Sausage Casing Calculator
A 10 lb batch needs about 5.7 feet of 2.5 inch (65 mm) summer sausage casing, or about 53 feet of 19 mm snack stick casing, because narrow casings hold far less per foot.
Casing is sold by the foot or in hanks, and the diameter changes the answer enormously. Set your batch and size below.
Casing needed by batch size
Feet of casing required, by diameter, from casing suppliers' fill ratings. Add your spare on top:
| Casing | 5 lb | 10 lb | 25 lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 mm Collagen · Snack sticks | 27 ft | 53 ft | 133 ft |
| 21 mm Collagen · Snack sticks, links | 21 ft | 41 ft | 103 ft |
| 23 mm Natural sheep · Breakfast links | 27 ft | 53 ft | 133 ft |
| 25 mm Natural sheep · Hot dogs | 24 ft | 48 ft | 119 ft |
| 32 mm Natural hog · Bratwurst | 13 ft | 27 ft | 67 ft |
| 36 mm Natural hog · Polish | 12 ft | 25 ft | 61 ft |
| 38 mm Collagen ring · Ring bologna | 7.6 ft | 15 ft | 38 ft |
| 42 mm Collagen ring · Ring bologna, large | 6.5 ft | 13 ft | 32 ft |
| 50 mm 2 inch fibrous · Pepperoni | 5 ft | 10 ft | 25 ft |
| 65 mm 2.5 inch fibrous · Summer sausage | 2.8 ft | 5.7 ft | 14 ft |
| 75 mm 3 inch fibrous · Summer sausage, large | 2.4 ft | 4.8 ft | 12 ft |
| 100 mm 4 inch fibrous · Salami | 1.6 ft | 3.1 ft | 7.8 ft |
| 115 mm 4.5 inch fibrous · Bologna | 1 ft | 2 ft | 5 ft |
How much each casing holds
The number that drives all of this is how much meat a foot of casing holds, stuffed and linked. These are the casing suppliers' fill ratings, the same ones the app uses:
- 19 mm: about 85 g per foot. Snack sticks.
- 32 mm natural hog: about 170 g per foot. Bratwurst.
- 38 mm collagen ring: about 300 g per foot. Ring bologna.
- 65 mm (2.5 inch): about 800 g per foot. Summer sausage.
- 100 mm (4 inch): about 1,450 g per foot. Salami.
That spread is why snack sticks feel like they eat casing forever: a foot of 19 mm holds about a tenth of what a foot of 2.5 inch summer sausage casing does.
Bottom line
Divide your batch weight in grams by the grams per foot for your casing, then add about 15%. A 10 lb batch is roughly 53 ft at 19 mm, 27 ft at 32 mm, 15 ft at 38 mm, or 5.7 ft at 2.5 inch. Working out your meat blend too? Try the venison fat calculator.
Common questions
How much casing do I need for 10 lbs of sausage?
It depends entirely on the diameter. For 10 lb of meat you need roughly 53 feet of 19 mm snack stick casing, 27 feet of 32 mm natural hog bratwurst casing, 15 feet of 38 mm collagen ring bologna casing, or 5.7 feet of 2.5 inch summer sausage casing. Narrow casings hold very little per foot, which is why snack sticks eat so much casing.
How many pounds of sausage does a foot of casing hold?
A foot of 19 mm snack stick casing holds about 85 grams, a little under a fifth of a pound. A foot of 32 mm natural hog bratwurst casing holds about 170 grams. A foot of 2.5 inch summer sausage casing holds about 800 grams, or about 1.75 pounds. Larger diameters hold dramatically more per foot.
What size casing for snack sticks?
19 mm or 21 mm. 19 mm is the standard snack stick size and holds about 85 grams per foot, so a 10 lb batch needs around 53 feet. 21 mm gives a thicker stick at about 110 grams per foot.
What size casing for summer sausage?
2.5 inch (65 mm) fibrous is the standard summer sausage size, holding about 800 grams per foot. 3 inch holds about 950 grams. A 10 lb batch needs roughly 5.7 feet of 2.5 inch casing. 2 inch (50 mm) is a pepperoni size.
Should I buy extra casing?
Yes, about 15% more than the calculation says. Casings tear, the first foot or two off a hank often gets wasted while you find your rhythm, and running out mid stuff with a bowl of ground meat waiting is a genuinely bad afternoon. The calculator shows both the exact figure and the figure with spare.
Why does my sausage come out with air pockets?
Usually the casing was not packed tightly enough, or air was trapped when the meat went into the stuffer. Pack the stuffer firmly to push air out before you start, keep steady pressure so the casing fills evenly, and prick any visible pockets before smoking.
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