Smoked Polish Sausage with a sweet caramelized casing

[Derek Punaro]

I'm looking for some very specific advice, so I hope someone can help. I've made fresh and hot smoked sausage a few times now, but I'm shooting to replicate a very specific flavor that a local BBQ place does. They make a smoked Polish sausage that is sweet and the casing is almost caramelized. I'm assuming brown sugar is part of their recipe, but I've never used it in any of mine. Anyone make a Polish (or other) sausage with sugar that will share the percentage they use?

I've also heard that some places will spray down the sausage with a honey/water mix during blooming that could be at work here. Anyone done something similar?

Lastly, I'm going to smoke on my WSM - what temps do people smoke at? I've only done hot smokes so far, but I'd like to try a cooler smoke this time around.

Thanks!

 

[timothy]

I've smoked regular store bought polish and spritzed them with apple juice concentrate, finished caramelizing in a CI pan with some apple and sweet onion slices.
I do the same with store bought bratts.

Tim