TIL that old pitmaster from Lockhart was right about wrapping in butcher paper

I watched a video from a guy in Lockhart who insisted wrapping brisket in pink butcher paper instead of foil, so I tried it on my last cook. The bark stayed way crunchier and the meat came out tender after 14 hours on my offset. Has anyone else switched from foil to paper and noticed a bigger difference in bark than they expected?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamesm381mo ago

Oh man, I gotta say something here because it's a small thing but it bugs me. Lockhart is a town, not a person. The pitmaster you're talking about is probably John Lewis or maybe Aaron Franklin who's from there, but Lockhart is just the town with all the famous BBQ joints. I've done the paper wrap thing a bunch of times now and yeah, the bark difference is huge compared to foil. Foil steams the meat and ruins that crunchy crust you worked so hard for. Paper lets it breathe but still holds in enough moisture to get through the stall. Just wanted to clear that up cause Lockhart isn't some old guy's name or anything.

jessica_robinson231mo ago

Three years of wrapping brisket in peach paper and @jamesm38 is spot on about the foil thing. I switched from foil after I ruined a $70 prime packer that ended up tasting like boiled pot roast with no bark at all. Paper is the only way to get that dark crunchy crust without drying the meat out.

the_faith11d ago

Wait, you're saying Lockhart is a town? I always thought it was some legendary pitmaster's last name, that totally changes how I see those old BBQ stories now!