# Why wrap in Saran?



## masondixon (Feb 15, 2017)

Probably a simple answer but why wrap ribs, pork butt, etc in Saran after coating with rub?


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## pc farmer (Feb 15, 2017)

To keep the rub against the meat.  The rub will pull moisture out of the meat the suran wrap will keep everything against the meat.


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## masondixon (Feb 15, 2017)

Thx C. I kinda figured that it was to keep the rub from falling off. I don't how moisture is reduced besides the salt in the rub. Wouldn't any moisture just get trapped by the plastic wrap?


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## tbrtt1 (Feb 15, 2017)

Salt will pull moisture out of the meat but the wrap won't force it back in.  I think of it like preventing excessive evaporation, however. Sometimes I wrap the meat and vac seal it if I am not smoking till the next day. Yes it will hold the rub to the meat.

I have contemplated and even posted on the issue of wrapping  The night before and whether this actually dries the meat out or not. My concluding  hypothesis is a) most  Big box supermarket meat has added moisture in it anyway and b)  it is the breaking down of the fat and collagen In the meat that yields that wonderful moisture and "mouth feel", not retained water. 

Please note: I am not a meat scientist but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn express last night. Also, I have smoked and eaten Heroic amounts of meat.


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## 3montes (Feb 16, 2017)

I have asked this question before and never received a answer. But doesn't all the rub come off with the saran wrap when you remove it causing you to have to reapply rub after removing the Saran wrap?


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## DanMcG (Feb 16, 2017)

I rub them and wrap them in butcher paper, just to keep the rub from getting on everything else in the frig.


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## wade (Feb 16, 2017)

3montes said:


> I have asked this question before and never received a answer. But doesn't all the rub come off with the saran wrap when you remove it causing you to have to reapply rub after removing the Saran wrap?


The salt in the rub draws out moisture from the meat and some of the flavours dissolve and diffuse back into the meat. Yes, some of the rub does come off on the Saran when it is removed but most of it by far remains firmly on the surface of the meat.


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## joakimericsson (Feb 16, 2017)

Saran is the trade name for a number of polymers made from vinylidene chloride (especially polyvinylidene chloride or PVDC), along with other monomers. Since its accidental discovery in 1933, Saran has been used for a number of commercial and industrial products.


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## sxfxz (Feb 16, 2017)

http://s10.photobucket.com/user/SxFxZ/media/A4B96741-C716-4283-A891-9D764962B09B.jpg.html

Briskets and pork butts I always rub and wrap and let sit overnight. I feel the rub really gets to dissolve and soak into the meat. I've noticed it does extract blood and can get messy if not fully sealed which I feel saran wrap never does. lol


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## ironhorse07 (Feb 16, 2017)

But aren't most spices oil soluble and not water soluble?


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## wade (Feb 17, 2017)

Ironhorse07 said:


> But aren't most spices oil soluble and not water soluble?


If that was the case then most herbal infused teas would be tasteless. Some elements of the flavours will be water soluble and others fat soluble.


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## johnmeyer (Feb 17, 2017)

In addition to reasons already given, I think the wrap keeps refrigerator odors from penetrating the meat, and keeps the odors from the rub (usually lots of garlic) from migrating to other food in the fridge.


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## scubohuntr (Feb 17, 2017)

Some herbs and spices are oil soluble, some are water soluble, some are alcohol soluble. The reddish proteins (it's not blood, unless you are cooking within minutes of slaughter) that leak out of the meat are mostly in a water solution, but there is some fat in there too. Add a splash of red wine or whiskey before you rub and you've got all three covered.


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## masondixon (Feb 17, 2017)

Thanks for all the input guys. I will experiment with the next batch of ribs I do. I will prep two separate racks of ribs identically, save for the wrap. One will be wrapped and I'll leave the other uncovered on an elevated wire rack. It will be interesting to see if there is any difference in the final result


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## johnmeyer (Feb 17, 2017)

MasonDixon said:


> Thanks for all the input guys. I will experiment with the next batch of ribs I do. I will prep two separate racks of ribs identically, save for the wrap. One will be wrapped and I'll leave the other uncovered on an elevated wire rack. It will be interesting to see if there is any difference in the final result


I'm looking forward to hearing the results of that test!


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