What is the purpose of wrapping food with foil while cooking on the WSM?

[Mike Arnold]

I'm a newbie here and I know this sounds like a stupid question, but I have seen several recipes out there that call for wrapping the meat with
foil on a off during a cooking session. What does this accomplish?

The only 2 things I can think of is that it helps keeps the juices in the meat and helps reach the desired internal temperature faster.
Is that correct? Is there anything else I'm missing here.

Thanks.
Mike

 

[Bob Sample]

Just speeds up the cooking process. Let's you save drippings if you want them. Doesn't really keep juices in the meat. If you foil loosely it will basically have a steaming effect on whatever your cooking. About the only thing I foil is a HH brisket.

 

[Tony R]

My reason for wrapping ribs is to make them tender and to avoid getting a dark color on them due to smoke..but my buddy doesn't wrap and they always come out perfect... Try both methods and see which one you prefer.

 

[timothy]

I always foil my chuck roasts when they reach 160ish. It does speed up the process and helps break down the connective tissues. You could go no-foil but it would take quite awhile longer.

Tim

 

[Dwain Pannell]

Foiling creates a braise which is a way to cook in a moist steamy environment.

 

[Dave Alvarado]

Foiling does a few things:

- It keeps smoke off the meat, so you maintain the color of bark you already have. It can keep a hunk of meat from going to a nice mahogany to black.

- It softens the bark. Some people like that, some people don't.

- It avoids "the stall", which is a period of time where the juices being squeezed out of the meat as it cooks and shrinks are evaporating and cooling the meat at the same rate the coals are putting heat into it, so the temperature doesn't rise. If you foil right at the beginning of the stall, you won't have one. This is why the meat cooks faster.

Lots of people have strong opinions one way or the other about foil. It's a tool just like any other--play with it, learn what it does, then use it where appropriate.

 

[Bob Bass]

Mike,
To continue what Dave said -
when you foil to lessen the stall length, you must tightly wrap and fully encase the meat in foil so that NO water vapor (the juices Dave mentioned) are released. If you are looking for some excellent bark and are going to foil, delay foiling until the bark is fully formed (which you can test with your fingernail - can or can not scrap off). You will be in the stall somewhat, but the overall time will be less than if not foiling at all.