Butcher Paper - Educate Me Please

[illini40]

Good evening

I have always wanted to try butcher paper, and fortunately I got some as a gift. I've always used foil for wrapping.

Please educate me - when and how do you use butcher paper?

If wrapping in butcher paper, do you still ever add any liquids, sugars, etc when wrapping meats?

 

[chilerelleno]

You can thank Aaron Franklin for the butcher paper BBQ fad.
As long as it is a USDA food grade paper without any wax or polymer coating it's good to go, be it peach, pink, brown or even (gasp) white.
The recommended pink/peach papers are not actually butcher paper per se, they're steak paper, much thicker, denser and less porous.
You use it in place of foil for Brisket, Butts and such, but it doesn't work like foil.
It breathes and lets some steam/moisture out, it doesn't braise like foil so it doesn't ruin the bark.
It doesn't raise the temp or retain heat, so no adjusted cooking times

Use it by wrapping as the meat comes out of the stall, not as a Texas Crutch to bring meat through the stall.
Use it to keep meat moist and from drying out, keep bark color from getting too dark.
Don't bother adding any liquids as the paper won't hold them.
It isn't meant for braising, don't try it, it'll disintegrate.
The most common widths means using two sheets overlapping at an angle, wrapping from the narrower end to the wider.

I am using it with more frequency and really like it, it keeps a crust firm but with a nice chew.
I use it to keep a bark from getting too dark, keep the meat from drying out and it's ready to just toss on a tray and rest as is.

 

[dcecil]

1+ Perfectly said

 

[Bigtank]

Thanks CR, I just got some and haven't tried it yet. My brisket is thawing in the fridge.

 

[illini40]

You can thank Aaron Franklin for the butcher paper BBQ fad.
As long as it is a USDA food grade paper without any wax or polymer coating it's good to go, be it peach, pink, brown or even (gasp) white.
The recommended pink/peach papers are not actually butcher paper per se, they're steak paper, much thicker, denser and less porous.
You use it in place of foil for Brisket, Butts and such, but it doesn't work like foil.
It breathes and lets some steam/moisture out, it doesn't braise like foil so it doesn't ruin the bark.
It doesn't raise the temp or retain heat, so no adjusted cooking times

Use it by wrapping as the meat comes out of the stall, not as a Texas Crutch to bring meat through the stall.
Use it to keep meat moist and from drying out, keep bark color from getting too dark.
Don't bother adding any liquids as the paper won't hold them.
It isn't meant for braising, don't try it, it'll disintegrate.
The most common widths means using two sheets overlapping at an angle, wrapping from the narrower end to the wider.

I am using it with more frequency and really like it, it keeps a crust firm but with a nice chew.
I use it to keep a bark from getting too dark, keep the meat from drying out and it's ready to just toss on a tray and rest as is.

Thanks for the detail. So sounds like a different style? Sounds like some personal preference too.

Any noticeable difference in tenderness between paper and foil?

Any certain meats or situations that you have found paper to work better than foil?

 

[bpinmi]

I used butcher paper for the first time the other day. Used it on a brisket. I felt the bark was harder at the end of the cook with butcher paper than with foil so I will continue using it.

 

[phrogpilot73]

There's a guy on YouTube that cooked three briskets, side by side - foil wrapped, butcher paper wrapped, and unwrapped. I think the butcher paper won, but he got very specific about the differences between the three. I'll see if I can find it again.

 

[zwiller]

Well said Chili. I think it has it's place but doubt most guys need it. If you read Franklin's book (must own) he tells you he only uses it because his brisket is prime and the paper soaks up more of the rendered fat and keeps bark in check. He suggest foil for other grades. Also, he wraps AFTER the stall. I think it's cool to use for serving.

 

[dward51]

And keep some of the used grease soaked paper for use later in starting your next fire. It makes a great fire lighter for kindling under a stack in a stick burner or even in a Weber style chimney of charcoal. Use something like an old coffee tin/plastic container with the lid on to store a wadded up piece or two for fire lighting later.

 

[illini40]

I used butcher paper for the first time the other day. Used it on a brisket. I felt the bark was harder at the end of the cook with butcher paper than with foil so I will continue using it.

Thank you. Any other noticeable differences besides the bark?

There's a guy on YouTube that cooked three briskets, side by side - foil wrapped, butcher paper wrapped, and unwrapped. I think the butcher paper won, but he got very specific about the differences between the three. I'll see if I can find it again.

Thanks for the reminder. I think I have come across a few - maybe by T-Roy Cooks? I'll have to go do some searching.

Well said Chili. I think it has it's place but doubt most guys need it. If you read Franklin's book (must own) he tells you he only uses it because his brisket is prime and the paper soaks up more of the rendered fat and keeps bark in check. He suggest foil for other grades. Also, he wraps AFTER the stall. I think it's cool to use for serving.

Interesting. I have Aaron Franklin's book - I need to go back and revisit that. Thanks!

 

[zwiller]

Page 140 2nd column

 

[illini40]

Page 140 2nd column

Thank you. I went back and did some reading. Yes - Aaron wraps ribs and butts in foil, while brisket is paper. He also indicates that grades less than prime benfit from the foil for moisture retention.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Thanks for the reminder. I think I have come across a few - maybe by T-Roy Cooks? I'll have to go do some searching.

I thought it was Baby Back Maniac, but you sir, know your YouTubers! It was T-Roy Cooks.

 

[illini40]

I thought it was Baby Back Maniac, but you sir, know your YouTubers! It was T-Roy Cooks.

Thank you! For what it's worth, I think T-Roy Cooks and Baby Back Maniac have done a few videos together on this topic. I think brisket and ribs.