What is Chicken Sausage Skin Made Of? A Detailed Look at Natural, Collagen and Cellulose Casings

In Too Afraid to Ask, we’re answering food-related questions that may or may not give you goosebumps. Today: What in the world is sausage casing made of?.

“How the sausage is made” historically had nothing to do with sausage and everything to do with arts, politics, and—of course—secrets. But today we will dare to learn about how the literal sausage is made. The frank, the link, the banger, the wiener, the weenie, the snag…whatever you want to call it.

To make most sausages, chopped or ground meat, fat, and seasonings are pressed into a skin-like structure called the casing. The casing is then tied or twisted to make individual links. These days we also see category-breaking breakfast sausage patties and loose sausages (essentially, spiced ground meat) on the market that don’t require a casing. But traditionally—as in, thousands of years ago—virtually all sausages were encased inside the intestinal tracts of various animals.

Outliers aside, the vast majority of sausages need “some sort of container to hold their shape until they’re cooked,” says Shaina Loew-Banayan, the chef-owner of Cafe Mutton in Hudson, New York, one of our Best New Restaurants of 2022, which serves a range of house-made links. Technically, anything that fulfills this purpose could be considered a casing. “In my experience, cooking some sausage meat inside a latex glove makes for a perfect prank; there is nothing more unsettling than finding a meat hand in the fridge,” says Loew-Banayan. The commercial sausages you buy at the store or butcher, however, are made with a slew of natural, manmade, and plant-based options.

Here’s everything you ever wanted to know (and maybe some of what you didn’t) about sausage casings.

Sausage casings, often referred to as sausage skin, play a crucial role in transforming ground meat mixtures into the links, patties and sausages we know and love. But have you ever wondered what exactly those casings are made of? This is especially relevant for chicken sausages, which have gained popularity as a leaner, lighter alternative to pork and beef sausages

In this article, we’ll take a comprehensive look at the three main types of casings used for chicken sausages – natural casings, collagen casings, and cellulose casings. We’ll examine how they are sourced, manufactured, and ultimately used to encase those seasoned chicken sausage mixes.

An Overview of Chicken Sausage Casings

Before diving into the specifics, let’s quickly define what casings do in the first place. Casings contain and shape the chicken sausage mixture during production. They also play a role in the final texture and appearance of the sausage. After stuffing the ground chicken mix into the casings, they are twisted or tied into links.

Some important things must be true for casings to do their job well. They have to be strong enough to hold the sausage mix without tearing while it’s being made and cooked. Also, the amount of holes in the casings is important because they let more smoke into the sausages when they are cooking or curing. Of course, how it looks and feels in your mouth are also important. The casing affects that satisfying “snap” you get when you bite into a well-made sausage!

With those requirements in mind, let’s look at the three main casing options:

Natural Casings – A Time-Tested Tradition

Natural sausage casings have been used for centuries and remain popular today among traditional and artisanal sausage makers. As the name suggests they are derived from the natural intestines of animals, most commonly pigs.

Where Natural Casings Come From

Most of the natural casings for chicken sausages come from the small intestines of pigs. The intestines of sheep and lamb are also used, especially for breakfast links and other sausages with a smaller diameter. The intestines are cleaned, scraped, and processed to get rid of the muscle layers and the inner mucosa lining. This only leaves the submucosa membrane, which is made up of collagen and gives natural casings their strength and flexibility.

Key Attributes of Natural Casings

Provide a signature “snap” when bitten into due to the collagen structure. This gives sausages a pleasing texture.
More porous than artificial casings, allowing smoke, moisture and flavors to penetrate during cooking.
Sizes vary a bit because animals are naturally different. Skillful grading is required to achieve uniformity.
Relatively expensive compared to man-made options due to more extensive labor required for preparation.
Offer a traditional appeal and are strongly associated with high-quality, artisanal sausages.

Natural Casing Drawbacks

Prone to small variations in size and occasional tiny tears or weaknesses requiring patching.
Limited supply and subject to fluctuations.
Cost is higher than collagen or cellulose alternatives.
Must be handled carefully to avoid damage prior to use.
Some consumers may prefer not to consume animal-derived products.

Overall, natural casings provide an unparalleled texture and appeal for chicken sausages, but require more time and skill to use consistently.

Collagen Casings – The Modern Workhorse

Collagen casings have been around for decades and now dominate commercial sausage production. They provide a uniform, consistent, and cost-effective alternative to natural casings.

Where Collagen Comes From

Collagen casings start with collagen extracted from the hides of beef, pork or occasionally sheep. Through extensive processing, the collagen is turned into a dough-like substance that can be extruded into consistent cellulose tubes.

Key Attributes of Collagen Casings

They are all the same size because they are extruded into casings with set diameters. This allows for predictable production.
Generally more affordable than natural casings due to efficient large-scale manufacturing.
Stand up well to automated sausage stuffing and linking equipment.
Often more tender than natural casings when cooked.
Available in a variety of diameters and colors to meet needs.
Can be made from plant-based collagen for vegetarian/vegan suitability.

Collagen Casing Downsides

Lack the “bite” and pleasing snap of natural casings. Texture is softer and more homogeneous.
Less porous than natural casings, which may impact smoke flavor absorption during cooking.
Primarily animal-derived, which raises ethical concerns for some consumers.

Collagen casings offer a highly consistent and cost-effective choice for commercial chicken sausage manufacturing. However, traditionalists often consider the texture inferior to natural casings.

Cellulose Casings – For Shape and Support

Instead of serving as the final casing, cellulose is commonly used as a mold and then removed before consumption or sale. This provides key benefits:

Where Cellulose Comes From

Cellulose is derived from the natural plant fibers found in wood pulp or cotton. It is processed to produce a clear, sturdy mold material.

How Cellulose Casings Are Used

Sausage mixtures can be stuffed into cellulose in order to shape and support them during bulk production.
Once fully cooked, the cellulose mold is peeled away and discarded.
This allows for consistent sizing and prevents breakage during mechanical handling.
Without the cellulose, large sausages may deform or split during the smoking and cooking process.

Benefits of Cellulose Casings

As a vegetarian option, cellulose is suitable for kosher and halal chicken sausages.
Because they are peeled off, an outer collagen or natural casing can then be applied if desired.
Provides excellent shape control and structural integrity when producing large batches.

Drawbacks of Cellulose Casings

Added production step to remove the cellulose casing after cooking.
The casing itself does not influence the final texture or appearance since it is removed.

Choosing the Right Chicken Sausage Casing

Now that we’ve explored the origins and manufacturing processes for the three main sausage casing types, let’s recap some of the key factors to consider when deciding which option to use for your chicken sausage:

Natural casings are the clear choice for optimizing traditional appearance and snappy bite. The higher cost and labor can pay off for premium artisanal sausages.

Collagen casings make sense for cost-conscious high volume production with automation. They can still deliver tasty chicken sausages.

Cellulose casings shine when utilized indirectly as molds, especially for large diameter sausages needing structural support.

Of course, the specific chicken sausage recipe, desired flavor profile, manufacturing environment, target market, and pricing all play a role as well. As you can see, there are compelling reasons to choose each type of casing depending on your needs and priorities.

The Takeaway on Chicken Sausage Casings

While largely hidden, casings play an integral role in creating the chicken sausages we know and love. Whether springing for premium natural casings to achieve that satisfying “snap”, opting for highly consistent and affordable collagen casings, or utilizing cellulose to support large scale production, all three main casing choices have their pros and cons. Now that you know what those chicken sausage skins are really made of, you can better appreciate the art and science involved in making your favorite links!

what is chicken sausage skin made of

What is sausage casing made of?

Originally, sausage meat was only ever enveloped by various animal organs. Called natural casings, these by-products are still popular today. You’ll also see various synthetic sausage casings on the market, including vegan options sometimes used for plant-based sausages, and others which are either edible (collagen) or inedible (plastic or paper wrap intended to be removed before cooking or eating). Here are the three main types and where you might expect to find them.

These are derived from the intestines of animals. Primarily made of pig, cow, goat, and sheep intestines, they’ve been used for centuries. Texts written 4,000 years ago by ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia documented meat stuffed into intestinal casings; technically, it’s the submucosa, a collagen layer that makes the intestinal organ strong and flexible. (In most cases, the fatty outer layers of muscle are removed from the organ, along with the inner layer of mucous membrane—leaving only the stretchy stuff behind.) Usually at the slaughterhouse, the isolated submucosa is salted to dry and preserve the casing.

Today, plenty of butchers still prefer a natural casing for sausage making, and you’ll see a variety of organs used: There’s haggis, which is offal stuffed in a sheep’s stomach. Some large format sausages might be contained by a cow’s appendix (known in the industry as, unfortunately, the bung). And at Cafe Mutton, Loew-Banayan opts for a smaller sheep intestine when making “skinny guys like hot dogs. ” But virtually any type of sausage designed to be cooked and eaten in the skin could be made with a natural casing.

This category includes processed casings—those not naturally occurring inside an animal. Nonedible synthetic casings might be made from cellulose, a wood- or cotton-derived ingredient that’s often used for sausages which are smoked or steam-cooked, because it’s more permeable than other varieties, says food scientist Topher McNeil, PhD. Pepperoni, bologna, and liverwurst are likely cooked in cellulose, which needs to be removed before eating. And plastic casings are frequently used to cook sausages that are customarily sold pre-peeled—most hot dogs and deli meats like mortadella.

Edible synthetic casings are made from collagen that’s usually derived from the inner layer of animal hides. While all collagen casings contain a small amount of cellulose for added heft, tougher inedible versions contain greater amounts. Collagen casings are more affordable than natural options and are typically used to make mass-market sausages, says Josh Graves, a trained butcher and the operations manager at Olympia Provisions, which manufactures various meat and charcuterie items in Portland, Oregon.

These are totally free of animal ingredients. Polysaccharide—a material similar to cellulose that’s made of glycerin, starch, a seaweed derivative called carrageenan, and water—is a popular choice. You’ll also see alginate, a gel made from seaweed that extruded filling passes through, enveloping the sausage, says Graves, the choice of Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Other vegan sausages, McNeil says, might be cooked in a synthetic casing but sold skinless.

Are there any kosher or halal sausage casings?

Halal and kosher casings exist across categories and are prepared according to both sets of dietary rules. “So, no pork,” says McNeil. Graves says natural kosher and halal casings are more likely to be made with beef or sheep intestines, and synthetic options can be used so long as they’re produced appropriately. To ensure the sausage casings are kosher or halal, look for products that are certified with the requisite labels. You can find plenty of kosher brands here, and halal options include those made by Nema, Boxed Halal, Deen Halal, and more.

Sausage Casings – Sausage Casings 101

FAQ

What is the skin of chicken sausage made of?

Sausage casing, also known as sausage skin or simply casing, is the material that encloses the filling of a sausage. Natural casings are made from animal intestines or skin; artificial casings, introduced in the early 20th century, are made of collagen and cellulose.

Do you eat the casing on chicken sausage?

Yes, casings are edible.

Are sausage casings still made with intestines?

A part of the intestines from sheep, goats, pigs, or cattle used to be used to make sausage casings. But times have changed, and now we can use synthetic ones, though only some of them are safe to eat. There are multiple types of synthetic casings available right now.

What is sausage skin made from now?

People can choose between collagen, which is formed dried skin from cowhide, and fresh casings from sheep, pigs, or ox.