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33 replies

Brown Paper Brisket

M maxqMember
I've been wanting to try the brown paper wrapping technique for some time. Yesterday was the day.

Started with a 6.4# Choice Excel flat....nice and thick for the weight. Injected with Butchers prior to an overnight rest.

Seasoned with Kosher Salt and course black pepper.

Started at 8:30 am in the FEC100 at 230. The internal smoker temp was 250 when I loaded the brisket and an underpan of kicked up beef broth.

I kicked the temp to 250 at 1:00 pm and hit the 160 plateau at 3:15 pm. (7 hrs to hit plateau on a >7# brisket? hmmmm. Some briskets are just slow) I spritzed with a solution of water and Worcestershire and wrapped (tightly) with 3 fold of brown craft paper.

At 6:30 the temp was 183...kicked the FEC to 275 and took the internal to 201. Hit the mark at 8:20 pm. Placed the paper wrapped bundle in an Igloo and waited 45 minutes (anxiously...I was starving by then)

Comments:
Very moist flat, maybe the moistest I've ever smoked. Very intense beef flavor.

Not a lot of bark (remember, no rub was used) but enough to mimic the end cut of a Prime Rib.

Smoke ring - 1/4"

Paper vs foil?
Hands down, paper better. Every time I've foiled a flat, I found at least a cup of jus in the foil and as we all know, jus comes from somewhere I believe foiling creates a braising effect due to steam. Not with the paper, which allows the meat to breathe.

My only question is why the 6.4# flat took almost 12 hrs to finish. Next week I'm smoking a 14.5# SRF packer. Gonna do it the same way but with a straight set temp of 250. (yes Coach...I know you told me to use that temp with the flat Big Grin )

I'll report back.
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M maxqMember
@ John - Last year Coach and I spent a couple of days checking out the TX BBQ in Austin, Luling & Lockhart. Our first stop was Franklin's BBQ in Austin. As we stood in line for the FINAL 15 minutes, I watched the guy behond the cutting board take a brisket out of the holding unit...it was wrapped in brown paper, thoroughly saturated with fat/juices. I said to myself "hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

@ Cal - I put the au jus pan well below the brisket...about 10" It may have been a factor...dunno quite yet. I can say that I do that often when smoking a brisket. After next week's Waygu, perhaps I can offer more info.

I'm not at all a fan of BBQ sauce with brisket. A small ladle...and I mean small...of au jus over the sliced meat is what I usually serve. I will provide a traditional TX Que sauce on the side for those who like it. Think of pouring A-1 Sauce over Prime Rib. Yuck!

As I type and think this out, I just may smoke the Wagyu brisket without a plateau paper wrap. I'll definately do the au jus pan below, and wrap & hold the brisket in paper. P.T.C. anyone? Big Grin

@ Pags - professional? Hardly. Just another guy in quest for great Q. If I had this all down to a science, I'd sell the restaurant, buy a motor home and trailer BBQ rig and travel the country doing comps. Hmmm...not a bad idea Smiler
FM Former Member
There's been a lot of butcher paper brisket chatter on other forums too. I will be trying it next cook as well. I've never been a fan of foiling and like the prospect of a consistently moister brisket without the steamed pot roast effect that can happen with foiling.

MaxQ, thanks for sharing your results and insights. Anyway I can get you to cook that Wagyu brisket without the pan or injections? I'm curious about the effect of the paper only.
FM Former Member
Butcher paper rocks but as Max discovered, predictable cooking times go out the window a little. Max, next time try cooking it all the way and then wrapping it in paper, and just hold it in the FEC around 180 for an hour or two. I'm not convinced that wrapping in butcher paper will help push it through the stall like foil will so don't expect similar cook times. The brisket I cooked this past weekend like that was absolutely glorious. Crispy, fatty and salty bark surrounding unctuous meat makes me giggle.
M maxqMember
@ John - our wait was about 45 minutes and we arrived just a hair before noon. It would take Jesus Christ at the gates of heaven before I'd wait 3 hrs for anything else. Smiler

@ Scott - I wasn't so much using the paper to rush the stall as much as not drying out the flat during the smoke

@ Slim - Tell ya what...I'll leave out the injection and let the Wagyu speak for itself but I definately want the drip pan below for au jus. I'd be willing to leave about 1.5' space between the meat and the pan.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by MaxQ:

@ Slim - Tell ya what...I'll leave out the injection and let the Wagyu speak for itself but I definately want the drip pan below for au jus. I'd be willing to leave about 1.5' space between the meat and the pan.


Sounds like a plan! How much liquid will you start with in the pan?
M maxqMember
quote:
Sounds like a plan! How much liquid will you start with in the pan?


6 cups beef stock + 1/4 c Worcestershire

It will be replenished with water as the heat reduces the jus.

Once the brisket's finished, I strain the jus, skim the fat, correct seasoning/flavor as required. I once tried mixing in some Rudi's Sause but didn't like the muddled flavors.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by MaxQ:
Parchment paper is impregnated with silicone. Neiter it or coated butcher paper allows for breathe-ability. Not saying it's wrong but you're basically foiling with paper.

What was the result of the parchment paper cook?


I cooked the brisket at 335 until it was tender and then I wrapped it with the parchment, dropped the FEC to 180 and I held it for 3 hours. I'm playing with not wrapping it during the cook and I've eliminated all of my sugars from the rub so it doesn't burn. The brisket flat was awesome, the point was a little overdone while the exterior fat was well rendered and crispy. Although the parchment is treated with silicone, I think it would be impossible to get a tight enough seal to steam or braise the brisket. Parchment paper is slick and extremely hard to wrap something tight with.

I picked up a 24" x 1300' roll of white uncoated butcher paper from RD a few days ago and I'm going to drop my temp to 290 (to try and eliminate the overcooked point) and cook the whole packer the same way on Saturday. I won't be wrapping until the brisket is done again. The only reason I can see wrapping it around 160 cooking hot is if you want less smoke. In my experience with an FEC or other clean burning smoker, that shouldn't be an issue as long as there isn't a lot of sugar or a spice or herb that will turn acrid if burned.
S smokinmaineiacMember
I spied a little three pound brisket flat marked down at a local supermarket yesterday and thought it would be a good candidate for a paper-wrapped smoke.

I got three feet of butcher paper from the helpful fellow behind the meat counter, dusted the little flat with McCormick's Garlic Pepper (my go-to rub for beef lately) and put it in the 025 at 225 with 1.7 oz of mesquite pieces.

Three and a half hours later the IT of the little brisket was up to 150 so I wrapped it in the paper and bumped the heat up to 275.

At the six hour mark the little brisket hit 192 and I took it out and rested it for 1/2 hr before slicing.

The resulting product was a tad dry on one end (maybe a quarter of the little brisket), but the rest was almost as good as a full-sized packer. Moist with good bark.

I may not be afraid of smoking a flat once in a while given the results of this test.
M maxqMember
quote:
Originally posted by SmokinMAINEiac:

The resulting product was a tad dry on one end (maybe a quarter of the little brisket), but the rest was almost as good as a full-sized packer. Moist with good bark.



Try injecting the next time. I find that flats, lacking the rendering provided by the point, benefit from the additional moisture a phosphate based injection provides.

One tip offered to me by David Bouska (ButcherBBQ) was to inject from the surface NOT facing the heat source; i.e. if you're smoking fat side down, inject into the lean side.

I've got a 12.5 Brandt USDA Prime packer scheduled for a paper wrapped smoke come Saturday. I'll report back and try to remember some pics.

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