To see how the foil boat method turned out, check out the video link in the description. Let me know what other experiments you would like to see! Also, I did the foil boat as a different video because I wanted all the briskets in this test to be the same distance from the fire. I can only go three wide in this pit so I thought it would be unfair to do the foil boat in this comparison because it would have been in a hotter or cooler part of the smoker.
South African now living in California. We South Africans are known for our braai (South African BBQ on wood fire). I've always loved meat and I've fallen in love with barbecue. I love your channel!
Love the fatstack! How fast does it recover after you've had it open, for example, for the length of time when you are standing in front giving an explanation and both doors are up? I have the Lang 84Deluxe. Comes back in under 5 min.
There are lots of BBQ RUclips channels. Yours is by far the most thorough and well thought out. Each one of these videos is exactly what we want to see. Hard, controlled, replicable results without bias. Don’t tell me to do something. Don’t just tell me to do something, tell me why I’m doing it and I’ll learn it.
I cook all my brisket unwrapped.... BUT once I pull it from the smoker I wrap it tightly in foil and rest it for 2 hours in a cooler. I find by doing that, that the bark softens up a little bit so you end up with a very nice bark, but still get that full flavor from going unwrapped the entire smoke. Love the videos! Keep them coming!
The key to foil-wrapping is to use a "hybrid" technique. I mostly do smaller (under 7#) briskets, and I've become a HUGE fan of the "4-3-2" method. Four hours unwrapped on an open grate, 3 hours wrapped in foil, and 2 hours to finish, sitting in the foil, but with the wrapping opened up to crisp the crust. . You get fantastic rendering of the fat, incredible tenderness and juiciness, and a delightful amount of smokiness to the flavor. If you think you're not a fan of foil-wrapped brisket, just try this alternative method, and you'll become a fan...
Yes I do that too and it works well. I also do the 'foil boat' method too where you cook it unwrapped to about 165-170 then put it in a foil boat with the top open so the bark stays crispy. Sometimes I put a bit of liquid (beef broth, apple juice, cider vinegar, whatever you like) in the bottom. It comes out pretty much the same as your method but it does get more smoke flavor if that's what you are going for.. Not sure I've ever done the exact same way twice but that's half the fun!
I think this is my new favourite brisket/BBQ video. It just goes to show that everyone has a different technique, and more importantly a different palate/preference. What I liked the most, was you weren't like some who tell you that one way or the other is the best or only way to do something. You gave 3 options and you and your wife clearly had different opinions...much like all of us out here in BBQ world. I've only ever done unwrapped and foil...but I have now ordered butcher paper that arrives next week that I'm excited to try. The one nice thing about foil is the juices you collect. Any leftovers I vacuum seal with some of those juices and reheat in the sous vide....moist juicy brisket almost as good as the day it was cooked. Thanks for the great video. Cheers!
I’ve cooked hundreds of briskets ribs butts wild game Etc. Using the foil here in Texas for 40 years but I will try the paper and try it thanks for the videos not to old to learn and try different methods 👍
I've also used foil on around 100 briskets and never had them look like the one he smoked. I think he may have accidentally placed it fat cap down and washed it out a little.
I wrapped all my briskets in foil when I first started doing them. The last 2 have been in butcher paper and the wife and I both thought they were the 2 best so far. Could be a result of just getting better at feeling for doneness at the end but it's definitely what we're going to be doing from here on out. Fortunately,. brisket is delicious no matter what you do. Overcook it, undercook it, it really doesn't matter. There are varying levels of deliciousness but I've yet to have one not be delicious.
Texas' own Aaron Franklin uses the butcher paper, I'm telling you....I used to be a foil guy, but you will get WAY better park with paper than you do with the foil!
Honestly, I've never had a BAD brisket. I promise, even the last place in a cookoff is delicious. I've done bare, foil, paper, and even aluminum pans covered in foil. In my experience, if you have to rest a real long time or even chill before slicing, the bark is still pretty but tends to be soft, no matter the method.
I just did my 3rd brisket ever last weekend using the Texas Crutch with foil. My 8-pounder took 15 hours at 225. It was really juicy but there wasn't really a good bark. Yours is the 3rd video to advocate for butcher paper, so I'm definitely going to give it a try. Thanks!
I’ve never used foil. Either open or butcher paper. My experience is similar to his experiment. Foil doesn’t produce the best bark. Paper is a medium moisture and open is dry in some places. That being said I used a pellet smoker and I always use the top shelf, never the bottom.
Gotta tell ya I’m new to the brisket world & I’m working with a Pitt Boss 1600.Of all the folks I’ve checked out,I like your approach & break down of things.Keep the tech tips coming !
Love the acknowledgment of "do it the way you like best." Way too much, "this is the only way to do things" out there. Keep up the good work!! Thanks for making great content!
I recently bought a Traeger 885 pellet smoker, I did a few small items, at first. And worked up to doing a brisket, following the recipe (i know mistake) nothing was mentioned about wrapping the brisket. It turned out just ok in my book, too burnt on the bottom, and not super moist. Went thru the "Stall" without even knowing what it was. Did a few more cooks, then did a brisket again, following your one video on the 5 ways to tell when to wrap. I wrapped it in butcher paper and pulled it at 185, let it rest for an hour before slicing it, it was tender, very moist, and had a nice bark. I think i'll wrap in paper from here on out. I wrapped ribs in foil, they were the best ribs i have ever made. Enjoy your video's very much.
Finished up a Christmas brisket. 16hr smoke time. First time Ive done the peach paper wrap. Im sold! Brisket came out with a decent bark and was moist as ever. 😊😊❤
@@MadScientistBBQ This could be heresy, but what if you reversed the process by doing the wrapped cooking first (to get the softness), then finishing in smoke to develop the bark? I know that would make the brisket more delicate to handle, but have you heard or tried this? I did just try doing my first bbq brisket. I did the foil wrap and yeah it was a little less juicy than I wanted.
@@500dollarjapanesetoaster8 You should test this and let us know. The current belief is that the uncooked to rare stage is better for smoke to penetrate the meat to five you the smoke ring - but maybe that’s false, let us know.
Thanks for this comparison! I have used paper for beef ribs and doing my first brisket this weekend. Watching this, I feel more confident about that and now I also know how to more objectively test for when to wrap (rendered fat, something I hadn't thought about as opposed to simply a temp value). I love beef with mesquite smoke- just two fist sized chunks was enough for a whole rack of plate ribs so I am going to try that. Mesquite can easily be overpowering so better to be more conservative than too much.
I have to say that of all the BBQ videos on the Tube, I do enjoy yours the most. I really need to up my game. I'm fairly new to attempting to smoke briskets - about 2 years, all on a Weber gas grill, all unwrapped. Definitely plan to start wrapping, and incorporating more of your tips. Last night I was starting to tell my wife about one of your videos and she interrupted me at one point. To resume I said, "So, my friend Jeremy Yoder..." I may not actually know you, but from your videos you seem like someone that I would want to be friends with. Thank you for all you do.
😂 haha that’s so funny. We all have people we follow for our hobbies. I feel the same way with the people I follow. My wife also has to suffer through me telling her about stuff I watch. Good luck with your future cooks and I appreciate the support
I just smoked my first brisket a couple of weeks ago using foil and also placed butcher paper on the fat cap only with the fat cap up for the final cook and temperature. 8 lbs 8 1/2 hours 203 degrees and it was the best I ever had . 250 degrees for 4 hours and 300 for 4 1/2 hours
Great video! Every method has something to offer, but for me, unwrapped takes me back to being a kid in west Texas and my dad smoking briskets constantly on his home built offset, with some tips he learned being a friend of Stubbs. I try to imitate those childhood memories!
outstanding !! what has helped me is to buy a spiral notebook and / or create an m.s. word file and make notes. i cannot remember half of what i watched, but when i go to my notes when the mad scientist emphasizes a point i can recall much better. i too experiment on the pit. the videos are motivating. as i speak i am spooning out the beef tallow on the colored butcher paper wrapping up a tri-tip after spraying every 30 minutes with a mixture of acv and water. when you take action and do something like this that takes effort you will find that your mood changes. you will fail, succeed, repeat , repeat but then you start to develop confidence. great post, you are making a difference in this world......make it an exceptional bbq weekend. !
Very helpful video, I’ve been away from the BBQ game for a few years (3 young kids). I’ve done unwrapped & foil wrapped previously. Looking forward to trying the butcher paper soon. Great channel man, very helpful.
I love how you don't down the methods you didn't as much for. Also, how you point out not everyone likes things the same way. Really good content on your channel.
great vid as i am just getting ready to be my 1st brisket. I appreciate the honesty in it and that there wasn't a lot of worthless talk just to make the vid longer. keep up the great work.
Everyone has their own little trick. One that I was taught is that if you wrap in foil, don't finish in foil. Unwrap it toward the end and finish it in the smoke. That will dry the exterior some and get some fresh smoke in at the end.
Second this. I started doing it after my third brisket, and haven't looked back. Wrap it in foil to get it through the stall, then unwrap at 195°F internal and return it to the grate uncovered to finish. I use a Kamado, and will put 2-3 small chunks of mild wood in the very bottom of the grill literally in the ash tray for this final leg of the cook.
@@1989inception In theory. I have never tried it that way. I wonder if it wouldn't be better for brisket, since ultimately a pork butt is just going to get pulled.
I love your channel, I am both a scientist (Computational Biologist), Teacher, and BBQ / smoker enthusiast I love the mash of the science and BBQ you do!
Another wrap that should have been tried is parchment paper. Normally used for baking, I know but I think it is another medium between butcher paper and foil. keeps it a little more moist, but not like foil. You still get a good bark. Just need to be careful because it's a little thinner and tears easily.
Thank you for all of the great tips.✨ I have a smoker made from a 1952 Hotpoint fridge, it works very well. I use usually Kiawe (mesquite) sometimes mixed with fresh guava wood or for a stronger taste Ohia wood and have great success with wild pig and game birds, but that elusive brisket I haven't mastered. I think your video will have me on the right path.
I wrapped in foil and then took the foil off at 190 degrees and then let the bark harden up. It was really good. I will try butcher paper next time to compare the two. Thanks for the video.
You’re an artist man! I’m a smoking newbie and brisket is so tough to get consistently right. I think I’m batting 0.500....all your cooks look awesome! Juicy!!!
I appreciate all the hard work you go through to make these highly informative videos! I use two griddle spatulas to move the brisket around instead of grabbing it so it doesn’t mess up the bark and I don’t have to put on gloves in the middle of the cook. If you have a sturdy set they won’t bend when lifting a whole brisket. It might not be feasible in your situation but it works great for me.
Would really like to see a video on how you rest your briskets overnight without drying them out. Anything more than 90 minutes in a cooler for me ends up continuing to cook and gets dry.
Huge smoke fan built tons of smokers and grills even a 275gallon smoker like your 500 gallon and some reason tonight is my first time making brisket and i wanted to try butcher paper but no luck finding it so i will do 6/7 hours then wrap in foil for a few hours then final hour or 2 unwrapped again. Love the videos
Great video man! Personally I like the most when Brisket is wrapped with Foil and so does the family. However, when I have friends who really love BBQ coming over, they all agree that Butcher papers gets the job done the best! Have u tried wrapping with foil and then let it run naked for the last hour of the cook? It has worked for me! Cheers from Finland
Good vid! I'm a retired Butcher, 3nd generation. I remember growing up, my Dad cooking Brisket and Shoulder Clods in the barrel and wrapping in butcher paper. I've been doing it also. I have wrapped in foil when out of paper, but prefer the butcher paper. Personal preference. Good video.. Like!
Great research 🙂 For even more science you could do a double blind test for the tasting with 3 or more persons. Have them fill out a form about the taste, that way it'll be fully objective.
I cooked a brisket last night and when it was time to wrap I realized I had no access to butcher paper, as I pondered my dilemma I remembered that my local municipality had banned the use of plastic grocery bags which led me to the fact I had a plethora of paper grocery sacks. Long story short I put my brisket in a properly inspected paper grocery bag and wrapped it tight , the result was as equal to the butcher paper. Glenn in Seattle
The worst bs I've ever read. Lol. Who doesn't know they don't have the items to finish off a packer when smoking one? Amateur hour? Butcher paper is nowhere near a common grocery bag and it's down right hilarious to read this. Almost every household has foil? Did Seattle ban that too? Lol probably but still, don't spew bs please. Thanks.
Thanks buddy. I do lots of research for smoking, then I come and see what you have to say. Usually listen most to you. I don’t find much BS on your channel, just honest opinions, advice and reviews.
Still my favorite bbq RUclips channel. I’ve done brisket all ways(sometimes accidentally). Lol. But seriously if you get the meat tender, you’ll please the crowd. The knife on the bark of the unwrapped brisket is very cathartic for me. Haha. Like bare feet in bluegrass.
I've done all 3 methods multiple times. I definitely prefer Peach Butcher paper wrap through "The Stall" of evaporative cooling. Each has its merits and I appreciate your scientific approach; as this is hard to do justly with the amount of experience and preferences you've accumulated. Bravo!
Maybe you should’ve done a blind taste test. Like blindfold yourself and let your wife hand you the pieces. That way, your bias towards the butcher paper (face it, you do have a bias in favor of it) would absolutely not come into play. Just my thought/suggestion.
I'm into the plain Jane , no wrapping for me please. There is no wrong way . Brisket is just so good and it's even better the next day and the next day ... I will have to try the butcher paper way though. Great video !
I wish this was a double blind test!! get someone to put hidden labels under the briskets, swap them around randomly, then take someone who doesn't know which is which to give pieces to jeremy in blindfold, so jeremy can't tell which is which and neither does the person giving him the pieces, but since a third person labeled the briskets underneath, they can find out what's what after tasting.
@@GrillTopExperience I did. Knowing his personal preference before this and the fact that their answers were complete opposite makes me think his biases played into his answers.
I watched so many videos to learn how yo cook briskets! But MAD SCIENTIST BBQ give me everything that I need! Now I work in a BBQ restaurant selling Briskets! Thank you
Damn Jeremy, seeing these new videos always reminds me of when I first watched your channel when you didnt even have a thousand subscribers. A long ways and as always, videos top notch and all of us amateur's really appreciate videos like these to give us alot of knowledge. Wish me luck, smoking a 18lb Costco prime tomorrow!
Thanks for the science. All of my briskets turn out flavorful and amazing in heavy duty foil double wrap. I get so many requests for a cup of the juice :) I also do things a little different, with a temp of 250 and 8 total cook time. and eaten the same day within 4 to 6 hours. I can't wait to get back to cooking for 100's of people. :)
Ive only done two whole briskets in my life. The first one was unwrapped, because I didnt know what I was doing. The second one was after watching MSBBQ wrap it in butcher paper, so I did the same. Trimmed, seasoned, cooked, rested about the same. My family and I prefer the butcher paper. My next brisket will be wrapped in butcher paper. And likely the one after that! It's rare that a family of 3, two adults and 1 toddler, will completely consume a 15lb brisket in two days!
I smoked my first brisket on 225 it sat at 223 for around 12 hours without wrapping. it was among the best I have ever had and I have been around. it did have some harder areas but it was downright amazing melt in your mouth goodness over all. I also had a 12 pound pork butt, 2 racks of ribs in there as well. not too sure if it makes a difference. I sprayed with apple cider vinegar every 45 min to an hour as well. I'm sure I could have pulled the brisket early but I actually love the way it turned out and so did my family.
Another great video Jeremy. I just wanted to comment on how I appreciate your unbiased opinions and the examples of the great BBQ places using the different kinds of techniques. Personally I have not had the same success with the butcher paper as the foil. Maybe it’s still lack of experience and the foil is more forgiving, and maybe it’s just my smoker but I definitely prefer foil right now. I’ll keep watching and learning and maybe that’ll change. Keep the great videos coming. Martin, NL Canada
I need a sign now that says "No Rules in the Kitchen" As an home chef (took culinary arts in college) I believe in one rule of the kitchen.....Don't touch my knives LOL. After that there are no rules. Make food fun and make the kitchen be the best place to hang out in your home, be it inside or outside.
Yay Science! I’m all about the butcher paper method. Not too keen on the crunchy bark from the unwrapped style. Foil wrapping (The Texas Crutch) leaves the bark kinda mushy.
Great tutorial and experiment! You’ve come a long way! Love the taste test and the 3 methods! There was a experiment done on Meat Church with foil and butcher paper. The guy who used foil rested his brisket in butcher paper to firm up the bark on his. And it came out pretty good! I still lean towards the butcher paper myself but I have used the Texas Crutch when I’m running late on delivery. But ultimately I have to know my audience when I cater. But I’m just a backyard barbecuer and people are just happy I did all the cooking. Cheers my man! Love your videos!
@@macneilssmokedmeats3832 I use a weber smokey mountain and have read as well as heard the heat goes up the sides to the dome so the top is hottest part. Fat side up protects it from that. I tried it up once and didn't get the bark I wanted. I'm wondering if the fat up effected that. I don't know, fairly new and trying to figure out what is best.
Something to try if you want , not sure how different it will be, is cook uncovered, then wrap and rest in an ice-chest for 2 to 3 hours. I never get complaints with that method. I never wrap when cooking just for resting.
@@ericcarr7557 not sure where you live but many grocery stores including Walmart have started carrying the pink paper due to its popularity. I’m not an expert on the differences but I think the white paper has more of a wax type coating and is mostly used to wrap and freeze meat. I’ve seen comments on other videos where people have used it but have never actually known anyone who did so can’t say if it has any benefits or drawbacks.
The sweet spot I recently discovered is to wrap in butcher paper then wrap in foil. 😁 You get maximum heat retention with also the benefit of wicking away excess moisture. I won’t do it any other way now.
@@MadScientistBBQ yes, totally want to see this! I know Harry Soo sometimes does this with his briskets but idk if the butcher paper would still serve its purpose whilst being wrapped in foil also, but an experiment is the only way to make sure
what if you boat the naked brisket? In theory you should retain the crunchy exterior and maintain a good amount of moisture, especially if you have a water pan.
I've been using Audible for 5 years now. I can get a lot done around the house while at the same time learning new stuff. I do prefer my briskets wrapped in foil then in paper. I never leave it unwrapped. They tend to come out dryer than I like.
Thank you for sharing your scientific approach to compare wrapping techniques! This was an expensive and time consuming test for you that we can all benefit from. Thank you!!
Nice 👍🏽 When cooking tri tip I wrap it foil the last 20 minutes so the juice stays in the foil,I unwrap in a pan so the juice stays in there. Cut my trip tip and let it sit in the juice comes out more tastier to me.I just bbq my first brisket last week came out pretty good.
Great video! Bottom line seems to be that any of these 3 methods done correctly will yield great bbq. I like your point of view which is to find out which method you like best and then perfect it.
@@MadScientistBBQ And I think you're doing a great job at it. Found you channel a couple of months ago and subscribed right away. As someone with a science/ engineering background, I find your approach and presentation of information to be logical, concise, and very educational. In fact, I've decided to add a stick burner to my aresenal.arsenal.
Thanks for the test of the foil, butcher paper and unwrapped of the brisket. I've got one on the smoker right now. I have some butcher paper so I'm going to wrap with that this time. I've always used foil in the past. I'll see how it comes out with the butcher paper. Thanks for also showing how you did the wrapping since a single sheet of the butcher paper and even the wide foil is not always big enough to wrap with a single sheet.
This is such a good video with all other factors controlled and a blind tasting. I've tried foil wrapping and didn't like the soft bark. My best results were the ones wrapped with butcher paper coated with Wagyu beef tallow. But I have always wanted more juiciness (fat) out of the flat and have found that coating the sliced flat with the smoked tallow/drip makes the flat so much better because of the perceived juiciness.
My method is - after reaching 170, I put my brisket in an aluminum pan, wrap foil over the top and poke a few holes in the top. Works great every time.
Can you talk more about your resting process? Where, how long, when to remove? The resting process is largely ignored IMO but it can be a game changer for us backyard smokers and timing food for parties. Thanks! Always love the vids.
I really enjoy these videos. As a newbie to smoking I've been using a Bradley. I started out cooking Brisket unwrapped but switched to butcher paper to speed up the finish. I regularly have family and friends over for BBQ and the comments last Summer were that the Brisket done in butcher paper was better. I rested the last two briskets one for two hours and one for five hours. The longer rested also got more favourable comments.
To see how the foil boat method turned out, check out the video link in the description. Let me know what other experiments you would like to see!
Also, I did the foil boat as a different video because I wanted all the briskets in this test to be the same distance from the fire. I can only go three wide in this pit so I thought it would be unfair to do the foil boat in this comparison because it would have been in a hotter or cooler part of the smoker.
South African now living in California. We South Africans are known for our braai (South African BBQ on wood fire).
I've always loved meat and I've fallen in love with barbecue. I love your channel!
I would love to see a foil boat method with one wrapped in paper and one not.
Can you please do a foil boat without the butcher paper ? I'd love to see how that compares.
Love the fatstack! How fast does it recover after you've had it open, for example, for the length of time when you are standing in front giving an explanation and both doors are up? I have the Lang 84Deluxe. Comes back in under 5 min.
Do the Moe Cason. Hybrid foil/butcher paper. ruclips.net/video/J8grEZFjYew/видео.html
There are lots of BBQ RUclips channels. Yours is by far the most thorough and well thought out. Each one of these videos is exactly what we want to see. Hard, controlled, replicable results without bias. Don’t tell me to do something. Don’t just tell me to do something, tell me why I’m doing it and I’ll learn it.
Have to agree. I'm new to this, and this is the ONLY BBQ channel I've subscribed! Great work.
I have 4 favorite channels (cooking wise) he's one of them.
You can tell that he is actually a scientist
I cook all my brisket unwrapped.... BUT once I pull it from the smoker I wrap it tightly in foil and rest it for 2 hours in a cooler. I find by doing that, that the bark softens up a little bit so you end up with a very nice bark, but still get that full flavor from going unwrapped the entire smoke. Love the videos! Keep them coming!
Great technique will try this one
Same. The resting period is the most important part of the cook
Same
Thank you. You answered a question I had
Add some beef tallow to it as well. Goldees method 👌
The key to foil-wrapping is to use a "hybrid" technique. I mostly do smaller (under 7#) briskets, and I've become a HUGE fan of the "4-3-2" method. Four hours unwrapped on an open grate, 3 hours wrapped in foil, and 2 hours to finish, sitting in the foil, but with the wrapping opened up to crisp the crust.
.
You get fantastic rendering of the fat, incredible tenderness and juiciness, and a delightful amount of smokiness to the flavor. If you think you're not a fan of foil-wrapped brisket, just try this alternative method, and you'll become a fan...
Yes I do that too and it works well. I also do the 'foil boat' method too where you cook it unwrapped to about 165-170 then put it in a foil boat with the top open so the bark stays crispy. Sometimes I put a bit of liquid (beef broth, apple juice, cider vinegar, whatever you like) in the bottom. It comes out pretty much the same as your method but it does get more smoke flavor if that's what you are going for.. Not sure I've ever done the exact same way twice but that's half the fun!
Wym by last 2 to finish... 4 unwrapped 3 wrapped and 2 what?
For as much brisket as this dude cooks (as presumably eats), his body must be like 80% smoke ring, by volume.
And moist
HAHAHA :)
Wonder what he does with all that brisket?
He sells meat. Hes said it before
Brilliant
I think this is my new favourite brisket/BBQ video. It just goes to show that everyone has a different technique, and more importantly a different palate/preference. What I liked the most, was you weren't like some who tell you that one way or the other is the best or only way to do something. You gave 3 options and you and your wife clearly had different opinions...much like all of us out here in BBQ world. I've only ever done unwrapped and foil...but I have now ordered butcher paper that arrives next week that I'm excited to try. The one nice thing about foil is the juices you collect. Any leftovers I vacuum seal with some of those juices and reheat in the sous vide....moist juicy brisket almost as good as the day it was cooked. Thanks for the great video. Cheers!
In the lower circles of hell they watch this video over and over, but never get a taste.
Underrated comment
I’ve cooked hundreds of briskets ribs butts wild game Etc. Using the foil here in Texas for 40 years but I will try the paper and try it thanks for the videos not to old to learn and try different methods 👍
I've also used foil on around 100 briskets and never had them look like the one he smoked. I think he may have accidentally placed it fat cap down and washed it out a little.
I wrapped all my briskets in foil when I first started doing them. The last 2 have been in butcher paper and the wife and I both thought they were the 2 best so far. Could be a result of just getting better at feeling for doneness at the end but it's definitely what we're going to be doing from here on out. Fortunately,. brisket is delicious no matter what you do. Overcook it, undercook it, it really doesn't matter. There are varying levels of deliciousness but I've yet to have one not be delicious.
Texas' own Aaron Franklin uses the butcher paper, I'm telling you....I used to be a foil guy, but you will get WAY better park with paper than you do with the foil!
Honestly, I've never had a BAD brisket.
I promise, even the last place in a cookoff is delicious.
I've done bare, foil, paper, and even aluminum pans covered in foil.
In my experience, if you have to rest a real long time or even chill before slicing, the bark is still pretty but tends to be soft, no matter the method.
Did you try the paper?
I just did my 3rd brisket ever last weekend using the Texas Crutch with foil. My 8-pounder took 15 hours at 225. It was really juicy but there wasn't really a good bark. Yours is the 3rd video to advocate for butcher paper, so I'm definitely going to give it a try. Thanks!
It’s been a year later, what’s your thoughts on butcher paper??
I’ve never used foil. Either open or butcher paper. My experience is similar to his experiment. Foil doesn’t produce the best bark. Paper is a medium moisture and open is dry in some places.
That being said I used a pellet smoker and I always use the top shelf, never the bottom.
You inspired me to smoke brisket, and know others feel the same way. Keep up the good work.
I've found that wrapping in foil but not tightly gets the best of all worlds. Allows the vapor to escape but also allows for faster cooking.
there's a method out there similar to this that involves venting the foil right before the end to finish.
Gotta tell ya I’m new to the brisket world & I’m working with a Pitt Boss 1600.Of all the folks I’ve checked out,I like your approach & break down of things.Keep the tech tips coming !
Love the acknowledgment of "do it the way you like best." Way too much, "this is the only way to do things" out there. Keep up the good work!! Thanks for making great content!
Gatekeeping is annoying. So what if I smoke for 6 hours, wrap, and finish inside in the oven? I like that quote "there are no rules in the kitchen".
If it's do what's best for you, this hypothesis is busted.
Experimenting only opens the door for everyone. Trying new methods might become a new standard.
Great experiment and presentation. Thanks for taking the time to put it together. Those briskets looked incredible!
I recently bought a Traeger 885 pellet smoker, I did a few small items, at first. And worked up to doing a brisket, following the recipe (i know mistake) nothing was mentioned about wrapping the brisket. It turned out just ok in my book, too burnt on the bottom, and not super moist. Went thru the "Stall" without even knowing what it was. Did a few more cooks, then did a brisket again, following your one video on the 5 ways to tell when to wrap. I wrapped it in butcher paper and pulled it at 185, let it rest for an hour before slicing it, it was tender, very moist, and had a nice bark. I think i'll wrap in paper from here on out. I wrapped ribs in foil, they were the best ribs i have ever made. Enjoy your video's very much.
Your BBQ channel has the best music btw. Love that delta blues sound.
Finished up a Christmas brisket. 16hr smoke time. First time Ive done the peach paper wrap. Im sold! Brisket came out with a decent bark and was moist as ever. 😊😊❤
i cant stop this BRISKET obsession due to this video... Awesome work Man.
Thanks for your honest opinions and the fact that everyone of us has a different pallet so we all need to find what works best for our pallet.
sometimes you gotta just get in there and test it out. Great info!
Awesome to see you here! You should add a pulled pork sandwich to the sandwich series!
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Thanks for making vthis video bro. Glad you're taking the time to share this with us. 💪🏾
@@MadScientistBBQ This could be heresy, but what if you reversed the process by doing the wrapped cooking first (to get the softness), then finishing in smoke to develop the bark? I know that would make the brisket more delicate to handle, but have you heard or tried this?
I did just try doing my first bbq brisket. I did the foil wrap and yeah it was a little less juicy than I wanted.
@@500dollarjapanesetoaster8
You should test this and let us know. The current belief is that the uncooked to rare stage is better for smoke to penetrate the meat to five you the smoke ring - but maybe that’s false, let us know.
Thanks for this comparison! I have used paper for beef ribs and doing my first brisket this weekend. Watching this, I feel more confident about that and now I also know how to more objectively test for when to wrap (rendered fat, something I hadn't thought about as opposed to simply a temp value). I love beef with mesquite smoke- just two fist sized chunks was enough for a whole rack of plate ribs so I am going to try that. Mesquite can easily be overpowering so better to be more conservative than too much.
I have to say that of all the BBQ videos on the Tube, I do enjoy yours the most. I really need to up my game. I'm fairly new to attempting to smoke briskets - about 2 years, all on a Weber gas grill, all unwrapped. Definitely plan to start wrapping, and incorporating more of your tips.
Last night I was starting to tell my wife about one of your videos and she interrupted me at one point. To resume I said, "So, my friend Jeremy Yoder..." I may not actually know you, but from your videos you seem like someone that I would want to be friends with. Thank you for all you do.
I have to agree. The video work and editing are differentiators - and the content is pretty nice too. 😀
😂 haha that’s so funny. We all have people we follow for our hobbies. I feel the same way with the people I follow. My wife also has to suffer through me telling her about stuff I watch. Good luck with your future cooks and I appreciate the support
Was gonna cancel my audible sub this month. Because you plugged it and you’re the man, ill give it another 3 months.
As an absolute novice/beginner with this craft,I can not wait to practice this teaching myself! Great video!
I just smoked my first brisket a couple of weeks ago using foil and also placed butcher paper on the fat cap only with the fat cap up for the final cook and temperature. 8 lbs 8 1/2 hours 203 degrees and it was the best I ever had . 250 degrees for 4 hours and 300 for 4 1/2 hours
Great video! Every method has something to offer, but for me, unwrapped takes me back to being a kid in west Texas and my dad smoking briskets constantly on his home built offset, with some tips he learned being a friend of Stubbs. I try to imitate those childhood memories!
outstanding !! what has helped me is to buy a spiral notebook and / or create an m.s. word file and make notes. i cannot remember half of what i watched, but when i go to my notes when the mad scientist emphasizes a point i can recall much better. i too experiment on the pit. the videos are motivating. as i speak i am spooning out the beef tallow on the colored butcher paper wrapping up a tri-tip after spraying every 30 minutes with a mixture of acv and water. when you take action and do something like this that takes effort you will find that your mood changes. you will fail, succeed, repeat , repeat but then you start to develop confidence. great post, you are making a difference in this world......make it an exceptional bbq weekend. !
Very helpful video, I’ve been away from the BBQ game for a few years (3 young kids). I’ve done unwrapped & foil wrapped previously. Looking forward to trying the butcher paper soon. Great channel man, very helpful.
Good Test I have done this myself I still use foil but I place a few small holes in it with my temp probe to let a bit of the steam out
My best brisket so far came when I added tallow when wrapping with butcher paper AND placing it in a small foil boat to collect all the juices.
We didn't have tallow so we tried bacon fat. Came out fantastic.
I love how you don't down the methods you didn't as much for. Also, how you point out not everyone likes things the same way. Really good content on your channel.
Video on Best Resting Methods & Fatside Up vs Down during Wrap stage & Resting Stage would be a Great Science Experiment!
There are a lot of those already
Fat side down. Take the tallow and slather it on the top through out the last few hours.
great vid as i am just getting ready to be my 1st brisket. I appreciate the honesty in it and that there wasn't a lot of worthless talk just to make the vid longer. keep up the great work.
Love this mate. One of the best briskets i've personally had was from a "no wrap" cook. Loving it all the way from Australia.
Still a legend Rosco. Well done..take my hat off to ya.shes looking good.
Everyone has their own little trick. One that I was taught is that if you wrap in foil, don't finish in foil. Unwrap it toward the end and finish it in the smoke. That will dry the exterior some and get some fresh smoke in at the end.
Second this. I started doing it after my third brisket, and haven't looked back. Wrap it in foil to get it through the stall, then unwrap at 195°F internal and return it to the grate uncovered to finish. I use a Kamado, and will put 2-3 small chunks of mild wood in the very bottom of the grill literally in the ash tray for this final leg of the cook.
What a great idea. Can this be done with a porkbutt for pulled pork?
@@1989inception In theory. I have never tried it that way. I wonder if it wouldn't be better for brisket, since ultimately a pork butt is just going to get pulled.
I love your channel, I am both a scientist (Computational Biologist), Teacher, and BBQ / smoker enthusiast I love the mash of the science and BBQ you do!
You should add a small timer in one of the corners so we know how long into each cook you are!
Another wrap that should have been tried is parchment paper. Normally used for baking, I know but I think it is another medium between butcher paper and foil. keeps it a little more moist, but not like foil. You still get a good bark. Just need to be careful because it's a little thinner and tears easily.
Thank you for all of the great tips.✨ I have a smoker made from a 1952 Hotpoint fridge, it works very well. I use usually Kiawe (mesquite) sometimes mixed with fresh guava wood or for a stronger taste Ohia wood and have great success with wild pig and game birds, but that elusive brisket I haven't mastered. I think your video will have me on the right path.
I wrapped in foil and then took the foil off at 190 degrees and then let the bark harden up. It was really good. I will try butcher paper next time to compare the two. Thanks for the video.
You’re an artist man! I’m a smoking newbie and brisket is so tough to get consistently right. I think I’m batting 0.500....all your cooks look awesome! Juicy!!!
I appreciate all the hard work you go through to make these highly informative videos!
I use two griddle spatulas to move the brisket around instead of grabbing it so it doesn’t mess up the bark and I don’t have to put on gloves in the middle of the cook. If you have a sturdy set they won’t bend when lifting a whole brisket. It might not be feasible in your situation but it works great for me.
Would really like to see a video on how you rest your briskets overnight without drying them out. Anything more than 90 minutes in a cooler for me ends up continuing to cook and gets dry.
Leave the lid cracked an inch or 2
@@TMJ32 wished I did that my first brisket I put in cooler and shut and wasn’t as tender as I like even was still decent
Did you let it cool in new paper to about 170 then put it in the cooler?
Huge smoke fan built tons of smokers and grills even a 275gallon smoker like your 500 gallon and some reason tonight is my first time making brisket and i wanted to try butcher paper but no luck finding it so i will do 6/7 hours then wrap in foil for a few hours then final hour or 2 unwrapped again. Love the videos
WHY IS THIS FOOTAGE SO BEAUTIFUL i didn't come here for it but gawd dam
AS a chef I appreciate your honesty instead of pushing your opinion. Thank you
Great video man! Personally I like the most when Brisket is wrapped with Foil and so does the family. However, when I have friends who really love BBQ coming over, they all agree that Butcher papers gets the job done the best! Have u tried wrapping with foil and then let it run naked for the last hour of the cook? It has worked for me! Cheers from Finland
Good vid! I'm a retired Butcher, 3nd generation. I remember growing up, my Dad cooking Brisket and Shoulder Clods in the barrel and wrapping in butcher paper. I've been doing it also. I have wrapped in foil when out of paper, but prefer the butcher paper. Personal preference. Good video.. Like!
Great research 🙂 For even more science you could do a double blind test for the tasting with 3 or more persons. Have them fill out a form about the taste, that way it'll be fully objective.
You are the man! This is my first comment on social media. Thank you for the time and amount of detail you put into your videos.
I cooked a brisket last night and when it was time to wrap I realized I had no access to butcher paper, as I pondered my dilemma I remembered that my local municipality had banned the use of plastic grocery bags which led me to the fact I had a plethora of paper grocery sacks.
Long story short I put my brisket in a properly inspected paper grocery bag and wrapped it tight , the result was as equal to the butcher paper.
Glenn in Seattle
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.
The worst bs I've ever read. Lol. Who doesn't know they don't have the items to finish off a packer when smoking one? Amateur hour? Butcher paper is nowhere near a common grocery bag and it's down right hilarious to read this. Almost every household has foil? Did Seattle ban that too? Lol probably but still, don't spew bs please. Thanks.
Thanks buddy. I do lots of research for smoking, then I come and see what you have to say. Usually listen most to you. I don’t find much BS on your channel, just honest opinions, advice and reviews.
Still my favorite bbq RUclips channel. I’ve done brisket all ways(sometimes accidentally). Lol. But seriously if you get the meat tender, you’ll please the crowd. The knife on the bark of the unwrapped brisket is very cathartic for me. Haha. Like bare feet in bluegrass.
I've done all 3 methods multiple times. I definitely prefer Peach Butcher paper wrap through "The Stall" of evaporative cooling. Each has its merits and I appreciate your scientific approach; as this is hard to do justly with the amount of experience and preferences you've accumulated. Bravo!
Maybe you should’ve done a blind taste test. Like blindfold yourself and let your wife hand you the pieces. That way, your bias towards the butcher paper (face it, you do have a bias in favor of it) would absolutely not come into play. Just my thought/suggestion.
Did you catch the end where his wife tasted them blind?
I'm into the plain Jane , no wrapping for me please. There is no wrong way . Brisket is just so good and it's even better the next day and the next day ...
I will have to try the butcher paper way though. Great video !
I wish this was a double blind test!! get someone to put hidden labels under the briskets, swap them around randomly, then take someone who doesn't know which is which to give pieces to jeremy in blindfold, so jeremy can't tell which is which and neither does the person giving him the pieces, but since a third person labeled the briskets underneath, they can find out what's what after tasting.
@@GrillTopExperience I did. Knowing his personal preference before this and the fact that their answers were complete opposite makes me think his biases played into his answers.
I agree, it’s a biased opinion...nothing wrong with that, as we all have a preference
I watched so many videos to learn how yo cook briskets! But MAD SCIENTIST BBQ give me everything that I need! Now I work in a BBQ restaurant selling Briskets! Thank you
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Damn Jeremy, seeing these new videos always reminds me of when I first watched your channel when you didnt even have a thousand subscribers. A long ways and as always, videos top notch and all of us amateur's really appreciate videos like these to give us alot of knowledge. Wish me luck, smoking a 18lb Costco prime tomorrow!
Thanks for the continued support! I really appreciate it
I'm so glad i found your workout. ❤ Love everything about them. Especially your uplifting comments at the end
Thanks for the science. All of my briskets turn out flavorful and amazing in heavy duty foil double wrap. I get so many requests for a cup of the juice :) I also do things a little different, with a temp of 250 and 8 total cook time. and eaten the same day within 4 to 6 hours. I can't wait to get back to cooking for 100's of people. :)
Great video - proved to me that wrapping is essential. The other key is resting the brisket in a cooler for 1-1/2 hour.
Ive only done two whole briskets in my life. The first one was unwrapped, because I didnt know what I was doing. The second one was after watching MSBBQ wrap it in butcher paper, so I did the same. Trimmed, seasoned, cooked, rested about the same. My family and I prefer the butcher paper. My next brisket will be wrapped in butcher paper. And likely the one after that! It's rare that a family of 3, two adults and 1 toddler, will completely consume a 15lb brisket in two days!
U never tried with foil tho
Never Split the difference, was a great read. Been doing audible for a few years now, can't recommend enough!
I heard a tip from someone to put some Wagyu Beef Talo on the paper wrap.
I smoked my first brisket on 225 it sat at 223 for around 12 hours without wrapping. it was among the best I have ever had and I have been around. it did have some harder areas but it was downright amazing melt in your mouth goodness over all.
I also had a 12 pound pork butt, 2 racks of ribs in there as well. not too sure if it makes a difference. I sprayed with apple cider vinegar every 45 min to an hour as well. I'm sure I could have pulled the brisket early but I actually love the way it turned out and so did my family.
Another great video Jeremy. I just wanted to comment on how I appreciate your unbiased opinions and the examples of the great BBQ places using the different kinds of techniques. Personally I have not had the same success with the butcher paper as the foil. Maybe it’s still lack of experience and the foil is more forgiving, and maybe it’s just my smoker but I definitely prefer foil right now.
I’ll keep watching and learning and maybe that’ll change. Keep the great videos coming.
Martin, NL Canada
Thanks for making vthis video bro. Glad you're taking the time to share this with us. 💪🏾
I need a sign now that says "No Rules in the Kitchen" As an home chef (took culinary arts in college) I believe in one rule of the kitchen.....Don't touch my knives LOL. After that there are no rules. Make food fun and make the kitchen be the best place to hang out in your home, be it inside or outside.
Yay Science! I’m all about the butcher paper method. Not too keen on the crunchy bark from the unwrapped style. Foil wrapping (The Texas Crutch) leaves the bark kinda mushy.
Great tutorial and experiment! You’ve come a long way! Love the taste test and the 3 methods! There was a experiment done on Meat Church with foil and butcher paper. The guy who used foil rested his brisket in butcher paper to firm up the bark on his. And it came out pretty good! I still lean towards the butcher paper myself but I have used the Texas Crutch when I’m running late on delivery. But ultimately I have to know my audience when I cater. But I’m just a backyard barbecuer and people are just happy I did all the cooking. Cheers my man! Love your videos!
slick commercial insert, all the home bbq/cook-offs i been to said 'commercial break' when you hit the 'hands covered in...' line
These are great. Have you tried fat side up vs. fat side down?
What’s the reason you would do it up? N
@@macneilssmokedmeats3832 I use a weber smokey mountain and have read as well as heard the heat goes up the sides to the dome so the top is hottest part. Fat side up protects it from that. I tried it up once and didn't get the bark I wanted. I'm wondering if the fat up effected that. I don't know, fairly new and trying to figure out what is best.
@@Patriotsfan12345 I just got a Weber performance so that’s why I was curious, tonight maybe different smokers did different things ya know
Never split the difference is a great listen. Cool brisket video too.
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I just subscribed because your hair is fabulous and I'm also a science teacher 👩🏾🏫👍🏾
Something to try if you want , not sure how different it will be, is cook uncovered, then wrap and rest in an ice-chest for 2 to 3 hours. I never get complaints with that method. I never wrap when cooking just for resting.
I’ve been waiting for you to do this. You’ve confirmed what I’ve always thought. It’s the pink paper for me. Thanks!
I couldn’t find the pink butcher paper near me, but I found some white butcher paper? It seems to work okay, but is the pink much better?
@@ericcarr7557 not sure where you live but many grocery stores including Walmart have started carrying the pink paper due to its popularity. I’m not an expert on the differences but I think the white paper has more of a wax type coating and is mostly used to wrap and freeze meat. I’ve seen comments on other videos where people have used it but have never actually known anyone who did so can’t say if it has any benefits or drawbacks.
I'm so glad I discovered your workouts. Love the uplifting comments at the end of the workout. ❤❤❤ Love everything about the workout. You are the best
Could you do a video that compares doing a video with multiple wraps, perhaps 3-4 times wrapped in butcher paper vs once or twice
You mean multiple layers of butcher paper vs just one or two?
One of the things I found was that depending on what grill/smoker is being use it can change the method of wrap.
I wonder if the "best" would change if you used a different smoker like an offset vs a pellet smoker. Or would it basically be the same?
No way would a pellet ever be as good
@@llemmon I realize that, but I'm asking if you did unwrapped, butcher paper, and foil ALL on a pellet grill, which one would be the best
Really wish this was a blind taste test but with that said, without a doubt, this is becoming...no it is my #1 BBQ channel on YT.
im so glad you've grown this much. i havent watched you since you had around 25k, ill def continue watching from now on
Love that smoker you're working with. Keep up the good work!
The sweet spot I recently discovered is to wrap in butcher paper then wrap in foil. 😁 You get maximum heat retention with also the benefit of wicking away excess moisture. I won’t do it any other way now.
Dang now I have another method to test out
@@MadScientistBBQ yes, totally want to see this! I know Harry Soo sometimes does this with his briskets but idk if the butcher paper would still serve its purpose whilst being wrapped in foil also, but an experiment is the only way to make sure
what if you boat the naked brisket? In theory you should retain the crunchy exterior and maintain a good amount of moisture, especially if you have a water pan.
I've been using Audible for 5 years now. I can get a lot done around the house while at the same time learning new stuff. I do prefer my briskets wrapped in foil then in paper. I never leave it unwrapped. They tend to come out dryer than I like.
You might try doing paper then wrapping that in foil to see the difference
best brisket you've had in months and didn't use beef tallow. just an observation :)
Thank you for sharing your scientific approach to compare wrapping techniques! This was an expensive and time consuming test for you that we can all benefit from. Thank you!!
I really wish I lived next door to u after an episode like this... what do you do with all that 🍖 after all this "testing?"
Love that you did this video Bubba God bless stay safe man can’t wait to start my own experiences
Nice 👍🏽 When cooking tri tip I wrap it foil the last 20 minutes so the juice stays in the foil,I unwrap in a pan so the juice stays in there. Cut my trip tip and let it sit in the juice comes out more tastier to me.I just bbq my first brisket last week came out pretty good.
I wanna see that bone in brisket you posted on ig!!
It’s coming up. Filmed it but I probably will release it in week or two
Great video! Bottom line seems to be that any of these 3 methods done correctly will yield great bbq. I like your point of view which is to find out which method you like best and then perfect it.
👍🏻 ultimately you need to cook the way you like it best. I just try to give people more information to make their decisions.
@@MadScientistBBQ And I think you're doing a great job at it. Found you channel a couple of months ago and subscribed right away. As someone with a science/ engineering background, I find your approach and presentation of information to be logical, concise, and very educational. In fact, I've decided to add a stick burner to my aresenal.arsenal.
Lifting the lid entirely too often. If you’re lookin’, you ain’t cookin’.
Foil boat is ridiculously interesting to me. Keep up the good work!
Dude rubbed himself in brisket fat to be able to slide into that ad like he did
😂
Thanks for the test of the foil, butcher paper and unwrapped of the brisket. I've got one on the smoker right now. I have some butcher paper so I'm going to wrap with that this time. I've always used foil in the past. I'll see how it comes out with the butcher paper. Thanks for also showing how you did the wrapping since a single sheet of the butcher paper and even the wide foil is not always big enough to wrap with a single sheet.
This is such a good video with all other factors controlled and a blind tasting. I've tried foil wrapping and didn't like the soft bark. My best results were the ones wrapped with butcher paper coated with Wagyu beef tallow. But I have always wanted more juiciness (fat) out of the flat and have found that coating the sliced flat with the smoked tallow/drip makes the flat so much better because of the perceived juiciness.
My method is - after reaching 170, I put my brisket in an aluminum pan, wrap foil over the top and poke a few holes in the top. Works great every time.
Can you talk more about your resting process? Where, how long, when to remove? The resting process is largely ignored IMO but it can be a game changer for us backyard smokers and timing food for parties. Thanks! Always love the vids.
I really enjoy these videos. As a newbie to smoking I've been using a Bradley. I started out cooking Brisket unwrapped but switched to butcher paper to speed up the finish. I regularly have family and friends over for BBQ and the comments last Summer were that the Brisket done in butcher paper was better. I rested the last two briskets one for two hours and one for five hours. The longer rested also got more favourable comments.