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Got told off by a pitmaster in Kansas City for my brisket wrap method
I was at a competition in KC last fall and Aaron from Smokey Oaks BBQ watched me wrap my brisket in foil and said I was steaming it instead of smoking it. He told me to switch to butcher paper at the stall so the bark stays crunchy. Any of you guys had a similar wakeup call about wrapping technique?
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victorh812d ago
Man, that's exactly the kind of reality check that sticks with you. I used to foil wrap everything until I did a batch of ribs in competition and a guy pointed out my bark was basically soggy paper by the time I pulled them. Butcher paper is the real deal for keeping that crunch while still letting the meat breathe. I even switched to paper for my pork butts now and the difference in texture is night and day. Foil is fine if you're in a hurry but for any kind of competition or long smoke, paper is the way to go.
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sandra_bennett592d ago
So @victorh81, when you switched your pork butts to butcher paper, did you notice any difference in the cooking time compared to foil? I tried it once on a boston butt and it took almost two extra hours to hit 203, which threw off my whole timeline for dinner. I'm curious if that's just my smoker running weird or if the paper really does slow things down that much.
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Think about how many times in life we get stuck doing something a certain way just because it's faster or easier, not because it's better. Foil wrapping is like taking the express lane but ending up with mushy bark, while paper is taking the scenic route and getting a better result. I see this everywhere, from people rushing through dinner prep with jarred sauces to cutting corners on home projects just to save an afternoon. It's hard to break old habits when they're convenient, but that extra time and effort usually pays off. Have you found yourself sticking with something just because it's quicker, even when you knew there was a better way?
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