Trying to figure out how much sausage casing for a pound of sausage meat is not as easy as most assume. This article will help you streamline your sausage preparations by teaching you how to calculate how much casing you need per pound.
Calculating the amount of sausage casing required per pound depends on the casings used and the sausage type. If you use sheep casings, 39 inches (one meter) of casings is enough for each pound of sausage meat. You will need 35.5 inches (0.9 meters) of sausage casing per pound when using hog casings, which are wider.
So, for example, if you have 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) of sausage mixture, you’ll need 10.5 feet (3.2 meters) of sheep casings or just under 6 feet (1.8 meters) of hog casings.
The Size of Different Types of Sausage Casings
Natural Sheep Casings
Natural sheep casings fall within the natural size variation by measuring between 24 and 26 millimeters in diameter.
Natural Hog Casings
Hog casings are another popular natural casing for sausages. They are slightly wider than their sheep counterparts and measure between 32 and 35 millimeters in width. When using hog sausage casings, your sausages will end up with a diameter of at least 32 millimeters.
Which Sausage Casings to Use for Your Sausages
The type of casing you use significantly determines the result of your sausage preparation. Tradition and history guide us on the sausage casings ideal for the different sausage types.
Natural sheep casings are ideal for any sausage type. Most people find them suitable for hot dogs, wieners, chicken, lamb, franks, and halal sausages.
You should consider natural hog casings if you want to make Italian sausages, knockwurst, bratwurst, kielbasa, lamb, or beef. They make great additions to your fresh or cured sausages and smoking recipe.
How To Calculate the Right Amount of Sausage Casing per Pound
Calculating how many feet of casing you need for a pound of meat should not be complicated. You can identify how much sausage you can make with the casing size you have by using a sausage casing calculator. The calculator makes it easy to make sausage preparation calculations by providing a more manageable approach to calculating portions.
It would help to note that the calculation results may vary depending on factors such as sausage casing width and how big your sausages are. The calculator assumes you use 32 to 35 millimeter hog casings and 24 to 26 millimeter sheep casings. It also assumes that sausage links made using sheep casings weigh 2.11 ounces (60 grams) per piece, whereas each sausage from a hog casing weighs 2.8 ounces (80 grams).
How Sausage Casing Sizing Works
The type of casing used significantly dictates the size of your sausages. Your sausages will have a 24–26 mm width if you use 24–26 mm casings. Generally, you buy casings based on their diameter or caliber. It would help to know the type of sausage you want to prepare before deciding which casings to use. Sheep casings are good for slim and narrow sausages, while hog casings make a fat, chunky sausage.