I was wrapping my brisket way too early for years

I always wrapped my brisket in foil as soon as it hit 160 degrees, thinking that was the rule. This past Fourth of July, I was running two smokers at my place in Omaha and got behind. One brisket sat at 170 for almost two hours before I could get to it. I was sure I'd ruined it, but that one turned out with bark so much better than the one I wrapped on time. The crust was dark and crunchy, not soft and steamed. It finally clicked that I was cutting the bark development short. Now I wait for the bark to look and feel right, not just for a number on a thermometer. Has anyone else had a moment like that where a mistake showed you a better way?

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3 Comments

robin4897mo ago

My buddy Dave in Lincoln did his first pork shoulder last summer... he was so worried about drying it out he kept spraying it every 20 minutes. The bark never set, it was just this soggy, sticky mess. He finally got distracted by his kids and left it alone for like two hours straight, and that's when it finally formed that good, crunchy crust he wanted. He said it was a total lightbulb moment for him.

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abby_shah697mo ago

Oh man, Dave's story is SO real. That constant spraying is the biggest trap for new smokers. You gotta let that heat work. I wrap a foil boat only after I get the bark I want, usually around 170 internal. Before that, just let it ride. The meat has plenty of moisture inside, trust the process.

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elizabeth4386mo ago

I get the foil boat idea, but honestly I've had better luck just not wrapping at all.

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