Apparatus (11) for skinning the casing from a chain of encased frankfurters (16). The apparatus has a plurality of carrier wheels (27, 29, and 31) which conveys the frankfurter chain (16) in a sinuous path to provide at least a pair of stressing stations (107, 11) where the casing is stressed first on one side and then the other. Knives (119, 123) are located at the stressing stations which slit the casing on opposite sides thereof.