by Paul Kribs » Sat Jun 25, 2005 6:39 pm
I will endorse what Aris says about keeping them wet. Today I used sheep casings for the first time. I felt that I was led to believe I would have them split/burst etc. Nothing could be further from the truth. I did not have a problem with them, although I didn't link them. I used a normal mix, didn't over soften it with an extra amount of water.
The one thing I would say is that water is the best lubricant for allowing the casing to flow properly from the nozzle, so after saoaking flush them through just prior to putting the casing on the nozzle. I did leave them to dry slightly between mixes and they became drier and would not flow. Easily remedied by flushing through again. I found them as good as hog casings. Also try to cut them to the appropriate length for the amount of sausages being filled as it takes quite a lot longer than with hogs, and water retention appears to be the key.
Hope this helps
Regards, Paul Kribs