Old timer at a competition in Kansas City told me to wrap my brisket in butcher paper instead of foil

I said no way, foil traps more moisture. But he insisted and I tried it on a practice run. First time I got that perfect bark and tender meat with zero soggy spots. Anyone else have someone change your whole method with one piece of advice?

3 comments

3 Comments

evaw181mo ago

Shook me to my core when I finally tried it. That paper lets the meat breathe just enough to build a crust that crunches like candy, while foil basically boils the outside into mush. I spent two years wondering why my briskets came out tasting like pot roast and it was the wrapping all along.

phoenix_lewis1mo ago

Ngl @evaw18, I think you're overthinking the wrap game entirely. Foil rules for moisture retention if you're cooking at a lower temp, and that "mush" you describe is just rendered fat that most people would kill for. Honestly, paper dries out the flat way too fast for my taste and gives you a bark that's more burnt than crunchy.

amy_west1mo ago

Made it taste like pot roast" is exactly it @phoenix_lewis, never going back to foil now.