Sourcing Sausage Skins in the UK

I want to make my own sausages at home. Recipies are easy to come by on the internet, and I%26#39;m sure I can invent many of my own. The think that%26#39;s currently stumping me though, is where to source sausage skins (casings) from. Ideally I%26#39;d like: - to buy them online - to buy %26quot;natural%26quot; skins. - to buy them in sensibly small quantities (trade sellers will typically only sell them in vast lengths - far too much for home use). I live in the UK, so ideally they should be in this country. I%26#39;ve found spicetech.co.uk, but the comment I read suggested they have a rather large minimum order requirement.
Hi Dopiaza, Sausage casings come in a variety of sizes and are typically sold in measurements of %26#147;bundles%26#148; or %26#147;hanks. Each bundle or hank is approximately 91 meters in length. Shorter lengths of hog casings are sold in %26#147;shorts%26#148; that are approximately 1-2 meters in length. International Natural Sausage Casing Association http://www.insca.org/faq/faq4.htm The best resource for searching natural sausage casing was Google%26#146;s Group search. A useful tool for finding information that was posted on usenet discussion forums. Google Groups Search ://www.google.com/grphp?hl=en Ian McIntosh, from Winchester, posted 2 separate threads suggesting to purchase natural casings from the Natural Casing Company who are happy to accommodate different length casings: The Natural Casing Company High Point Dippenhall Farnham Surrey GU10 5EB Tel: 01252 850454 He also suggested buying natural skin casings from Barlow%26#39;s Butcher, in Oliver%26#146;s Battery: Barlows Butchers 95 Olivers Battery Road South Olivers Battery, SO22 4JQ Tel: 01962 865593 You can buy the casing outside of the United Kingdom, but you do need to have the casings dry salt packed, which require water flushing prior to use: %26#147;Dry Salt Pack: Excess moisture is removed for semi-dry state. This is usually appropriate for long distance travel and/or prolonged storage at ambient temperatures%26#148; International Natural Sausage Casing Association Handling Casing http://www.insca.org/faq/faq8.htm Keywords Used: Natural sausage casing Uk natural sausage casing Websites that may interest you: International Natural Sausage Casing Association http://www.insca.org/ Hub-uk.com Interesting Bites about Sausage Page http://www.hub-uk.com/interesting/sausages.htm Google Group Discussions Used: Iain McIntosh, Sausage skins in the UK %26quot;If you live in the Winchester area you can get standard sized natural skins from Barlow the butcher in Oliver%26#39;s Battery. %26#147;We get our saltpetre, and casings for homemade haggis,sausages,etc. from the Natural Casing Company, Farnham 01252 850454. Very helpful and quick. Anyone got any interesting lamb sausage recipes?%26#148; 1997/06/02. Newsgroups: uk.food+drink.misc Iain McIntosh, Sausage Skins - Where to buy them ? %26quot;You can buy skins from: The Natural Casing Co High Point Dippenhall Farnham Surrey GU10 5EB Tel: 01252 850454 They are happy to supply to the home user, and do a range from chipolata right up to salami and haggis. If you live in the Winchester area you can get standard sized natural skins from Barlow the butcher in Oliver%26#39;s Battery.%26quot; 1998/10/23/ Newsgroup: uk.food+drink.misc Regards, Trailhead