Edible Collagen Casings take the place of using natural hog or sheep casings. These beef protein casings can be used for fresh, cured, or smoked sausages. There is no preparation necessary; just put them on your stuffing tube and before you know it, you will have uniformly sized sausages! Choosing the Right Type of Casing Fresh Edible Collagen Casings Fresh casings are recommended if you are going to be grilling or frying your sausage. These casings are pleated into long tubes and hold anywhere from 10 to 23 lbs per strand. Fresh casings are ideal for brats, Italian, Polish, chorizo, and breakfast sausage. These casings cannot be boiled, water will break down the casing.