Showerthought: I was wrong about foil for brisket.

Butcher paper made my brisket bark crisp and juicy.

2 comments

2 Comments

At my last backyard smoke, I tried pink butcher paper instead of foil. I always thought foil kept things moist, but the paper gave a much crisper bark. That one cook changed my whole method for good.

park.joseph6d ago

Yeah the real difference is how they handle moisture. Foil traps all the steam in, so you're basically braising the bark soft. Butcher paper lets just enough steam out that the bark can set and get that crispy texture, but it's still tight enough to protect the meat from drying out. It's that sweet spot between a full steam and a dry smoke.