Do's and Don'ts with Butcher Paper

cueball21 · Oct 6, 2017

I've never used butcher paper and have only used foil on 3-2-1 pork ribs, but I've been a bit intrigued with it since watching an Aaron Franklin YouTube video or three. So, when Amazon had the 18" roll on sale a few weeks back, I bought a roll to experiment and learn with.

Typically I do more pork butts than anything else. I will hit a streak when I can get decent brisket at a reasonable price, and do several in a row but smoke a lot more pork. I do ribs occasionally and chickens, too, although I tend to grill chooks rather than smoke them. I find my Brazos puts too much smoke on poultry (I use oak and a little pecan); so I grill it over charcoal with chunks of hardwood added for a little flavor.

I've done a little searching and reading, but thought I'd throw the question out to you experts.

What smokes do you butcher paper for? Why? When do you wrap? Do you use it for pork butts/picnics? Ribs? What else?

Cheers!

BillN · Oct 6, 2017

I have pink butcher paper, never used it...yet.

BrickBrewHaus · Oct 6, 2017

Interesting topic, following.

I think we're in a similar boat. I bought a roll recently when it was $20 on Amazon and looking to learn about it.

Right after buying it I immediately did a couple butts. My impression was that it took much longer to get the butts done compared to wrapping in foil (which makes sense in hindsight). I eventually ran out of fuel and had to throw them in a 300F oven so they'd get done in time to feed my guests. That was the only time I've used it so I still don't have a good feeling of whether the BP is indeed much slower, or if there was something else going on that slowed the cook down.

Czarbecue · Oct 6, 2017

I tried BP on a pork butt... it came out looking like the brisket sitting next to it. I haven't tried BP on ribs yet... recently I am on a dry rub kick and don't foil or anything.

KevinJ · Oct 6, 2017

I don't wrap ribs, pork or beef, I've used it on briskets, pork butts and chuck roasts with great success. The only time I use foil is when panning to collect the drippings. I thinks it great for protecting the color and the bark with out giving the meat the self braising effect.

This was a 8# Butt that was cooked at 325 until I got the color I was looking for wrapped in BP then finish the cook at 380 total cook time 5.5hrs.

I like to chop instead of pulling.

electron_si · Oct 6, 2017

I am by no means an expert but I do use butcher paper for brisket and I like how it turns out

I run it naked until IT hits 150-160 and the color is nice then I wrap it with paper. Usually I take a long piece and get 1 1/2 wraps on it. Not sure how other people do it but it seems to work.

One thing I’ve notice though is there are a lot of drippings inside the paper. I’m wondering if it’s because of that extra wrap. I’m wondering if a single wrap would allow the drippings to leach through the paper.

Czarbecue · Oct 6, 2017

electron_si said:
I am by no means an expert but I do use butcher paper for brisket and I like how it turns out

I run it naked until IT hits 150-160 and the color is nice then I wrap it with paper. Usually I take a long piece and get 1 1/2 wraps on it. Not sure how other people do it but it seems to work.

One thing I’ve notice though is there are a lot of drippings inside the paper. I’m wondering if it’s because of that extra wrap. I’m wondering if a single wrap would allow the drippings to leach through the paper.

From my experience, once the BP is saturated, it will hold the liquid, regardless if you double wrap or not. I bought a 24" roll so I wouldn't have to do the triple sheet wrap for total coverage.

pjtexas1 · Oct 6, 2017

i only wrap briskets in BP. i cook fat cap up in the BP so the flat sits in the juices. just make sure the bark is set before wrapping and let it vent fat cap down so the bark can firm back up before wrapping in foil to hold/rest. i wrap butts in foil, beef/pork ribs go nekkid. for me chicken is better grilled or at really hot temps.

SmittyJonz · Oct 6, 2017

Don't use it for toilet paper......even if you run out of reg toilet paper./tissue......

Coffekid · Oct 6, 2017

SmittyJonz said:
Don't use it for toilet paper......even if you run out of reg toilet paper./tissue......

Talking from personal experience?
:shocked:

SmittyJonz · Oct 6, 2017

I'll sacrifice one of my socks first........

JS-TX · Oct 6, 2017

I've only used it on brisket so far... and I've been using it for 6 years! lol

BP does a great job of preserving the bark and the flavors of your rub IMO. I wrap when the bark is set, but no earlier than 4-5 hours so that it gets smoke. For me it doesn't speed up cooking.

IXL · Oct 6, 2017

We use BP only for briskets, usually wrapping at 165°F or after six hours or so. The brisket remains in the paper while resting in a cooler, fat cap down, and after venting for a little bit. The bark turns out just fine.

The paper is much harder to wrap with than aluminum foil, though. Foil will stay put when folded around something and the paper wants to unwrap for a while, until it becomes saturated with drippings.

Westx · Oct 6, 2017

Only brisket and only when cooking hot and fast. Wrap after 4 hours.

ebijack · Oct 7, 2017

I use it for brisket only.
BUT, I use the crap out of BP for covering my table food prep area, anything in freezer bags gets wrapped in BP. Works great to stop freezer and to stop freezer bags from getting torn open when in the freezer by other frozen objects. Easier and just as good as no freezer burn as my vac sealer.
Lay out cooked wet lasagna noodles to semi dry.
Wrap shipping boxes in when required to cover up the prior multiple labels.
I've been known to wrap gifts in BP :tsk:
When I need to make a drawing sketch full size. BP
Lots of uses.

brdbbq · Oct 27, 2017

I was wondering about this myself. I used the search feature and found this thread. Wonder if I will get a star or a wedgie? :biggrin1:

Victory · Oct 27, 2017

i like using it for brisket and pork butts

thirdeye · Oct 27, 2017

I use it more for brisket and chuck than anything else and like the way it breathes. However, if I need to hurry my finishing time foil performs better for that. I think it's my elevation of 5400'... the boiling point of water at my house is 203°, so something sealed in foil finishes quicker than something wrapped in paper.

And I'm not adverse to putting a square of foil in the bottom If I'm expecting a lot of juices.

I started buying the 24" wide rolls because that is counter width, so I lay out pieces when I grind meat, make sausage or jerky and prep my meats. It makes clean-up really easy and it's cheaper than using butcher paper. Cooking in paper grocery bags was popular in the early part of the last century and both Grandmothers cooked oven hams and turkeys in paper bags. I have some copies of pages from a "cooking in paper" cookbook that lists times for all kinds of things. Modern brown paper bags are not safe for cooking because of recycled materials, but you can use the pink paper. I'll try and find those cooking times.

lennitt · Oct 27, 2017

I have been using it for wrapping ribs instead of foil.. think it gives me a less mushy bark. I tie it with butcher twine. I am a fan...

GA1dad · Oct 27, 2017

ebijack said:
I use the crap out of BP for covering my table food prep area,

Me too.

I recently did a butt in paper for the first time. An older uncle-in-law was visiting and continuously moaned about the health hazards of cooking in aluminum foil. So I used paper to please him. The paper worked okay, but I will stick to the foil when cooking for myself.

Do's and Don'ts with Butcher Paper

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