Sheep Casings

[oakville smoker]

Well it turns out my butcher buddy had sheep casings and I am going to use them to make some breakfast links
Do sheep casings have to be treated any differently than hog casings?
I have not opened them yet but I remember someone saying something about smell and using vinegar ?
Do they smell and do I need to add vinegar or something to reduce any smell?

[NePaSmoKer]

i dont think they smell any different than other natural casings. The vinegar in the soak water makes them easier to work with and makes some of the veins kinda transparent.

[lumpy]

Baaaaaaahh
Use about one tablespoon of vinegar per L. of water when soaking the casing to remove the veins.

[oakville smoker]

Thanks
This will be thi smorning project
Great help as always

[3rensho]

Good to know.  I've never used vinegar in the soak water but will give it a try the next time I make breakfast links.

[RAF128]

I just soaked mine in cold water and flushed out the inside.    Next time I'll try a little vinegar to see if I notice a difference.

[Roadking]

I use sheep casings for my breakfast links and hot dogs. The smell usually comes when they warm up. Putting them in cold water or refrigeration will cure that smell. The veins will disappear after you stuff them. Take your time when doing sheep as they are more delicate and will burst more readily than hog casings.

[oakville smoker]

Well I cranked these yesterday
A little different than hog casings
There was no smell and I did soak in cold water for about 30 minutes

Observations
Quite a challenge to find the end and open it, there is a reason they ae on a holder
They are very delicate
Maybe 2 blow outs if I remembr, the bigger challenge was creating the links
They tied well but every time I put a twist in them, I had breakage
I had to leave the links longer than what I wanted but I can cut them when I cook them

[KevinG]

It's a little late now, but when tying the casings, there is a little trick that sometimes helps. Mush the meat with your fingers in the section you want to tie and work it back and forth until it moves out of the way. Then you can twist it without worry of a blow out. Wet fingers also make it a little easier when working it back and forth.

[OU812]

Aint them sheep casings fun to work with?  ;D

[oakville smoker]

As luck would have it, I ran out of sheep casings 3/4 of the way through
Collagen to the rescue !
No easier to link though, I am wondering if you almost have to underfill the casings with these small diameter casings
All in all for the ones that are a touch long, I will just cut them in half after cooking

[Roadking]

Just remember, you can't put 2 lbs. in a 1 lb. bag! If you do you're left with a mess. Leave room for twisting.

[OU812]

When using sheep casings try to shoot out to the length you want, stop the stuffer, twist the sausage hold the link and shoot out another link ,stop the stuffer and twist in the opposite direction.

After you get the hang of it you will go allot faster.

When using collagen just shoot out one long sausage, then cut to length.

[oakville smoker]

Ahhhh
There in lies the problem
I cranked one long length and tried to twist it after stuffing
I did not think about just cutting the collagen ones, next time

Here is what I wound up with in the end

[Tenpoint5]

When using sheep casings try to shoot out to the length you want, stop the stuffer, twist the sausage hold the link and shoot out another link ,stop the stuffer and twist in the opposite direction.
After you get the hang of it you will go allot faster.

As long as you take into account how many adult beverages you have consumed during the sausage making process. You know your getting close when you find yourself asking "Which way did I twist that last one?" You will do that anyhow so don't worry.