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TIL a pitmaster in Austin said he never wraps his brisket | BBQ Pitmasters - Topic Shares

TIL a pitmaster in Austin said he never wraps his brisket

I was listening to a podcast interview with a guy who runs a joint down there. He said wrapping in butcher paper or foil just steams the meat and ruins the bark he works so hard to get. He lets his briskets ride unwrapped the whole 12 to 14 hours, just managing the fire. That goes against almost every guide I've read online. I always thought the wrap was a must to get through the stall. Has anyone else tried a full no-wrap cook on a big piece of meat like that? What were your results?

3 comments

3 Comments

noah_barnes7mo ago

That's actually a pretty common method in central Texas. The stall happens whether you wrap or not, it just takes longer without it. A good fire and steady airflow can push through it for a truly great bark.

rubyw837mo ago

Central Texas pits are running 18 hour cooks without wrapping at all? The bark must be like tree bark, how do you even get meat tender enough to eat after that kind of heat? I've always been told wrapping is the only way to save the moisture and push past the stall before everything dries out. Are you just burning through a crazy amount of wood to keep that temp perfectly steady for a full day?

the_jennifer5mo ago

You know, I tried a no-wrap brisket once and ended up with bark so tough I could have used it to reshingle my roof. Fair play to those Central Texas guys, they clearly know what they're doing, but I think my smoker has a personal vendetta against me. @noah_barnes you're right that the stall just takes longer, but my patience runs out about six hours in, and I start eyeing the butcher paper like a lifeline. I did get a decent result once when I kept the fire steady with oak and didn't peek every hour, but the bark was more like a chewy leather belt than a crunchy crust. Maybe I need to practice more, or just accept that my briskets are destined to be wrapped and loved for their squishy souls.