Brisket to Wrap or Not to Wrap that is the question?

[sailingcal21]

I've had reasonable success with my briskets by smoking until 165; then foil wrapping until reaching 200-ish. Not real happy with the bark result so want to try taking her all the way past 200 with no wrapping. My smoker is a Masterbuilt Pro, seasoned with some off the shelf Terry Black's Beef Dry Rub and using mesquite.

She's been in for 5 hrs and is at 155 now.

Thoughts and comments?

Sctt

 

[ravenclan]

I never wrap and have cooked a brisket on all of my smokers from electric to pellet to wood and gas.
We like the bark and I do not argue with.... She Who Must Be Obeyed/Happy

 

[hawtsauc3]

My understanding of the stall is that it's essentially your meat sweating which causes it to cool. Wrapping is the easiest way past it since it removes the ability to naturally cool. The other option if you don't want to wrap is to ramp up the temp until it's passing the stall.

 

[sandyut]

I stopped wrapping this last summer - not going back. Made a few FPs and all were called "best you ever made" by the consumers. I could agree, but I think there is always room for improvement. ;)

Try a no wrap. you wont go back. for that matter - i stopped wrapping anything.

 

[smokinbarrles]

Never tried it myself but some people say wrapping in the brown/(or Pink?) butcher paper keeps the bark nice while still helping get past the tall. I personally am a fan of keeping it neked.

 

[sailingcal21]

Thanks for the prompt response and showing of "no-wrap" support, gonna give it a try. I'll post results with pics as a follow up.

 

[sandyut]

Here was my first no wrap brisket. game changing day!

 

[dannylang]

I only wrap when I want the appearance to be perfect
dannylang

 

[HalfSmoked]

Nope I'm a no wrapper ever. Here you are seeing a lot of my favorite saying personal preference.

Warren

 

[gmc2003]

I'm a wrapper for a couple of reasons. First, I like to eat at a normal hour and I don't do overnight smokes. Second, crunchy bark isn't all that important to me. The bark flavor is still there even when it's softer.

Chris

 

[sailingcal21]

So wrapping basically makes for a quicker more controlled cook. That makes sense.

 

[sandyut]

I am sure there is a longer version, but that is my take - mostly just speeds up the stall. when i stopped wrapping I adapted my temps to shorten the cook as well. briskets - i run 180 (on a pellet that is max smoke) for 4 hours then 275 till probe tender. most have taken about 10 hours (11-13LB cook start weights after trimming). when I wrapped i was 225 start to finish with a wrap at 160. both work, it a preference I guess.

 

[hardcookin]

Wrapped with butcher paper.

 

[Hawging It]

I never wrap brisket. But that's just me. Many like to wrap and they turn out great.

 

[sailingcal21]

Wrapped with butcher paper.

Very nice! I'll try butcher paper next go-around.

 

[jcam222]

Never tried it myself but some people say wrapping in the brown/(or Pink?) butcher paper keeps the bark nice while still helping get past the tall. I personally am a fan of keeping it neked.

I usually wrap in foil with a little liquid, more accurately I usually put it in a foil pan liquid and double foil. I just ordered a big roll of the peach butchers paper from Amazon. I am going to give that a go next time.

 

[teebob2000]

I usually wrap in foil with a little liquid, more accurately I usually put it in a foil pan liquid and double foil. I just ordered a big roll of the peach butchers paper from Amazon. I am going to give that a go next time.

I picked up a roll of that butcher paper from Amazon too a while ago, the 24" wide by 175' long. I've used it twice at about the 165-degree mark and have been VERY pleased by the bark that gave me! I'm never going back to foil again.

I lay out two sheets about 2 and a half feet long and overlapping by about 6", lay the brisket towards one end, fold that end over it, then the sides in, then just roll it up. Then I lay that inside one more sheet and do the same thing. I want to leave it right side up though so the bark doesn't sit in the grease that's collected at the bottom of the paper.

When it's done, then I put that all inside of foil and then the cooler to sit. When you open it up, do it over a large foil banquet tray or something to catch all the drippings.

 

[Berettaclayshooter]

I'm a subcriber of wrapping. Aaron Franklin does his briskets in butcher paper and he's know for his brisket. This was my second brisket ever and it turned out awesome! https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/second-brisket-ever-great-results.290971/#post-2001913

 

[smokininidaho]

Generally I don't wrap but when I do it's brown butcher paper used to use foil but I like the bark better with the paper.

 

[sailingcal21]

So finished my cook, with no wrap. Got the bark that I was looking for; taste and texture was awesome! However, took a longer time, as pointed out above (pulled it after 15 hours). Next I'll do a butcher paper wrap, then a no-wrap at high temps (just read a post about that method)

.

Funny observation, I must have had my meat probe in the wrong muscle, couldn't get it above 180? After about 15 hours, decided to probe with a skewer. The probe went through most parts like butter so pulled it and let it rest before cutting in to it.