Tried wrapping brisket in butcher paper vs foil and paper crushed it

Did a side by side cook last weekend with two 15lb briskets from Costco. Same rub, same smoker, same time. Wrapped one in pink butcher paper at 165 and the other in heavy duty foil. The paper one had a way better bark, like actually crunchy on the outside but tender inside. The foil one had that mushy wet bark that fell apart. Never going back to foil. Anyone else have better luck with paper?

3 comments

3 Comments

lane.cameron20d ago

Hey did you let the foil one rest as long as the paper one? I made that mistake once and the foil brisket was way more mushy because the steam just kept cooking it for like two hours in the foil. I wrapped one in foil at 165 and pulled it at 203, then wrapped it in a towel and put it in a cooler for 3 hours. That paper one though, the bark stayed way more solid even after resting. I think foil traps too much moisture if you don't vent it right.

felixlee18d ago

Yeah I read something from Meathead Goldwyn about this. He basically said foil is great for tenderness but you lose bark because the moisture softens it. Paper lets some steam escape so the bark stays crunchier. I've been using paper since I saw that article and never looked back.

derek65620d ago

Stayed way more solid" is putting it nicely. My foil brisket turned into brisket pudding once. Thought I was a genius with that steam bath, turns out I was just making expensive lunchmeat.