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Finally got my brisket bark right after years of messing it up
For the longest time, my bark was either too soft or burnt. I'd wrap my brisket in foil as soon as it hit 165 degrees, like a lot of old guides said. About six months ago, I tried a new way on my offset smoker. I stopped wrapping it at all until the very end of the cook, just letting it ride through the stall. The bark got dark and crusty, but it wasn't bitter. I pulled it at 203 internal, wrapped it in butcher paper, and let it rest for 3 hours. The difference was huge, it actually had that crunchy, peppery crust I'd been after. Anyone else switch from a tight wrap to a no-wrap or paper wrap method for better bark?
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fionas392mo ago
Nice! The stall is where the bark really sets. Letting it ride makes all the difference.
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emerydixon2mo ago
Actually, the bark forms during the first few hours of the cook, when the meat is still taking on smoke. The stall is more about moisture evaporating and cooling the surface, which can really help that bark set up firm. It's a key part of the process, but not where the bark itself starts.
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felix_coleman872mo ago
But @fionas39, sometimes you just gotta wrap it early.
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