Told my buddy to wrap his brisket in butcher paper instead of foil and he proved me wrong

I've been preaching the gospel of pink butcher paper for years, but my friend Mark from Austin used heavy duty foil on a 15lb packer last weekend and it came out more tender than any wrap I've ever done. The bark wasn't as crunchy but the moisture retention was crazy good and nobody at the table complained. Has anyone else had a similar experience where the "wrong" method actually beat the popular one?

2 comments

2 Comments

palmer.zara14d ago

Brisket wrapped in foil is just steamed beef, not smoked meat with any real skill behind it.

maxmurphy14d ago

I've been following the Franklin method for years now, wrapping with butcher paper around hour 8 when the stall hits and the bark is set. The foil boat method Aaron Franklin and others talk about gives you that tender bite while still keeping the bark crunchy on top, so it's not just steaming in there. I tried a no-wrap cook once and it came out like shoe leather after 16 hours, way too dry for my taste. The foil wrap helps push through the stall and locks in enough moisture without turning it into a pot roast situation. There's definitely skill in knowing when to wrap and how tight to go, otherwise you'd end up with mush.