What Are Hog Casings? Everything You Need to Know

Pork is the most common sausage meat on the market. From bangers to bratwursts to butifarra, pig is a beloved stuffing. So it’s only natural that sausage makers also love hog casings for wrapping up their mouthwatering mixtures. 

But, what are hog casings, and what makes them an ideal choice for sausage making? From their ingredients to their uses to where to buy the best, this guide is stuffed with all the info you need about hog casings. 

What Are Hog Casings Made Of?

What are natural hog casings made of, exactly?

Generally, natural hog casings are made from pork intestines—particularly the submucosa, the layer of tissue beneath the innermost internal lining. Beyond this, natural pork casings generally only contain two things: salt and water.

How Hog Casings Are Made

Natural hog casings are derived from the small intestines of pigs, an organ that in the living animal plays a vital role in digestion and nutrient absorption. These biological functions are reflected in the casing’s mechanical properties—specifically its elasticity, permeability, and ability to hold and bind meat during processing.

After harvest, the intestinal tracts are transported to the casing department, where the production process begins:

  1. Initial Cleaning – The small intestines are separated from the rest of the viscera and stripped of fat and other undesirable material. Multiple water soaks help loosen the mucosa and improve the efficiency of cleaning.
  2. Flushing and Inversion – The intestines are thoroughly flushed with clean water to remove any remaining contents and then turned inside out to facilitate further cleaning and inspection.
  3. Mucosa Removal – The inner mucosal layer is carefully stripped away, leaving the submucosa—the layer used to produce natural casings. This layer provides the strength, stretch, and permeability sausage producers rely on.
  4. Salting – The cleaned submucosa is packed in saturated salt to preserve the casings, prevent microbial growth, and prepare them for long-term storage or shipping.
  5. Final Processing – Before packaging, hog casings may be further processed by cutting to specific lengths, calibrating diameters, and punching holes as required for certain applications. These steps ensure uniformity and ease of use for commercial processors.

The result is a durable, edible casing that delivers consistent performance in both high-volume and specialty sausage production.

At this point, the hog casings are ready to be packed and shipped to sausage producers for stuffing and sale. Natural hog casings are typically portioned into standardized units called hanks (also referred to as bundles), which represent a specific length of casing. To preserve freshness and extend shelf life, these hanks are packed in either dry salt or salt brine—both of which significantly reduce water activity and inhibit microbial growth during storage and transport.

The Process of Cleaning and Preparing Casings

When hog casings reach sausage makers, they’re generally not ready to stuff straight from the box. Here’s how to prepare pork casings for stuffing:

  1. Remove them from their packaging and rinse thoroughly with water to remove the excess salt. 
  2. Soak the casings overnight in a vat of cold, fresh water to make them tender and flexible. Be sure to use equal amounts of water and casings by volume for this step.
  3. Thirty minutes before stuffing, soak the casings in a pool of warm water—around 95°F (35°C).
  4. Remove the casings from the soaking liquid and begin stuffing.

Differences Between Natural and Artificial Casings

Natural casings almost always originate from the intestines of animals—most commonly hogs, sheep, or cattle—though in some cases, other parts such as stomach lining may be used. Unlike artificial casings, natural casings are not machine-made, which means no two are exactly alike. Variations in texture, diameter, and length are a result of the animal's anatomy and are considered a natural characteristic of the product.

The quality of a natural casing depends heavily on the source of raw materials, as well as the cleaning, selection, and preservation processes used during production. From the initial removal of the mucosa to final salting and calibration, each step plays a role in determining strength, stretch, appearance, and overall performance—ultimately influencing how the casing behaves during stuffing, cooking, and storage.

Artificial casings, on the other hand, undergo a more involved manufacturing process and are typically made from materials like collagen, cellulose, or plastic. They offer benefits such as uniform sizing, longer shelf life, and compatibility with high-speed automation—making them a common choice for snack sticks and skinless sausages.

However, natural hog casings continue to dominate the mid-size sausage segment, including bratwurst, kielbasa, and Italian sausage, due to their superior bite, traditional appearance, and ability to deliver the authentic texture that many consumers expect. This makes natural casings the preferred option for processors aiming to maintain product quality and classic sensory appeal.

Collagen casings, for instance, are still made from animal parts. But, instead of one natural piece like the intestine, manufacturers process different bits of connective tissue to produce a collagen paste which is then extruded into casings. 

Cellulose casings, on the other hand, are inedible and derived from plant material, so they must be peeled off before eating. Unlike natural casings, artificial casings don’t require cleaning or soaking before use—they're ready to go straight from the box.

Why Use Hog Casings for Sausage?

Hog casings are a cornerstone of sausage-making tradition, valued for their versatility, natural properties, and functional advantages. Sourced from the submucosa layer of a pig’s small intestine, they’re made with minimal processing and no synthetic additives—making them a popular choice for processors looking to balance performance with clean-label appeal.

What sets hog casings apart is their ideal "medium" diameter, which makes them compatible with a wide variety of sausage types, including bratwursts, Italian sausage, kielbasa, and chorizo. Their natural elasticity and strength allow for smooth, efficient stuffing and consistent link formation, while reducing the risk of tearing or blowouts during production.

When it comes to eating experience, hog casings deliver a distinctive snap that’s widely preferred over artificial alternatives. Their semi-permeable structure also allows for excellent smoke and seasoning penetration—an essential trait for smoked or cured products.

In addition to their technical performance, hog casings provide a natural, rustic appearance that appeals to consumers seeking authentic, minimally processed foods. They’re completely edible, require no peeling, and continue to play a leading role in both traditional sausage making and modern product development.

Flavor and Texture Benefits

Most of your sausage’s flavor comes from the stuffing—but hog casings do impart a noticeable, savory touch that artificial casings like collagen don’t. Beyond this, the crisp, juicy snap of a natural hog casing is a unique experience that’s difficult to recreate with other kinds of wrappings.

Common Types of Sausages Made with Hog Casings

A few of the most common kinds of sausages to make with hog casings include:

  • Dinner sausages
  • Bratwursts
  • Polish sausages
  • Similar varieties

Pork casings are firm and stronger than other natural casings like beef and sheep. This makes them ideal for dense, hearty sausages—especially grillable varieties.

Where to Buy Hog Casings

You don’t have to source hog casings through multiple vendors—Oversea Casing offers convenient online ordering with a wide range of diameters, styles, and case sizes tailored to commercial sausage production. Whether you’re running a regional processing facility or a large-scale operation, we’re your trusted partner for consistent, high-quality casings delivered where and when you need them.

Online vs. Local Butcher Shops

Hog casings are commonly available through a range of sources, including neighborhood butcher shops, specialty distributors, and online storefronts. Many local butcher shops offer natural casings in small quantities—an accessible option for those running smaller batches or testing new sausage recipes. Supporting local businesses remains an important part of the supply chain and the broader food community.

For those looking to purchase in retail quantities, Oversea Casing also offers hog casings through our Amazon storefront, providing a convenient and reliable option for small-scale buyers. Larger processors and regional manufacturers typically work with us directly for bulk orders, benefiting from our consistent quality, case sizing options, and industry expertise.

No matter where you source them, it’s essential to look for casings that are properly cleaned, salted, and stored—ideally from suppliers who specialize in sausage casing production.

Are Hog Casings Right for You?

Hog casings are the gold standard for producing delicious, high-performing sausages across a wide range of applications. Naturally strong yet flexible, they’re easy to work with and adapt seamlessly to multiple sausage styles—from bratwurst and kielbasa to chorizo and Italian sausage. Their ideal “medium” diameter makes them especially versatile for processors looking to standardize production while offering variety.

Unlike artificial options, hog casings are semi-permeable, allowing smoke, seasoning, and curing agents to penetrate beyond the surface. This enhances flavor depth and texture—resulting in a finished product with an authentic bite, rich aroma, and satisfying snap that today’s consumers recognize and prefer.

From a labeling and formulation standpoint, hog casings offer a clean, natural solution. They’re 100% edible, made from a single part of the animal, and free from synthetic additives, binders, or composite materials. That makes them a powerful choice for brands focused on clean-label claims, product transparency, and minimal processing.

And the advantages extend to the plant floor. Natural hog casings are cost-effective, widely available, and offered in formats like tubed casings, which improve speed, consistency, and handling during high-volume runs.

Whether you're producing for regional retail or national distribution, hog casings help you deliver a sausage that tastes better, processes efficiently, and builds long-term brand loyalty.

Explore Oversea Casing’s selection of premium natural hog casings today and equip your operation with the quality and consistency that has set the industry standard since 1928.

Sources: 

BBC Food. The butcher's guide to the best bangers. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/most_out_of_sausages. 

United States Department of Agriculture. What are casings made of? https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-are-casings-made-of. 

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Small-scale sausage production. https://www.fao.org/4/x6556e/x6556e00.htm. 

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. SAUSAGE CASINGS. https://www.fao.org/4/x6556e/X6556E03.htm. 


ScienceDirect. Sausage Casing - an overview. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/sausage-casing.