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Plastice Wrap on Pork and Brisket

Mark said:
It doesnt even have to melt for there to be chemical leaching. I don't think you have to have an advanced degree in chemical engineering to understand that.

I 'd say your smoker is like an oven. I also know something about the variable chemical properties of plastic wrap and how certain chemicals can migrate out of the wrap and into the food under certain conditions. I would bet that kirklands knows it too and wants to avoid being sued over it.

And lets not overlook the obvious way plastic wrap would inhibit smoke rings; which should be enough of a reason in itself to reject the idea.
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What are the variable conditions, and what does inhibiting my smoke ring have to do with it. I inhibit my smoke ring enough without having to involve plastic wrap. I don't cook in wrap, and I don't think most folks here who are planning on cooking in wrap would wrap from the beginning anyway. Sounds like the wrap when other might foil. What i am likily to do is throw something wrapped into the smoke or oven (at around 200* for the oven) to reheat.
 
I have seen many pros double/triple wrap a brisket in food service wrap and then wrap it in foil also. In fact, i was taught this technique in several cooking classes. I personally only tried it once, and after wrestling with the wrap and having it stick to itself i gave up and will use only foil when needed.

There are wraps out there designed for oven use. Similar to the roasting bags for tukeys and the like. I cannot remember the brand I had(Yellow and blue box), but the label clearly said its good to 300 degrees in the oven. I think if you just check the labels, you'll find one you can experiment with.

Also, the plastic wraps you have seen used are likely much thicker than the regular saran wrap u get in the supermarket for covering your leftovers.



Re: The leaching issue.. who knows.. if its graded as food safe up to 300+ degrees, I would use it. I also marinade stuff in plastic bags that have no rating as food safe and Im not dead yet. In either case, thats a topic for a different thread.
 
BBQchef33 said:
Re: The leaching issue.. who knows.. if its graded as food safe up to 300+ degrees, I would use it. I also marinade stuff in plastic bags that have no rating as food safe and Im not dead yet. In either case, thats a topic for a different thread.
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Good point. The acids in the marinades we use would surely eat away parts of the plastic if it wasn't safe.

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!

Me? Chokin' on a rib bone... :biggrin:
 
Here's the original question:

I have question on using plastic wrap on meat. What brand do you use when using plastic wrap as the initial wrap, followed by aluminum foil. Will any brand work or is there a particular kind I should buy. My biggest fear is having the plastic melt to the meat! Advise on this topic is much appreciated!​

If the plastic is formulated for 300 F. ovens, fine. If it isn't, well, you've been warned. Anyway, I'll drop my advice to consider there may be consequences and will leave it up to Darwin.. But if you're interested, google "endocrine disruptors" and/or "phthalates."
 
Mark said:
Here's the original question:

I have question on using plastic wrap on meat. What brand do you use when using plastic wrap as the initial wrap, followed by aluminum foil. Will any brand work or is there a particular kind I should buy. My biggest fear is having the plastic melt to the meat! Advise on this topic is much appreciated!​
If the plastic is formulated for 300 F. ovens, fine. If it isn't, well, you've been warned. Anyway, I'll drop my advice to consider there may be consequences and will leave it up to Darwin.. But if you're interested, google "endocrine disruptors" and/or "phthalates."
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Yes, phthalates bad - the major plastic wrap companies do not use phtalates in their plastic wraps (or so they say). PAH's yes (could be bad, depends on their structure), phthalates no.
 
Got this from Saran Wrap...

Thank you for your email regarding the safety of wrapping hot brisket in Saran™ brand plastic film

The softening point of Saran™ brand plastic film with Cling Plus is 195°F. Please keep in mind that foods higher in fats or sugars heat up quickly and retain heat longer than other foods.

We recommend you call our Product Safety Department at 1-866-231-5406. They will be able to address your addition questions.
 
BBQchef33 said:
Re: The leaching issue.. who knows.. if its graded as food safe up to 300+ degrees, I would use it. I also marinade stuff in plastic bags that have no rating as food safe and Im not dead yet. In either case, thats a topic for a different thread.
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Personally, I believe there are a gazillion other things that we KNOW causes cancer, that this one thing doesn't scare me, in the least.
Wrap on, Brother, wrap on!:mrgreen:
 
I know several teams which cook in film rather than foil. It will not melt at bbq temps. It seems to work well.
 
While there is some good discussion on the safety of plastic wrap, the OP is wanting to know what brands to try. Let's just get thaty out of the way and then the debate can go on, or I can split into the food safety section. Think I will do that in a few minutes.
 
I wrap with plastic then foil till I am ready to put in the smoker. If I want to wrap the food wjhil in thew smoker I only use foil. Personally I hate plastic wrap but I still use it
 
I wrap in plastic and foil overnight after rubbing down a brisket, but will wrap in foil only once the meat is cooking. I use the plastic wrap from Sam's and the wide "commercial" foil from there as well.
 
I found that wrapping with Reynolds wrap and then alluminum foil keeps the butt from drying out during the cooling process.I have also reheated the next day for a couple of hours in the wrap and then pulled it apart sems to really be a lot moister than not wrapping it at all.
 
We only use commerical grade food film.
Rub it wrap it plastic.
Cook it wrap it with plastic and it holds heat and continues to cook.
Let it cool wrap it in plastic and reheat it up to 200 degrees, and it holds jucies.
 
Jon - I think the key is that you don't want to use a "residential" 'seran', 'glad', etc. wrap. You want to use a foodservice film. One that is rated to the heat level you want. Depending on how much fat you leave on your meat, or sugar is in your rub (and how thick you put it on)... will help drive to what temp you can take your cooker and be successful.

We played with the Sam's Film, and I believe 265 degrees was it's limitation.

CostCo and Sam's both sell a "Foodservice Film", I believe Sam's also sells a "catering film". The Catering Film may be more of a cling wrap for going on steam trays; I have not tried it. I have not used any films in contest cooking, but we have used it before when cooking large quantities.
 
I wrapped butts for the first time last night. Smoked until they hit 140, plastic wrap then foil and back onto the smoker at 225 until them were 190+. My understanding was that all was good as long as the temps were under 265.

Feedback was that they were super tender and moist. I can get that taking them to 205 and I don't think the time was significantly different. The big advantage I saw was the ability to do different finishes on all of the butts pretty easily.

Would have been nice to have been able to pull them but it was cook, toss in a cooler and deliver wrapped so.....
 
Mark said:
You should consider the health risk from chemical leaching
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-microwave-dioxin2.htm
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Yes read it and more... This Bullchit about plastic WRAP leaching dioxin into food has got to end.

No one seems to talk about the evidence of aluminum's link to Alzheimers that is more researched and credible.

Plastic wrap being harmful is a huge and stupid urban legend that has little merit.

Plastic wrap is safe... the evidence of aluminum's link to Alzheimers is more researched and credible.

Pay no matter to the fact I use Butcher PAPER to wrap...

There is also evidence of aluminum's link to Alzheimers which is more researched and credible.

All this safety being discussed among a body of cookers that are propagating a huge health risk just from the meat itself is silly as well.
 
Mark said:
Quite possibly, smoking with plastic wrap is the dummest idea since using kitty litter in the water pan.
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And that my friends is the Strawman Fallacy.

Brilliant. So if the poster said boiling the meat after it has been wrapped in plastic also negates the whole premise that hot meat can be safely wrapped in plastic and rewarmed or cooked in the plastic.

As far as using plastic wrap to cook food... specifically poaching. The french and neo-franco chefs have been poaching cigars of chicken and what not in plastic wrap for more than 30 years so it is an acceptable method of making a Gallentine for most people in the culinary industry.

To review, professional plastic wrap to hold meat, even in a properly maintained pit; Or more exactly a cambro, refrigertator and a properly heated oven or steam oven, are all exceptable means of holding the meat and preserving it as closed to its original state as possible.

Trying to SMOKE a piece of meat (not cooking it to completion as the poster asked about) is in fact silly... but alas, not really the point here.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I see this thread was resurrected. :roll: I stand by my original statement that:
Quite possibly, smoking with plastic wrap is the dummest idea since using kitty litter in the water pan.

Or I could be full of $hit. Maybe next time I get a packer brisket, I'll just throw it in the smoker heavy duty plastic wrap and all. Whatcha say barbefunkoramaque? Good Idea?
 
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