That tip about wrapping brisket in butcher paper vs foil really clicked for me

I was watching a BBQ Pitmasters episode last night where Myron Mixon talked about how foil can steam the bark and make it soggy. He said butcher paper lets the meat breathe while still holding in moisture, and after trying it on my last brisket I finally get why. The bark came out way better, not soft at all, and the whole thing cooked in about 12 hours at 250. I had always used foil cause that's what my dad did, but now I'm thinking I need to switch for good. Has anyone else seen a big difference with paper on a long smoke?

2 comments

2 Comments

scott.grace12d ago

That Franklin guy from the YouTube videos said something similar about paper vs foil, and he actually did a side by side test where the foil wrapped brisket had this wet sponge texture on the outside that just killed the crust. He pointed out that the paper basically acts like a second skin, letting steam escape while trapping the heat, which makes total sense if you think about how meat can sweat inside foil and basically boil itself. Switched to paper after watching that and my last few briskets have had that dark, crunchy bark that snaps when you bite into it.

dylanh8112d ago

Honestly, have you noticed how this butcher paper thing is like a lot of stuff in life where we just do what our parents did without thinking? My dad always wrapped his ribs in foil too, and they were fine, but not great. Then I tried paper and it was like a lightbulb went off, the same way I stopped using a gas grill and switched to charcoal once I saw how much better the flavor was. It's funny how we get stuck in a rut just because that's how we were taught, even when a small change makes everything better. I'm with you, once you see the difference on the bark, there's no going back.