The Texas Crutch With Parchment Paper

K-JUN · Mar 17, 2013

I have read a lot lately about using butcher paper instead of foil when cooking a brisket. I wanted to try this but I didn't have any butcher paper so I decided to try parchment paper. My concern was that the "natural" or red paper recommended for this was unwaxed. While the parchment paper had a shinny side which I assumed was similar to the white butcher paper that was not recommended. I was concerned that the parchment would trap more steam than desired therefore defeating the purpose of using paper in the first place. I am defiantly a novice at smoking so I also knew my inexperience would be a factor in my little experiment. The thing I heard over and over was not to depend solely on temps but looks and feel.
The setup was WSM, Stubbs, 50/50 pecan and oak 250*. I ran for six hours till I was happy with the color and bark (IT 165*) Wrapped for three hours still at 250* cook temp. Probe went through like butter. Towel wrapped in ice chest two hours.

Here are the before and after shots.

I am pleased with the looks and it has a nice smoke ring the taste was great but the texture was too soft. The problem is that it is overdone.

So now I am left with the question, did I just cook it too long, or is the parchment paper not a good substitute for the red butcher paper.

More experimentation needed.

ButtBurner · Mar 17, 2013

I have been using parchment paper

It works fine, only thing is its thinner and a bit more fragile

but I like it

your cook looks great!!!

superlazy · Mar 17, 2013

what? wait. This is the 1st Ive heard not to use white butcher paper

K-JUN · Mar 17, 2013

superlazy said:
what? wait. This is the 1st Ive heard not to use white butcher paper

I could be wrong. I just thought I saw this posted somewhere.

landarc · Mar 17, 2013

White paper works fine. That looks good, I used parchment paper as well. I vote for over-cooked. I do prefer butcher paper

garzanium · Mar 17, 2013

onexchef said:
I could be wrong. I just thought I saw this posted somewhere.

Ya, the claim on the seperate thread was white BP having bleach.

Since none of us are scientists, this may or may not leak into the food. I personally wouldn't hesitate to use it myself.nice looking brisket

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Pitmaster T · Mar 17, 2013

onexchef said:
So now I am left with the question, did I just cook it too long, or is the parchment paper not a good substitute for the red butcher paper.

More experimentation needed.

Oh yes this is your problem. But there are 17 different types of Red Butcher Paper.... 168 Imports as well. Continentally... I think there are 29 different ones and two that are more salmon than "red". You will need to buy every one and cook a brisket for each one of them. Please, please do this and report your results here 13 years from now.

Parchment paper has been known to overcook a brisket while wrapped in the fridge while using the freezer paper can actually REVERSE overcooking... Not sure you know this. I hear Mixon's strategy is to overcook then wrap in freezer paper 13 minutes per pound until its... "right."

I can think of a million marther farkers that come in this farking place every farking day that would fark some old dried out hag after peeling back the scabs with an oyster shucker in order to make a Brisket that looks as good as yours. If you overcook one.... fixing it as far as mastery is easy.... its the ones that fret and undercook and think its done and dried up that keep going down the low and slow death march.

The Unhelpful button is over there. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Bludawg · Mar 17, 2013

If it is probing like butta it's done your problem lies in holding all wrapped up like a papoose in a rocky mountain winter blizzard. (your retaining the heat). Once it is probe tender leave it wrapped and let it rest on the counter until the temp drops at least 20 deg this can take a few hrs. then put it in a cooler to hold. Placing it into the cooler strait from the pit is will continue to cook for a long time.

K-JUN · Mar 17, 2013

Bludawg said:
If it is probing like butta it's done your problem lies in holding all wrapped up like a papoose in a rocky mountain winter blizzard. (your retaining the heat). Once it is probe tender leave it wrapped and let it rest on the counter until the temp drops at least 20 deg this can take a few hrs. then put it in a cooler to hold. Placing it into the cooler strait from the pit is will continue to cook for a long time.

:doh: Makes a lot of since. Like I said I am a novice and didn't expect it too be perfect. This one was light years better than when I was just concerned with temps.

Bludawg · Mar 17, 2013

onexchef said:
:doh: Makes a lot of since. Like I said I am a novice and didn't expect it too be perfect. This one was light years better than when I was just concerned with temps.

I'll take a falling apart brisket any day over one that eats like an old boot and dry as dust.

Wampus · Mar 17, 2013

superlazy said:
what? wait. This is the 1st Ive heard not to use white butcher paper

I think the thing that's not recommended is the white WAXED paper. I have and use the white UNwaxed butcher paper regularly with great results. The waxed stuff is full of....well.....wax, and that ain't good eats. I think that technically, waxed paper is FREEZER paper.

I also foil, but find that the butcher paper breathes a little better and prevents quite as much "steaming" of the meat. I've used it for both brisket and butts, but you can STILL screw both up no matter what you wrap (OR NOT) with. Trust me.:biggrin1:

willbird · Mar 17, 2013

Bludawg said:
I'll take a falling apart brisket any day over one that eats like an old boot and dry as dust.

Me too, I fondly remember an overdone one, not so much underdone

.

BobM · Mar 17, 2013

Great looking cook!

Sent from my Android phone.

AustinKnight · Mar 17, 2013

When you pull the brisket still wrapped in paper off the smoker you don't immediately wrap in a towel or cooler it. You let it rest on the counter still wrapped tell it drops down to 185- 190 (30min) then you hold it in a cooler in a towel or at the bottom of cambro. Instead of resting it on the counter I put it at the bottom of a cambro/cooler with the door cracked for 30 min and then lock the cambro tell guest arrive. Good luck, welcome to paper cookery looks good brotha.

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fremont · Mar 17, 2013

Three hours while wrapped is on the high end IME.

daninnewjersey · Mar 17, 2013

Bludawg said:
I'll take a falling apart brisket any day over one that eats like an old boot and dry as dust.

Can I get an amen.....

landarc · Mar 17, 2013

You have no idea what has been done to any paper. When pulp hit the old mills up here in Humboldt, all of the pulp was boiled, bleached then prepared for dying. Unless you are going to hunt down unbleached paper.

The Texas Crutch With Parchment Paper

K-JUN

is one Smokin' Farker

ButtBurner

Babbling Farker

superlazy

is Blowin Smoke!

K-JUN

is one Smokin' Farker

landarc

somebody shut me the fark up.

garzanium

Full Fledged Farker

Pitmaster T

Babbling Farker

Bludawg

somebody shut me the fark up.

K-JUN

is one Smokin' Farker

Bludawg

somebody shut me the fark up.

Wampus

somebody shut me the fark up.

willbird

Full Fledged Farker

BobM

Babbling Farker

AustinKnight

is Blowin Smoke!

fremont

Well-known member

daninnewjersey

Babbling Farker

landarc

somebody shut me the fark up.

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