Tried wrapping my brisket in foil after the stall instead of butcher paper. It turned to mush.

I was in a rush for a cookout last Saturday and grabbed the heavy duty foil instead of the pink paper. The bark completely washed out and the flat was overcooked and falling apart after 3 hours in the wrap. My buddy from Austin took one bite and just shook his head. Learned my lesson: foil steams it, paper protects the bark. Anyone have a good method to salvage texture if you accidentally wrap too early?

3 comments

3 Comments

riley_schmidt20d ago

My Texas uncle swears by foil for the juiciest brisket, honestly.

pat_coleman20d ago

Yeah, I was a butcher paper purist for years, thought foil just steamed the meat. But @riley_schmidt, I tried the foil wrap last summer on a tough cut, and it totally saved the cook. That brisket was pushing past 200 degrees and still felt tight, so I wrapped it tight in foil with a little beef broth. Two hours later it was probe-tender and crazy juicy. Still love paper for bark, but foil is a solid fix for a stubborn piece of meat.

morganhill15d ago

Your buddy shaking his head is the real Texas seal of disapproval. I once tried to rush a pork shoulder with foil and it basically turned into pulled pork soup in the tray.