Vacuum packed in a salty brine mixture, these T.S.M. natural sheep sausage casings (model 17-1114) are easy to store they don't require refrigeration until you open the package. Once you do open them up and start to use them, simply take out as much of the product as you wish and then refrigerate the remainder, keeping it in the brine mixture in the included zip-tight bag; these casings have a shelf life of up to a year when refrigerated. Used for encasing hot dogs and similar sausage types, these casings are packed in a purified salt mixture and, once flushed and soaked in water before use, are fully edible. One "hank" of this casing will result in sausages using between fifty and sixty pounds of ground meat & spices; the hank itself has a length of about 100 yards. The diameter of the stuffed casing is between three quarters of an inch to an inch (22-24 mm) and these casings are smoke-permeable. Notes: Freezing these casings is not recommended; they tend to become tough and dry after freezing and are more prone to splitting. This product cannot be shipped to locations outside the U.S.A.