# Butcher paper wrapping a brisket?



## forest walker (Jun 1, 2014)

Being that I have only braved one brisket, and am still learning, what is the purpose of butcher paper wrapping a brisket? When do you do it? Does it take the place of foil?


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## oldschoolbbq (Jun 1, 2014)

Yeah , another "Crutch".


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## scvinegarpepper (Jun 2, 2014)

Forest walker said:


> Being that I have only braved one brisket, and am still learning, what is the purpose of butcher paper wrapping a brisket? When do you do it? Does it take the place of foil?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


That's how I understand it. I've only done a few brisky in my day. But I'm likely doing another one this weekend and am thinking about using butcher paper instead of foil. The way I understand it is that with foil it seals in the steam and all that so it can make your bark mushy sometimes. The butcher paper still accomplishes the "crutch" aspect of it, but allows the brisky to breathe a little more through the paper so the bark holds up a little better. Again, I have not done this, but that's how I understand it. If I try it this weekend I'll let you know.


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## Bearcarver (Jun 2, 2014)

Gary S uses Butcher Paper on his Briskets, and makes Great Briskets.

I would PM him:  gary s

Tell him "Bear sent you."

Bear


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 2, 2014)

Paper soaks up rendering fat and still lets a little bit of smoke to get in. Search Aaron Frankin's technique...JJ


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## gary s (Jun 2, 2014)

Hey Forest, I've been using butcher for several years. I always used foil before.  I smoke my brisket 5 - 6 hours then wrap in BP for the remainder. I smoke at 225º   For me butcher paper does several things. I get a better, firmer bark, It holds in some moisture (not at much as Foil, and lets in very little smoke especially if you continue using wood splits or adding charcoal. Here is the smoke I did last week,  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/163045/saturday-brisket-and-other-stuff

Have any more questions I would be glad to help.

Gary S


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## ishbbq (Jun 2, 2014)

I use butcher paper too. My brisket hero (Aron Franklin) uses it, so I thought I would try to mimick some Franklin Barbecue, and I got really close! Best brisket I have ever made.  The idea is that butcher paper allows the meat to tenderize while being allowed to breathe and still take on smoke. Foil isolates the brisket from the natural heat and smoke, and can make the bark too soft and/or mushy.  Butcher paper eliminates those problems, and it really works.  Just like everything else, just give it a shot and see if it works for your style of cooking.


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## forest walker (Jun 2, 2014)

I'm going to try it. I just bought a 14.5 lb packer at Walmart, will probably be at about 13 lbs after trimming. Around what temp should I wrap it in paper? I need to have it done for 5pm Saturday. So I need to pull it to rest around 3 or 4. I'm just trying to decide when to start it, 16-18 hrs before? If I figure 1.5 per pound. I paid 2.09 a lb by the way, which I thought was a good deal when I compared what the we're asking for flats


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## gary s (Jun 2, 2014)

A couple more questions, What type smoker and fuel are you using ?  I use charcoal and wood splits (Hickory and Pecan) I'll smoke mine around 5-6 at 225º hours then wrap. If you looked at my post you can see Thin Blue Smoke.  It took about 13 hours on a 12 pounder.

Gary S


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## hickorybutt (Jun 2, 2014)

I did a brisket a couple of weeks ago and wrapped in butcher paper - results were incredible.  I wrapped about 7-8 hours into the smoke when the brisket was about 165 degrees.  By the end of the smoke, the paper was soaked in grease and kept moisture in the meat.  But as others have stated and as Aaron Franklin claims, the paper still lets the brisket breathe enough to where it doesn't 'steam' the meat in foil and ruin the bark and meat texture.  Moist meat, but still tastes like a piece of barbecue as opposed to crock pot meat.


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## forest walker (Jun 2, 2014)

I use a Mes 30 and an amnps. I used to have a sfb smoker but it burned through in the early spring


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## voodoo57 (Feb 6, 2017)

what was your pit temp when you started the brisket?

brisket internal temp when you pulled it off to wrap in butcher paper?

did you do 3 layers of wrap?

what was the internal temp when you pulled the brisket off the pit?


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