Watched a pitmaster go from 8 hour ribs to 4 hour ribs in just one summer season.

He switched to a ceramic cooker and started wrapping in butcher paper instead of foil - anyone else notice how much faster the cook times got with that change?

3 comments

3 Comments

susan_adams6d agoMost Upvoted

I read somewhere that the paper wrap trick actually works because it lets the meat breathe while still trapping heat. Foil can steam the bark and make it soggy, but paper keeps it crunchy. A buddy of mine tested it side by side on his offset smoker and said the paper ribs finished a full hour sooner. He also mentioned the fat renders better with paper because it doesn't pool up like it does in foil. So it's not just the ceramic cooker doing the work here. The paper is doing a lot of the heavy lifting on time.

smith.nancy6d ago

You know what, that part about the fat not pooling up in paper is what got me. I always thought foil was the way to go because it traps everything in, but I never thought about how that actually hurts the fat rendering. I used to swear by foil for ribs but now I'm rethinking everything. Your buddy's test on the offset smoker really drives it home too, an hour faster is huge. And I hate soggy bark, that's my biggest pet peeve with smoking. I've spent so many butts getting that perfect crust only to have it turn to mush in foil. Might have to switch to paper for my next cook and see if it makes that much of a difference for me.

christopherh796d ago

Did you try it yet @smith.nancy? Paper changed my whole rib game too lol.