Long Rest - Butcher paper or foil?


 

KToliver

TVWBB Fan
Just finished a nice brisket which finished WAYYYYY early. I guess I cut a lot more weight off in fat than I thought.

Anyway, Dinner at 6 and the cow is off at 1. Plopped it into a 160 degree oven for the next 5 hours. It was in butcher paper when it finished; should I leave it as is or foil it?

Never rested something this long.
 
Last edited:
I’d leave it in the butcher paper and drape a kitchen towel over the wrapped brisket and just let it sit in the oven, with the oven off.

The small space and thermal blanket will allow the brisket to rest and absorb its own juices. In 5 hours your slicing temp will be 150 or so with this method.

I also place my done brisket, like described above in a large aluminum tray to capture any juice run off, before leaving it in my off oven.

Crack a beer or pour a drink. Your hard work is done and about to be rewarded.
 
Butcher paper is fine that's how I do it I don't bother to put it into anything else. The grease soaked paper is pretty much just impermeable to moisture . I think you really want to cool it to 160 as fast as possible and then put it in the oven. As above said, put it in a pan to catch those juices.
 
Forgive me if you already have this knowledge but if it finished multiple hours early and shorter than other experiences you may have had it might not be a bad idea to probe several areas with a second thermometer for verification. Or perhaps you're well-experienced and can judge by the feel that it's done :)

Good luck!
 
Yesterday my brisket was done at about nine AM I double foiled it and wrapped it in towels, I sliced at about 5 PM and it was perfect! I’m a firm believer in the long rest! The butts were done about the same time and they were equally delightful, same long rest.
 
I’ve never blinked at letting it sit for several hours. Usually happens when I’m doing multiple meats, like a butt and a brisket.

I always use aluminum foil but I don’t think it matters one way or another. I have a styrofoam cooler that meat goes in, and then into the oven (off) and also lately have used a well insulated cooler (not the expensive ones, I refuse to pay that much for a cooler) and they’re always nice and tender.
 
I've rewrapped in foil for the rest. It keeps your cooler from getting messy. No reason not to other than it takes time. I don't think the bark will be changed You can leave it in the paper as well, though. Some people use clear kitchen wrap over the paper. If you are doing an active hold make sure to kitchen wrap can handle heat.
 
I guess it was so good the OP fell into a brisket coma. :D

I held a brisket for 5 hours in my Cambro. I don't think its any better insulated than a common name brand cooler. The brisket was in a full restaurant aluminum tray, covered tightly with foil and then set into a stainless steel restaurant tray to support it, then just slid into the slots in the Cambro. When I pulled it out, 5 hours later, the brisket temperature was 145F.
 
Another consideration is the paper is much cheaper than foil. Aluminum foil is pretty expensive. Especially heavy duty in wide width. Of course so are the aluminum disposable pans. It's impressive how much all these little things add up to the cost of cooking brisket, ribs etc. Not to mention the disposable cutting boards I use.
 

 

Back
Top