Switched from foil wraps to butcher paper for my pork butts after watching a pitmaster in Memphis

I used to wrap everything in foil thinking it kept it moist but it always came out mushy. Switched to pink butcher paper 6 months ago after seeing a comp team use it and the bark stays crispy while the meat stays juicy. Has anyone else made that swap and noticed a big difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan_grant706d ago

Honestly that Memphis pitmaster knew what he was talking about. I made the exact same switch about a year ago and it was like night and day difference. Foil always turned my bark into this wet soggy mess no matter how long I let it rest. But with butcher paper that bark stays nice and crunchy even after wrapping and the smoke flavor is way stronger too. Tbh I thought I was doing something wrong at first but it's just the paper letting the meat breathe while still keeping it tender. Ngl I've done maybe 10 pork butts since then and every single one has been better than any foil wrap I ever did.

scott.alex6d ago

My buddy out in Texas told me the same thing a few years back and it honestly changed how I look at a lot of cooking decisions now. There's this pattern I notice everywhere, like with coffee filters or even how you store bread. The paper version always lets stuff breathe a little, keeps things from steaming themselves into a mess. Foil is basically a sealed plastic bag for your meat, trapping all that moisture and turning your hard work into mush. Butcher paper is more like a breathable jacket, it protects but doesn't suffocate. Your mileage may vary depending on your smoker or how tight you wrap, but I've found that principle applies to a lot more than just barbecue.

samreed6d ago

Stumbled into this whole debate by accident a few years back when I ran out of foil mid-smoke and had to grab some freezer paper from the pantry. Wrapped this brisket in it just praying it would hold together and honestly it came out better than any foil wrap I ever did. The bark was this beautiful deep color and the meat still pulled apart perfect. Now I got a whole roll of pink butcher paper in my smoker drawer and I REFUSE to go back. Foil is basically a steam bath for your meat no matter how careful you are. That breathable paper thing is real, my briskets got this nice crust that doesn't peel off when you slice it.