Used to wrap my brisket in foil at 165 like clockwork, but after a buddy in Austin told me to try unwrapped the whole cook at 225 I've never gone back to the crutch.

Has anyone else ditched the wrap entirely or do you still swear by butcher paper over foil or something else?

3 comments

3 Comments

Man, you hit the nail on the head. I did foil for years and my bark was always kinda soft and mushy on the bottom. Switched to unwrapped at 225 and it changed everything. The crust gets this deep mahogany color and snaps when you bite into it. You just have to plan for it taking longer, like an extra 4-5 hours on a 15 pounder, and keep an eye on your fire so it doesn't spike.

drew_reed622d ago

I know a guy in Lockhart who runs a pit and he told me the same thing a few years back. He said foil traps the steam and softens the bark, and once I tried going unwrapped at 250 I noticed the same thing with my own cooks. It feels like a lot of barbecue advice is like that now, people are moving away from shortcuts and letting the meat do the work. There is something to be said for patience and a good fire.

pat_fisher242d ago

Feel you on that, man. I did the foil boat thing for a while thinking I was being clever, but even that left the bottom a little too soft for my taste. Switched to unwrapped the whole way at 250 and the difference in texture is night and day. That crunch you get on the bark, especially on the point end of a brisket, is worth every extra hour of babysitting the smoker.