Question about a weird brisket stall I saw at a comp in Memphis

This old timer next to me at the 'Smoke on the River' contest kept saying his brisket was 'sweating' and he needed to wrap it in butcher paper, not foil. He said foil steams it and makes the bark soggy, which is a rookie mistake. Anyone else run into this specific advice about the wrap?

2 comments

2 Comments

robert_bennett2912d ago

Read an article from a pitmaster magazine that broke down the science. Butcher paper lets some steam escape while still holding in heat, so it basically braises the brisket without turning the bark to mush. Foil traps all the moisture, which is why it can get that steamed, pot-roast texture. That old guy's advice is pretty much the standard for competition cooks now.

davidr3412d ago

Yeah, that "sweating" thing is just the fat rendering out. Butcher paper breathes a little so it protects the bark better than foil, which traps all that steam. That old timer knew what he was talking about.