| Hog casings are by far the most popular variety for | | | | Medium (35 - 38 mm) |
| the commercial and home sausage maker alike. They | | | | Wide (38 - 42 mm) |
| have clean bite, a satisfying snap, a pleasing color that | | | | Extra-wide (42 mm +) |
| cannot be matched by any other variety. For those | | | | By Packaging |
| who are new to sausage making or have never had | | | | Preflushed- don't require the 30-60 minute soak; but |
| experience natural casings, the thought of buying and | | | | they still need to have water introduced inside |
| handling hog casings can be intimidating. Fear not. This | | | | Tubed- casings come stretched over tubes of plastic |
| quick primer will make you wonder why you were | | | | to speed production |
| worried in the first place. | | | | Net Packed - three hanks individually striped in net for |
| What are hog casings? | | | | easy removal |
| Hog casings are the intestines, bladders, or caecums | | | | Vac Packed- individually packed in vacuum pouch |
| of pigs. | | | | How do you use it? |
| What can I expect when using hog casings? | | | | Soak in room temperature water for 30 minutes to an |
| Natural hog casing is slippery and delicate, thus | | | | hour to remove excess salt. Then flush inside and out |
| requiring a little more skill to handle than their collagen | | | | with slightly warmer water to release some of the fat |
| counterparts. But with some patience even the | | | | for easier sliding onto the extruder. Massage and |
| beginner can produce amazing results. Fresh hog | | | | separate the casing to eliminate dry spots. |
| casings usually have a slightly unpleasant odor, but this | | | | A pound of meat usually requires 1.5-2 feet of |
| is natural; they are still good to use. | | | | sausage casings. Good for most sausages including |
| How many different varieties are there? | | | | brats, pork sausage, kielbasa, smoked sausages, but |
| By Part | | | | check your recipe. Not good for dried. |
| Bungs- terminal end of the large intestine; used for | | | | How much should I buy? |
| very large preparations such as hams | | | | One hank is 150-200 feet long, stuffs 100-125 lbs. and |
| Bladders-used for large sausages such as bologna or | | | | costs about $50. Quantities geared towards the home |
| salami | | | | sausage maker are around 30-50 feet long, stuff |
| Middles (aka caps)- large intestines; used primarily | | | | 20-25 lbs. and cost roughly $20. |
| bologna, liver sausage and lunch meats | | | | Where do I buy hog casing? |
| Rounds - (a.k.a. casings or smalls)-small intestines; used | | | | Casings are available from your local butcher, or from |
| for breakfast sausage | | | | online vendors. |
| By Size | | | | How do you store them? |
| Narrow (28 mm and or less), Narrow-medium (28 - | | | | All natural casings require refrigeration in a brine after |
| 32mm) | | | | opened. They can keep in the fridge for 6 months to a |
| Regular-medium (32 - 35 mm) | | | | year. |