To foil, or not to foil brisket

[Mark Erskine]

So I did up two packers this weekend. (big Oscar party). I chose one of the recipes that did not use a foiling method. (I've used foiling for my previous briskets, and they've come out well). This time I just put on the thick rub, did a low and slow at 240 the whole night (controled by a stoker). The meat came out just as tender and juicy as it had in the past with foiling? So my question- why had I been foiling? If anything, the outside had more bark this time around, where when I foil, it never has much.

 

[K Kruger]

You do not need to foil brisket. Foiling is helpful - or virtually required - under the following conditions, imo:

- one is cooking a flat only, and the flat is thin and/or overtrimmed, irrespective of cooktemp

- one is cooking at high heat, i.e., > 300?, irrespective of brisket size

 

[Mark Erskine]

Makes sense! Thanks.