• Stuffs roughly 100 lbs. of meat. 32 - 35 mm (1.25 inches to 1.50 inches) in Diameter.
• Natural Hog Casings Are Best used for Fresh Sausage (such as Bratwurst, Pork Sausage Links, Kielbasa etc.)  BUT - Natural Hog Casings CAN be smoked. 
• 1 lb. of meat uses approximately 2 feet of natural hog casings. Whisker free, pre-flushed and vacuum bagged. 1st quality natural sausage casings.
• Stuffing capacities vary according to the number of links per pound and how tight the casing is stuffed. Although our natural hog casings are held to firm specifications, there may be a slight variance in stuffing diameter, hence 32 mm - 35 mm. This may also have an impact on stuffing capacity. Normal stuffing capacity for a Butcher's Set  of natural hog casings is approximately 100 pounds.
• Use for fresh or smoked sausage. Bratwurst, Polish sausage, and Italian sausage. It can also used to stuff pepperoni.
• Store casings in the original bag in the refrigerator until time for use. Hog casings stored in the original bag have been shown to keep up to four years in the refrigerator. Some odor is normal with natural casings especially in warm weather and this should disappear with a rinse in fresh water.
• Casings should be soaked in luke warm water for 30 minutes before use. This helps to open the pores of the casing and makes them easier to handle. DO NOT USE HOT WATER as this may actually cook the casing rendering them useless. DO NOT FREEZE

• These 32-35 mm (1 to 1/25 Inches) in diameter casings are perfect for Bratwurst, Kielbasa, etc. This ONE PACKAGE (Called a Butcher's Set) of Hog Casings will stuff approximately 100 lbs. of meat - To use the Natural Hog Casings - Your stuffing horn must be smaller than 35 mm (.75 inches) in diameter - pictures of the right size stuffing tube are to the left.
• Natural Hog Casings will last up to one year in stored in your refrigerator in a salt water solution - We highly recommend storing your natural hog casings in your refrigerator as soon as you receive them - Ask The Meatman always store the natural hog casings in our cooler (36 to 38 degrees) before shipping

Fresh Natural Hog Casings, Water, Refined Salt, Chemically Pure Food Grade Humectants In Approved Solution

Natural Hog Casings

How do you soak out casings and for how long?

Salted Casings: For best results soak over night in cooler in water that starts out at 90º F (32.2ºC). If in a hurry, follow these instructions but understand that you may not get maximum expansion capacity from the casing. Rushing the soaking process can result in the casing being sticky and they may not slide easily from the horn. This can result in breakage and sausage that is irregular in diameter or too small.

The fast soak:

1. Rinse salt from casings
2. soak in fresh water at 70º F (21.11ºC) for 1 hour
3. Soak in fresh water at 90º F (32.2ºC) for 1 hour
4. Place in fresh warm water 90º F (32.2ºC) at the stuffing table

Net Pack Casings:

1. Soak in fresh water at 90º F (32.2ºC) for 30 minutes
2. Place in fresh warm water at the stuffing table

Preflushed Vac-Pack:

1. Soak in fresh water at 90º F (32.2ºC) for 30 minutes
2. Place in fresh warm water at the stuffing table

Tubed Casings:

1. Rinse salt from casings
2. Soak in fresh water at 70º F (21.11ºC) for 1 hour
3. Soak in fresh water at 90º F (32.2ºC) for 1 hour
4. Place in fresh warm water 90º F (32.2ºC) at the stuffing table

• How long do you smoke sausage? 

  The length of your smoke cycle becomes part of your sausage formulation. Your smoke cycle depends on the type of smokehouse you have and the type of product you are smoking. Contact your smokehouse supplier. DeWied FLAVOR FRESH colored casings can help shorten your smoke cycle to increase smokehouse productivity.

• How do you keep unused casings?  

  Cover unused casings in brine solution or granulated salt and store in cooler at 40º (4.44ºC)  or less but do not freeze.

• How tight should the sausage be stuffed?  

  How tight you stuff sausage casings depends on the type of sausage and how it is to be linked. For natural casings: When making a rope sausage, without linking, stuff to slightly less than the maximum expansion of the casings. If linking by machine, stuff 3-4 mm below the maximum expansion of the casing. Consult the instructions for the linker or your linker supplier because there can be significant differences in equipment. If linking by hand stuff 4-5 mm below the maximum expansion of the casing. Hand linking can put uneven stress on the casing. By under stuffing, you can reduce breakage during linking. Check the firmness of the link and adjust the stuffing pressure.

• What is the shelf life of natural casings? 

  Salt: 1 year or more Preflushed in Net Pack: 6 months to one year. Preflushed in Vacuum Pack: 6 months to one year. Preflushed on plastic Tubes: 6 months to one year. Colored Casings: About 6 months.

• What is the best way to store natural casings? 

  Store in the cooler at 40º (4.44ºC)  or less in brine or well salted. NEVER freeze casings.

• What is the most popular size casing for a fresh and smoked sausage? 

  There are no standards dictating the size casing to be used for a particular sausage. The size casing you use for sausage should depend on what you want your sausage to look like. The specification of the packaging and above all, the preference of the customer will influence the casing size . How many links do you want to make up a pound? How long must the links be for the packaging to be used? IE: 5 links per pound(436g) and 5 inches (127mm) per link.

• My casings smell bad; are they still good? 

  Usually Yes. When your natural casings first arrive there may be some gas build up in the container, especially in hot weather. This can smell pretty strong. Kind of like a crowded room of bean farmers after a bean banquet. They are still good people though!

• What can I do to knock out the bad smell in my casings? 

  Usually all it needs is airing out. Leave the container open in the cooler for a while. Or, take casings out of the container and air them out. If it is really bad, rinse casings in fresh water, re-soak in brine and the smell will usually dissipate.

• What can I do to improve the bite on the casings?

  Cooking a sausage can toughen any casing. To maximize the tender bite of a casing, cook with moisture. Prick sausage before grilling.

• What is the length of a bundle or hank of casings?

  The traditional hank or bundle of hog or sheep casing was 100 yards. However, today there is no standard length. Some suppliers will base the length of the casing bundle on the price a customer demands. Now there are some casings like DeWied Processor Packs that will make about 100 pounds (45.3kg) of sausage no matter what size you use. That’s important for planning batch requirements and costing.

• How many strands should a bundle have?  

  The number of strands in a bundle depends on how uniform the diameter of the sausage must be and how long the individual strands of casing must be. The fewer strands and the longer they are, the less uniform the casings will be. In general, a hog casing will have 14-18 strands and a sheep casing will have 12-14 strand.

• Why is there such a difference in price between companies when casings seem the same? 

  Price is contingent on type or origin of the casing, the diameter size range, number of yards in a hank or bundle, the amount of sausage that can be made with a casing unit, the number of casings actually shipped and invoiced, and quality factors of the casing. The world market for casings will affect pricing in a regional market.- Know how much sausage your casing unit makes and compare. - Count the number of casing units received and compare with the invoice. - Observe subtle differences in casing characteristics that effect quality.

• Why are the casings tough after cooking fresh sausage?

  - Sausage was cooked in a pan too hot and too quickly. - Casings were not soaked long enough. - Origin of casing. - Sausage was under stuffed

• How can I make my casings more tender?
  Soak casings longer
  Add lemon juice or pineapple juice to the soak water.
  Use proper moisture levels during smoke cycle.

• What is the webby looking spot on my casings?  

  This is a patch of peyer (Pie-air) which is scarring resulting from the cleaning process and the removal of lymph nodes. All natural casings will have some scarring.
  
  

•  What is the difference between hand pulled and knife cut casings?
  North American hand pulled casings do not have threads of connective tissue on the outside (Called whiskers). They are delicate and usually have shorter strands than knife cut. They may have more holes or weak spots. Knife cut casings have the small threads of connective tissue (Whiskers). They have an extra membrane for strength. Their strands are usually longer and have fewer holes. The threads of connective tissue on knife cut casings will melt off on smoked or cooked sausage.
  

• How do you twist the casings into links?
  Slowly pinch the casing where you want a link to start, and twist the link clockwise. For the next link, twist counterclockwise; then clockwise again, and so forth. Be very gentle, or you'll burst the casing!
  

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