TIL wrapping brisket in butcher paper instead of foil changed my whole cook time and bark quality

For 3 years I wrapped in foil like my uncle taught me, but after watching a pitmaster from Lockhart, Texas do a demo at a local event last Saturday, I tried pink butcher paper on a 12 pound packer and the bark came out crisp instead of soggy and it finished 2 hours faster, has anyone else noticed a huge difference switching between the two wraps?

2 comments

2 Comments

martin.riley1d ago

Have you noticed the butcher paper letting more steam escape compared to foil? For me, that's the whole game changer. Foil traps all the moisture and softens the bark, but paper lets it breathe so you keep that crust (and honestly, it saves time by not steaming the meat into submission). I usually wrap when the stall hits around 165-170, and the paper holds up way better for a long hold in a cooler too.

the_susan1d ago

Steaming the meat into submission" - that's a bit dramatic for wrapping paper, no?