Benefits of butcher paper wrapping a brisket (Franklin style)???


 
Sean M.

Sean M.

TVWBB Fan
OK - I bought the Franklin Barbecue book, a role of paper and I am prepping for my
1st paper/brisket cook next weekend.

I am trying to find the benefits of wrapping in paper on an 18.5” WSM vs. a pure wood fired offset cooker.

AF specifically says on page 45:
Upright Drum Smoker
“Also, since you can’t burn wood, which produces flames that will burn the meat, you’ll be relying
on charcoal and wood chips, which don’t give the same flavor as burning wood.”

“Again, the drawbacks are relying on smoke from smoldering - not burning - wood and the difficulty of regulating temperature and airflow”.

In reading Chris’: Brisket Flat - Central Texas Style Butcher Paper directions, he states:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisket5.html

“The brisket is wrapped with butcher paper part way through the cooking process to keep the meat from getting too much smoke, to help retain moisture, and to slightly accelerate the cooking process.”

Question:
If the 3-4 fist size chunks of wood in the WSM is a “smoldering” smoke and not a fire
smoke from 100% wood via an offset smoker, and since paper is not like the braise of
a foil/Texas crutch - why use paper?

I am just trying to quantify the impact of paper. Doing a foil/Texas crutch is a proven technique
on the WSM. I would think that basting/mopping/spritzing would have more of an impact on
moisture then the paper wrap.

What are your thoughts?
Am I overthinking this?

Thanks,
~ Sean

:wsm22: :blackperformer:
 
Franklin's butcher paper is sort of a Texas Half-Crutch. It will help get you through the stall quicker than leaving it naked, but not as fast as a foil wrap. Franklin's big reason is that he doesn't like to get a thick hard black bark on his briskets. He's very OCD about that. Butcher paper will stop the bark from forming further, but won't turn it to mush like foil does. So when your brisket looks perfect to you, Wrap it in paper and chances are it'll stay beautiful for the rest of the cook.

Franklin uses mostly post oak, which is a very mild smoke and his fires burn very clean. Even if he didn't wrap, his briskets wouldn't be overly smoky. In fact, some customers are a bit disappointed that they are not smokier.

Jeff
 
No doubt AF makes better BBQ than I, but his explanation about the different properties of smoke in an offset vs a WSM doesn't seem to check with the science. In burning wood, smoke is mainly the result of incomplete combustion. If you look at the output of a really hot stove burning wood with adequate oxygen you won't see any smoke. There may be other reasons why an offset might be better but I doubt it's the "smoldering" as opposed to "burning".
 
I think you are over thinking it. The paper retains moisture better than unwrapped but not as well as foil. It's a compromise between the two. I use it on all my briskets. It works great on the wsm. The smouldering vs non smouldering thing is overblown on the wsm. It is a big deal on an offset because all you are cooking with is wood and if it's smouldering you'll get too much smoke. Without a doubt an offset will produce a better smoke flavor if run correctly but at the expense of being a lot more work and the difference is subtle. Carl is right about the incomplete combustion. I don't understand it 100% but for instance, a pellet smoker has almost perfect combustion at higher temps (300 degrees) and very little smoke flavor.

Now paper doesn't accelerate the cook that much compared to foil. I know a guy that calls it "stall paper." However, the basting and spritzing while adding flavor will slow your cook down. In addition with my WSM, opening the lid for any period of time makes the temp spike big time.
 
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J Hasselberger said:
Franklin's butcher paper is sort of a Texas Half-Crutch. It will help get you through the stall quicker than leaving it naked, but not as fast as a foil wrap. Franklin's big reason is that he doesn't like to get a thick hard black bark on his briskets. He's very OCD about that. Butcher paper will stop the bark from forming further, but won't turn it to mush like foil does. So when your brisket looks perfect to you, Wrap it in paper and chances are it'll stay beautiful for the rest of the cook.
Click to expand...
One of his "BBQ With Franklin" episodes was dedicated to brisket and he cooked 3: 1 unwrapped, 1 wrapped in paper, and 1 wrapped in foil. If it's somewhere on line it's pretty interesting.
 
Brad Olson said:
One of his "BBQ With Franklin" episodes was dedicated to brisket and he cooked 3: 1 unwrapped, 1 wrapped in paper, and 1 wrapped in foil. If it's somewhere on line it's pretty interesting.
Click to expand...

I noticed that he and the other host kept going back to the unwrapped brisket when they were taste testing. You felt that the unwrapped wasn't as nice looking as the others, but it had a better flavor. I don't wrap and like a deep smoky bark -- but that's just me.
 
The first time I did one, I did it completely by feel. (And, it worked. I know, right?) My goal has always been to wrap before it turned black; I'm looking for the mythical beautiful mahogany color. That was at the 5-6 hour mark (in a 275-300 WSM), then 90-120 min wrapped + at least a 2 hour rest, if possible. They work....although I had a failure with a prime packer that probed tender and was tough as shoe leather. Still scratching my head over that one.
 
Thank you everybody - I am undecided at this time.
@Monty House I like the comments about the "mythical mahogany color".

~ Sean
 
Brad Olson said:
One of his "BBQ With Franklin" episodes was dedicated to brisket and he cooked 3: 1 unwrapped, 1 wrapped in paper, and 1 wrapped in foil. If it's somewhere on line it's pretty interesting.
Click to expand...

Yes that was an interesting video. Franklin mentions a couple of times he was surprised how good the foiled brisket turned out. Made me wonder if paper really was noticeably better then foil.
 
I've got a couple questions on using freezer paper with the plastic coating. First off is it ok to use this and if so when you wrap do you do plastic side in or out? Thanks in advance.
 
Vince B said:
I've got a couple questions on using freezer paper with the plastic coating. First off is it ok to use this and if so when you wrap do you do plastic side in or out? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

After thinking about it and also doing some research I went and got some natural brown butchers paper. Non coated and to be tested.....
 
To share my experience, I bought some pink butcher paper off amazon
and did a 7.5 pound bone-in pork butt yesterday and I wrapped it in the paper at 165 till finish (took it off at 200). I let it sit for 45 min and the thing literally melted when I pushed on it, it was moist and tender and the bark was retained.. Best butt yet and am sold on butcher paper.
 
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My BIL uses paper because of Franklin's book; I use foil. We both use verticals with charcoal and smoke wood. He's happy with his method, I'm happy with mine. People love both. Maybe I'll try paper someday but first I'm trying a long hold (from another thread somewhere). I'm from the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" camp and am pretty set in my ways when it comes to Q. Guess it's time to start experimenting again? Maybe butcher paper and a long hold will produce the best brisket ever!

OK, slightly OT.
 
Lew said:
My BIL uses paper because of Franklin's book; I use foil. We both use verticals with charcoal and smoke wood. He's happy with his method, I'm happy with mine. People love both. Maybe I'll try paper someday but first I'm trying a long hold (from another thread somewhere). I'm from the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" camp and am pretty set in my ways when it comes to Q. Guess it's time to start experimenting again? Maybe butcher paper and a long hold will produce the best brisket ever!

OK, slightly OT.
Click to expand...

I use butcher paper. Foil is fine, too. Not wrapping is fine. Whatever floats your boat. I think there is something to the long hold. Supposedly the long hold gives the brisket time to reabsorb some juices. Foil will have a lot of the juices saved there. You'll have less with paper obviously, but there will be some. My theory though, is that it's more about the slicing temperature. In other words, letting the brisket cool down to 140 before slicing allows the brisket to retain the most moisture. I think if you put the brisket in the cooler but are still slicing it at 170 you won't get the maximum benefit.

Franklin hold the briskets for a long time in a holding oven at 140. I'm sure something is happening at that temp, but my thinking it's about letting the brisket cool down and relax before slicing. Briskets that aren't allowed to rest tend to dry out a lot quicker once you slice them as well. You can mitigate this by slicing as you serve, or slicing but leaving the brisket together, as Franklin shows in his book.
 
I let my brisket sit for 2-3 of hours, then slice and leave together right before serving. When I have to cook the day before, I put it wrapped in foil in the oven at 170 in the morning. I'm pleased with the results, but I'm going to try resting longer/slicing lower and see what happens. Also, when I cook the day before, I'll reheat at 140. Your comment about slicing temperature seems to make sense.
 
I've used foil a couple of times and paper only once. I have to admit there are benefits to both.

An added benefit to foil is retaining the juices, which can be thickened and/or added to for a nice gravy...even if drizzled on cheese fries. ;)

With that in mind, I've learned to foil between 147 and 150. The color is already set and the foil gets it through the stall quicker.

I was thinking if I used paper I could still retain some of the juices by placing the papered meat in a foil pan. If broiling is not desired then a small rack could be set inside the pan.

Thoughts anyone?
 
Hey, so, looking at my first brisket before my son goes back to school. A couple quick questions:
1) I see packer cut recommended. Where can I get this easily...or not easily. Yes, I want to do the whole thing.
2) I usually do pork and I have a rub that I make that works great. That said, my understanding is that they're KC style (sweet). Rather than using that on the brisket, does anyone work to bring out the beef flavor? Ie. I may not even use BBQ sauce (I usually use TJs with maple syrup).

TIA!
 
Mark Orth said:
Hey, so, looking at my first brisket before my son goes back to school. A couple quick questions:
1) I see packer cut recommended. Where can I get this easily...or not easily. Yes, I want to do the whole thing.
2) I usually do pork and I have a rub that I make that works great. That said, my understanding is that they're KC style (sweet). Rather than using that on the brisket, does anyone work to bring out the beef flavor? Ie. I may not even use BBQ sauce (I usually use TJs with maple syrup).

TIA!
Click to expand...

I'm not a big fan of sweet on beef. At least not super sweet. Salt and Pepper is great on brisket. Granulated Onion and Garlic are great too. I sometimes like some sauce on the side, depending, but more on the tangy side than the sweet side. That's just me. I cook full packers. They are readily available in Texas. My super marker just got a bunch of Certified Angus Beef packers in.
 
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