Method and means for curving sausage links

A method of creating curved sausage links, comprising,

• extruding an elongated sausage strand having linear protein fibers therein out of an elongated hollow meat emulsion tube,
• partially restricting the flow of meat emulsion over and past a restriction element in the tube wherein a first portion of meat emulsion including a plurality of linearly and longitudinally extending fibers will move longitudinally over the restriction element to create a first portion of meat emulsion that gradually transitions to a second portion of meat emulsion that engages and passes over the restriction element and including primarily non-linear fibers disposed in a random orientation, and wherein the first portion is more susceptible to lengthwise shrinkage in the presence of heat than the second portion,
• separating the sausage strand upon exiting the tube into a plurality of separate sausage links,
• applying heat to the sausage links wherein the links will assume a curved shape by virtue of the different orientation of fibers in the two portions.