A shirred fibrous food casing defines a shirred stick formed from a tubular fibrous casing, The shirred stick includes an average outside diameter at least 120% of the average inflated diameter of the deshirred casing. Additionally, the shirred stick includes an average inside diameter of at least 70% of the casing inflated diameter and a pleat pitch defined as the distance between adjacent apexes of major pleats measured on the casing after the shirred stick is deshirred.