Wrapping butts

[Pat Barnes]

This is mostly for Jim but anyone can help.
I remember areply to a post where you wrote about wrapping butts at some point in the cooking process to create a steam effect and help the cooking along. I cannot find it!!
Could you enlighten me/us once again. Thanks /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

 

[Jim Minion]

Pat
Any meat you smoke will cook faster in foil because of the steam effect. The thing to take into consideration is you will not have the same type of texture by using foil.
Brisket will have a pot roast type of texture and butt will not form bark using foil.
I will normally try not to use foil because of the texture issue,(personel preference) but while competing you have time issues and I have used foil to get where I needed to be.
The texture you want is your choice and either way your not wrong.
I personelly don't care for fall off the bone BBQ, but if you do, foil will help you achieve this goal much easier.
The tech that many use is to smoke the butt or brisket for aprox 4 hours and then foil.
I personelly will not foil until the internal temp reaches at least 170-175?, the reason being that more of the fat has rendered off at that point.
Jim

 

[Pat Barnes]

Thanks for the prompt reply,Jim. I am going to cook a couple of butts Monday and was looking for a "helper" if I needed it. I would prefer to do it the natural way but sometimes it's better to at least get it done so people can eat!!

 

[Kevin Taylor]

Hi Pat!

If you are doing 2 butts, PLEASE use that chance to experiment! Over the years I have found that the only true way to tell differences is to do side-by-side tests. And the only way to do it is by doing more than 1 at a time....otherwise, too much time elapses between cooks....I must confess to not being a detailed note taker.

Try either various cooking techniques or different rubs. For instance, next time I do 2 butts, I will try scoring one and wrapping at a temp of 140? and scoring the other and wrapping at 170? like Jim suggested. For my ribs, I will try the Carson's technique on a few.

Just wanted to alert you to your opportunity.