| Fibrous, 40 mm and up | no | Summer sausage, salami, bologna | Soak 30 min |
| Cellulose | no | Skinless hot dogs | Peeled after cooking |
Natural casing
Natural casing is cleaned intestine, sold salted or in brine. It's uneven in width, which means links aren't all identical, but it shrinks with the meat as it cooks, takes smoke and colour well, and gives the snap most people want from a smoked sausage. It's also more forgiving when you twist links.
Sheep casing is thin and tears more easily. Use a small horn, stuff gently and don't overfill.
Collagen
Edible collagen casing is made from animal collagen, comes on a shirred stick and is the same width all the way along. It's quick, needs no soaking and suits snack sticks, where natural sheep casing is fiddly. The downsides are a softer bite and links that don't twist as well; many people tie or cut them instead. Larger collagen casings meant for salami are not edible, so check the label.
Fibrous and cellulose
Fibrous casing is a strong paper-like tube for large sausages that hang in the smoker, such as summer sausage. It doesn't shrink, so it peels away cleanly once cooked. Cellulose casing is how commercial skinless hot dogs are made: the casing is peeled off after cooking.
How much you need
Use the table in the casing guide. For 6″ links in 32–35 mm hog casing it's about 2 m (7 ft) per kg of mix, including twists, ends and spare.
FAQ
Which casing is best for smoked sausage?
Natural hog casing, 32–35 mm, for snap and smoke colour. Collagen is easier but has a softer bite.
Do you soak collagen casings?
Usually not. Most edible collagen casing is used dry, straight off the stick. Follow the label.
Can you eat fibrous casing?
No. Fibrous and cellulose casings are peeled off after cooking.
Related guides
Recipes
Updated: 2026-10-21