Are sheep casings really that tricky?

[manfran]

Over the next couple of months, I would quite like to make two types of sausages in particular. Chipolatas (primarily to be had with the main Christmas meal) and delicious merguez.

Now, I know that traditionally speaking, these are thinner sausages, but I have been a little put off by reading that sheep casings are thin and delicate. Not to be put in the hands of clumsy novices like myself. I'm afraid that I will mess it up (which just won't do for christmas day)...

So should I just get some collagen casings and forget about the authenticity of sheep casings...or is it a fuss about nothing. A gentle touch and a bit of patience is all I need?

[NCPaul]

They are much stronger than you are thinking and well worth using. A few points - because they are more narrow, more length will have to be put on the stuffer (this is the biggest bother to me). If you are going to get a knot in the casing, sheeps casing will be the most extreme example. I find a good long soak (4-8 hrs.) helps, YMMV.

A gentle touch and a bit of patience is all I need?

Yes.

[kylemorley]

I just used them for the first time a few days ago, and found them very easy to use, as well as having a really nice snap when eaten. However the casings I used (from Sausage Source) came already installed on a plastic tube, so they only needed a brief 20 minute soak and could be slipped right off the tube onto the stuffing funnel. I had no blow outs or other problems, so it wasn't any different from using hog casings.

Only catch is, I think they ends up being more expensive that way. Sure makes it easy, though.