Foil wrapping - here's how I do it - how do you wrap?

[John K BBQ]

Sometimes I feel like we miss out on the details of a good wrapping technique. Getting a good tight wrap on a butt, ribs, or brisket can be the difference between success and failure. My method is to form a two layer "sleeping bag/pouch and leave two sides open so it's easy to get the meat in. Thought I'd share my methods here and see how others are wrapping.

I use a lot of extra wide heavy duty foil. Here you can see I've pulled out about 5 feet, 6" or so.



Here, I've folded it in half to create the "double layer



Here I've folded it in half again, and I'm pointing at where I will fold the first seam. My folded seams are about an inch wide, and folded twice.



Here I'm pointing to the the seamless end of the pouch.



Here's where you can see where I "dog ear" the top layer over, that makes it super easy to get the meat inside. Once the meat is inside, with the meat thermometer sticking out of one of the open seams, I close up the open seams and squish all the air out.



Here's the pouch, all folded up with a little braising liquid inside (diluted hot sauce, honey, and bbq sauce). The half sheet helps form a little pool so the liquid stays put. This method hasn't failed me yet. I have been using a different method for Brisket (butcher paper and saran wrap) but this works well for Butt and Ribs. How do you wrap?

 

[Tony-Chicago]

I wrap

Poorly.
Hard time getting pot roast to stay put.
Brisket and pulled pork not really a problem cause well pulled pork is good no matter what, and my brisket expertise has more holes than the wrap...

 

[JohnTak]

I used to wrap in foil, now I use foil trays and cover tightly with foil. This is much easier with no loss of any valuable juices.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

I double foil, one the “long axis” the second, the other way. Then towel (s) and in the cooler. So far no leaks, drips or, errors. Anyone remember that ad?

 

[John K BBQ]

I double foil, one the “long axis” the second, the other way. Then towel (s) and in the cooler. So far no leaks, drips or, errors. Anyone remember that ad?

Rustoleum??

 

[Bob Bass]

Whenever I wrap, it's like a very tightly wrapped burrito.
HD Double Al wrap
Absolutely no intentional airspaces between meat and wrap.

 

[John K BBQ]

I'm with Bob - I think I get better results when I wrap tight - this is why I don't use foil pans. Using my method, I don't lose any juice.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Rustoleum??

Krylon! I think Johnny Bench was the spokesman!
Now there’s a tangent from foil wrapping!

 

[Ryan Burke]

I'm with Bob - I think I get better results when I wrap tight - this is why I don't use foil pans. Using my method, I don't lose any juice.

what is the advantage to wrapping tight vs the pans. I have done both but the last few butts I have used the pans to retain more juice. Ribs I always wrap in foil tight. Always experimenting.

 

[John K BBQ]

what is the advantage to wrapping tight vs the pans. I have done both but the last few butts I have used the pans to retain more juice. Ribs I always wrap in foil tight. Always experimenting.

Wrapping tight is better for heat transfer - trapped air is an insulator. Liquid inside a pan/or foil wrap is a conductor. If you put a piece of meat in a foil pan, and have a big air gap all around it, you may have issues getting it to the target temp. If you flood the pan and cover the sides of the meat then you have liquid to conduct the heat, but then you're braising more so that bbqing and messing up a lot of bark.

I've noticed some youtubers making "foil boats where they basically wrap the bottom of a brisket and leave the top exposed - looks interesting.... I think it really puts more bark on the top.

 

[Bob Bass]

what is the advantage to wrapping tight vs the pans. I have done both but the last few butts I have used the pans to retain more juice. Ribs I always wrap in foil tight. Always experimenting.

During the wrapping stage, additional flavoring liquid is generally added to the package. It creates a brazing condition. While I most certainly can not verify it, there seems to be some suggestion that the tight packaging helps lessen bark removal by steam. For myself, prior to taking Harry Soo's class, I had always cooked without wrapping.