How Are Sausage Casings Made?

Traditional Casings

Although many sausages are now considered a delicacy, they were actually originally used as a cheap way of preparing and preserving not particularly appetizing pieces of meat. Meat scraps, fat and meat from organs would be combined with various spices and preserved inside a section of animal intestine. The sausages could be smoked, pickled or mixed in with enough salt to keep them preserved for awhile. Although traditional casings are still used, many modern sausages make use of other types of casings.

Collagen Casings

Collagen casings are made out of collagen, a protein found in the skin and connective tissues of animals. Typically, collagen casings are made from part of a cow hide. The flesh is removed and the collagen is processed, treated and extruded in a tube shape. In America, collagen casings are currently the most popular type.

Fibrous Casings

Fibrous casings are made out of paper and cellulose--a strong plant fiber. Unlike most other forms of casings, they are not edible. They are good for making summer sausage, wrapping boneless ham and containing other sorts of sausages that come precooked. There are also muslin casings made out of muslin fabrics and even plastic sausage casings that are occasionally used. None of these can be used with breakfast sausages or other types of sausage that have loose or crumbly meat inside.

References

• Collagen Casings
• Fibrous Casings