Why wrap at all
Somewhere around 70°C a large cut stalls, as evaporation from the surface cools it as fast as the fire heats it. Wrapping stops the evaporation and pushes through the stall, cutting hours off the cook and keeping the meat moist. The cost is the bark, which softens inside a wrap.
The three options
| Method | Effect |
|---|---|
| Butcher paper | Breathes a little, so bark survives; pushes through the stall; the Texas brisket standard |
| Foil | Seals completely, fastest and most tender, softens the bark most; the 'Texas crutch' |
| Naked | Best, hardest bark; longest cook; needs a stable fire and patience |
What to use when
- Brisket: butcher paper, for the balance of speed and bark.
- Pork shoulder: foil, because it gets shredded anyway so soft bark does not matter, and the trapped juices are gold.
- Ribs: foil with butter for a tender, glazed rib; naked for a firmer, chewier one.
- Beef short ribs: naked, because they have enough fat to get through the stall and the bark is the best part.
The naked case
If your cooker holds a steady temperature and you have the time, cooking unwrapped gives the best bark full stop. It takes longer and demands a reliable fire, but nothing wrapped ever matches the crust of a brisket that spent twelve hours in clean smoke with nothing between it and the air.
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