Competition brisket vs backyard brisket, I picked wrong for years

I spent 3 years chasing that competition style wrap in butcher paper for my Sunday cookouts, thinking that's the only way to get good bark. Then last month my neighbor brought over a packer he did unwrapped the whole time on his offset smoker and it blew mine away with a way better crust. Anyone else find the competition tricks don't always translate to home cooking?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_oscar14d ago

Figure out what exactly was different about his cook besides just skipping the wrap. Was he running his offset hotter than you usually do or did he spritz more often to keep the surface moist. I'm wondering if the real secret is in the temp management and moisture balance rather than just ditching the paper.

king.aaron14d ago

Nah, I'm not buying that. If the bark was actually better then the temp and spritz stuff is just noise, the wrap traps moisture that softens the surface and that's the whole problem.