The Carnivore Collective 24/26mm Lamb Sausage Casings are natural, edible sheep casings for making slim sausages with the tender bite and slight natural variation you expect from a traditional casing. The 24/26mm size refers to the approximate filled diameter of the sausage, while the 20 metre pack is rated to hold approximately 6–7kg of finished product.

This diameter is well suited to fresh thin sausages, chipolatas, breakfast sausages, frankfurters and hot dogs, along with cabana/cabanossi, merguez and other smaller-diameter sausage styles. Natural sheep casings are also used with pork, beef, lamb, chicken and game fillings—the casing size determines the sausage diameter, not the meat you put inside it.

Unlike a manufactured collagen casing, this is a genuine natural casing. Sheep casings are produced from the cleaned, processed membrane of the ovine small intestine and are intended to be eaten with the sausage. Their thinner wall gives a more delicate bite than the larger natural hog casings commonly used for chunky sausages.

What Does 24/26mm Mean?

Natural casings are graded by diameter rather than being manufactured to one exact width. 24/26mm means the filled casing will generally measure between 24 and 26mm across. Some natural variation is normal.

That puts these casings in the slim-to-medium sausage range. They are larger than very fine snack-stick casings but noticeably slimmer than the 28mm-plus hog casings normally chosen for a chunkier BBQ sausage.

The 20 metre pack will fill approximately 6–7kg of sausage mixture, with the final yield varying according to filling pressure, natural casing variation and the size of the links you make.

Best Suited To

These 24/26mm natural lamb casings are a good choice for:

• Thin fresh beef, pork, lamb, chicken or game sausages
• Chipolatas and breakfast sausages
• Frankfurters and natural-casing hot dogs
• Merguez and other slim lamb sausages
• Cabana and cabanossi-style sausages
• Smaller-diameter smoked sausages

Natural sheep casings are suitable for fresh sausages and can also be used for smoked, cured and fermented styles when the sausage is made using the correct recipe and processing method.

How to Prepare the Casings

1. Rinse and Flush

Remove the amount of casing you need and rinse away the preserving salt or brine. Because these are loose natural casings rather than casings supplied on a loading tube, it is also worth finding the open end and running clean water through the inside before soaking. This helps remove residual salt and makes the casing easier to open and load onto your stuffing tube.

2. Soak for at Least Two Hours

Soak in warm water for at least 2 hours before use.

Keep the casing submerged and use warm rather than hot water. Proper soaking softens the natural membrane, improves elasticity and makes it much easier to thread onto the stuffing tube without tearing.

3. Keep the Casing Wet

Leave the prepared casing wet until you are ready to stuff. A dry natural casing becomes harder to slide onto the tube and is more likely to catch or tear.

Stuffing Tube Size

A small stuffing tube is needed for a 24/26mm sheep casing. Around 13mm is a good starting size, while tubes up to approximately 16mm are also commonly used where the fully soaked casing slides onto the tube freely.

Do not force the casing over an oversized nozzle. Sheep casing has a thinner wall than hog casing, so forcing it onto the tube can cause small tears before stuffing even begins.

Wet the stuffing tube before loading the casing. If necessary, a very light coating of food-grade vegetable oil can help the prepared casing slide on smoothly.

For larger home batches, the Carnivore Collective 5L Sausage Stuffer includes a 16mm stuffing tube suitable for working with this casing size. For smaller batches, the Avanti 1kg Sausage Maker includes a 15mm nozzle that also falls within a practical range for 24/26mm sheep casings.

Stuffing and Linking Tips

Fill steadily rather than trying to push the mixture through as quickly as possible. The casing should be full and even, but still have enough give to form links. An overfilled sheep casing is more likely to split when twisted or during cooking.

Keep an eye out for trapped air as you work. Small air pockets can be gently worked towards the end of the casing or released carefully where necessary.

When linking, handle the casing gently and avoid repeatedly twisting the same section. Natural sheep casing is strong enough for normal sausage making, but its thinner wall is less forgiving than a larger hog casing.

Cooking Tips

Natural casings respond well to steady cooking. Avoid blasting a cold sausage over very aggressive direct heat straight away, as rapid expansion can increase the chance of splitting.

There is generally no need to prick the sausages before cooking. Piercing the casing lets rendered fat and meat juices escape, which can leave the finished sausage drier.

If you are smoking, fermenting or drying sausages rather than making fresh sausages, use a tested recipe and the correct curing process for that particular sausage. The casing is suitable for these methods, but the casing itself does not determine the required curing or food-safety process.

Choosing Between Natural Sheep, Hog and Collagen Casings

Choose 24/26mm natural sheep casing when you want a slim sausage, edible natural casing and a more delicate traditional bite.

A larger hog casing is the better choice when you want a noticeably thicker sausage such as a chunky pork sausage, bratwurst or Italian-style sausage. Hog casing also has a thicker wall and can be a little more forgiving for someone learning to stuff natural casings.

A 26mm collagen casing is worth considering when consistent diameter from sausage to sausage is more important than the natural variation and appearance of sheep casing.

Storage

Keep the unopened pack refrigerated for home storage. Natural casings are preserved with salt, and cool refrigerated storage helps maintain their condition.

After opening, place any unused casing in fresh water, add a generous amount of table salt so the casing remains well salted, seal it and return it to the refrigerator.

Do not rely on a general casing shelf life in place of the date or condition of the pack you receive.

Product Details

 

FAQs

Will lamb casing make my pork or beef sausages taste like lamb?

No. Natural sheep casing is used with many different sausage fillings and is not chosen to add lamb flavour. Its main contribution is the natural casing texture, shape and bite.

Why can natural casings look slightly different from one another?

They are a natural product rather than an extruded tube. The casings are graded into the 24–26mm size range, so small variations in diameter, appearance and curvature are normal.

Why is there an unusual smell when I first open the pack?

A temporary confinement odour can develop while natural casings are sealed under vacuum. Open the pack, rinse and prepare the casings as directed; the odour should subside after exposure to air.

Are these suitable for a first-time sausage maker?

They can certainly be used at home, but sheep casing is thinner and more delicate than hog casing. Good soaking, the correct small stuffing tube and avoiding overfilling make a noticeable difference.