Traditional Casings for Authentic Sausage Production

Natural casings remain the traditional and premium choice for sausage manufacturers seeking authentic texture, appearance, and flavour development. Sourced from carefully selected animal intestines and processed to strict quality standards, natural casings provide the distinctive “snap” and bite that consumers associate with high-quality sausages.

We supply a comprehensive range of natural sheep, hog, and beef casings, suitable for both artisan sausage makers and large-scale industrial processors. These casings are selected for their consistent calibre, strength during stuffing, and reliable processing performance.

Natural casings allow sausages to retain moisture while still allowing controlled permeability for smoke, cooking aromas, and flavour development.

Our Natural Casing Range

We supply a full selection of natural casings designed to suit different sausage styles, diameters, and production methods.

Sheep Casings

Sheep casings are the finest small-diameter natural casings used in premium sausage production. They are translucent, delicate, and provide an excellent eating experience with a tender bite.

These casings are widely used in the production of small diameter sausages such as:

• Chipolatas
• Frankfurters
• Cocktail sausages
• Nürnberger style sausages
• Merguez
• Breakfast sausages

Key Characteristics

• Thin walls for a tender bite
• Excellent elasticity and strength during stuffing
• Natural permeability for smoke and flavour absorption
• Translucent appearance for strong meat presentation
• Suitable for both fine emulsions and coarse sausage mixes

Typical Calibre Range

Natural sheep casings are typically supplied within the following calibre ranges:

• 18–20 mm
• 20–22 mm
• 22–24 mm
• 24–26 mm
• 26–28 mm

These small diameters are ideal for fine sausages and premium retail products.

Hog Casings

Hog casings are one of the most versatile natural casings, widely used for fresh, smoked, and fermented sausages.

They offer a balanced combination of strength and tenderness, allowing reliable processing while delivering the traditional bite expected in natural sausages.

Typical Applications

• Fresh pork sausages
• Italian sausages
• Bratwurst
• Chorizo
• Boudin
• Grill sausages

Typical Calibre Range

Hog casings are generally available in calibres ranging from:

• 26 mm to 51+ mm

Uniform sizing helps deliver consistent product weight, appearance, and portion control during manufacturing.

Beef Casings

Beef casings are used for larger diameter and traditional ring-shaped sausages. Their thicker walls provide strong structural support for products requiring longer cooking, smoking, or curing processes.

Typical Applications

• Ring bologna
• Liver sausage
• Blood sausage
• Mettwurst
• Polish sausage
• Dry and semi-dry sausages

Common beef casing formats include:

• Beef rounds
• Beef middles
• Beef caps

Each type provides different diameters and wall thicknesses depending on the application.

Product Specifications & Formats

Natural casings are supplied in multiple specifications to support different production environments.

Calibre Control

Natural casings are graded and sorted to deliver consistent diameters, helping sausage producers maintain:

• consistent product sizing
• uniform cooking performance
• reliable portion control

Quality grades may range from premium to standard depending on the application.

Length & Efficiency Options

Casings can be supplied in standard, long, and extra-long strand specifications to improve efficiency on stuffing lines and reduce downtime during production.

These longer lengths are particularly beneficial for high-volume processing operations.

Packaging & Preparation Formats

Natural casings are available in a range of formats designed to suit different production systems.

Typical supply formats include:

• Dry salted bundles
• Netpacked casings
• Tubed casings for easy loading
• Ready-to-use or easy-fill formats
• E2 crate packaging for industrial users

Tubed casings allow operators to quickly transfer casings onto stuffing horns, improving production efficiency.

Processing Benefits of Natural Casings

Natural casings offer several advantages in sausage manufacturing.

Authentic Eating Experience

Natural casings deliver the distinctive “snap” when bitten, creating a premium eating experience that synthetic casings cannot replicate.

Breathability

The semi-permeable structure allows sausages to breathe during cooking and smoking, helping develop flavour and aroma.

Moisture Retention

Natural casings help retain juices within the sausage while maintaining a tender texture.

Natural Appearance

Their translucent surface highlights the colour and texture of the sausage filling, improving retail presentation.

Strong Yet Flexible

Natural casings combine elasticity with tensile strength, allowing them to withstand stuffing, linking, cooking, and smoking processes.

Applications Across Sausage Production

Natural casings are used across a wide variety of products including:

Fresh sausages
Cooked sausages
Smoked sausages
Fermented sausages
Dry cured sausages
Traditional regional sausage styles

Their versatility makes them suitable for both craft butcher production and industrial manufacturing.

Supporting Your Production

Selecting the correct natural casing depends on several factors including:

• sausage diameter
• filling type (coarse or fine)
• cooking or smoking process
• desired eating experience

Our team works with customers to help select the most suitable casing specification for their product and processing requirements.

We can support with:

• casing selection advice
• calibre selection
• stuffing compatibility
• production efficiency improvements