I thought wrapping brisket in butcher paper was just a trend

For years I stuck with foil for the Texas crutch because it was cheap and easy. My buddy in Kansas City kept pushing me to try pink butcher paper, saying it gave a better bark. I finally gave it a shot on a 14 pound brisket last month, cooking it for about 16 hours. The bark came out way less soggy than with foil, and the meat was still super juicy. It totally changed my method for the better. Anyone else make the switch and notice a big difference?

4 comments

4 Comments

mark_green1mo ago

Honestly it's just a piece of meat wrapped in paper... I get that people are into it but the difference can't be that huge. Foil gets the job done and it's been fine for decades. Sometimes I wonder if we're all just overthinking our barbecue a little too much.

jenny_lane121mo ago

Wait, Mark, you really think it's just a piece of meat in paper? That's like saying a good steak is the same as a burnt one. The paper lets the bark stay crunchy while the foil just steams it all soggy. It's a totally different texture and taste in the end. You can't tell me you've never noticed how the crust goes soft with foil.

richard_young801mo ago

That paper lets some steam out while holding enough juice in. Foil traps all the moisture and basically braises the bark off. It's a simple physics thing, not just some trend.

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henryt188d ago

Honestly, I've done side by side tests with the exact same cut and foil never gave me a soggy bark, just more tender meat in less time. Maybe your foil game is weak, not the method itself.