Sausage casings are either natural or artificial, with natural casings made from animal intestines and artificial casings made from collagen, cellulose, cotton, or plastic. The type of casing used depends on the type of sausage being made, with natural casings being more popular for home sausage making. There are different varieties of natural casings based on the animal they are made from, while artificial casings come in various shapes and are designed to work in specific ways. Some artificial casings are edible, while others are not.
There are two broad categories of casings: natural and artificial. Natural sausage casing is made from the intestines or stomachs of various animals and is permeable to air and external aromas, while being very strong and edible. An artificial sausage casing can be made of collagen, cellulose, cotton or plastic and is generally not as edible or pliable as a natural casing, but is much cheaper and more consistent in size and quality. The type of sausage casing used is usually determined by the type of sausage being made, with artificial casings being used for larger or mass produced sausages and natural casings being a more popular choice for home sausage making and links which will be processed with the smoke.
There are actually several varieties of natural sausage casing based on the type of animal they are made from. Pork casings, made from the intestines of pigs, provide a very meaty flavor to sausages and are often used to make breakfast links. Sheepskin casings tend to be smaller than other types of natural casings and are used for small or thin sausages.
Beef casings are very strong, can be very large, and can be used for a variety of large sausages or salamis. One benefit of using a beef casing is that a large amount of fat can be removed from it, leaving a very lean container for the sausage meat. Some beef casings are actually made from the stomach lining of the cow and can be used to wrap larger sausage products.
Artificial sausage casings come in various shapes and have been designed to work in a few specific ways. The plastic casings are thick and prevent moisture and bacteria from reaching the meat inside, while also helping to keep the shape of tough sausages. Fibrous casings can be made from different types of fibers and are very strong; a protein coating on the inside of the casing also gives them a chance to shrink as a sausage dries. Neither type of wrapper is generally edible.
Another type of artificial sausage casing is made from cellulose and is formed from materials that eventually dissolve in moisture or over time, meaning that a sausage can be wrapped and protected during production or aging and thus free from any wrapping when delivered to the consumer. The last type of artificial casing is made from collagen which is derived from the cartilage and bones of animals. This is one of the most used casings, closely matching many properties of the natural variety. The collagen casings may be edible or, like other artificial casings, could be removed before consuming the sausage.
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