Ran into an old pitmaster at a gas station in Kansas City last month.

I was grabbing some chips and this older guy noticed my barbecue shirt and asked what I cook on. He told me his secret to brisket was wrapping in butcher paper at 165 and not peeking for three hours. Has anyone else had luck with that method or do you stick to foil?

3 comments

3 Comments

ruby_jones24d ago

Damn, nobody's talking about how that method changes your bark texture compared to foil. Wrapping in butcher paper lets the brisket breathe just enough so the outside stays firm and dark instead of turning to mush. That three-hour no-peek rule is smart too, keeps the steam locked in without making the meat soggy.

oliverhernandez24d ago

You said "lets the brisket breathe" and that's exactly the part I want to pick at. How long do you usually leave it wrapped before you cut into it? I've heard some guys swear by a full hour rest on the counter still wrapped, but then others toss it in a cooler with towels for like 3-4 hours. Does that extra long rest mess with the bark you worked so hard for, or does it still stay pretty solid?

emmaclark24d ago

ruby_jones is spot on about the bark thing. I tried foil once and that crust turned into a wet mess, totally ruined the brisket. Butcher paper is the only way I do it now, lets it keep that dark, crunchy outside after the three hour no peek. I usually rest mine for about two hours in a cooler with towels, bark stays solid every single time as long as I don't open it early.