TIL a pitmaster in Austin said he never wraps his brisket

I was listening to a podcast interview with a guy who runs a joint down there. He said wrapping in butcher paper or foil just steams the meat and ruins the bark he works so hard to get. He lets his briskets ride unwrapped the whole 12 to 14 hours, just managing the fire. That goes against almost every guide I've read online. I always thought the wrap was a must to get through the stall. Has anyone else tried a full no-wrap cook on a big piece of meat like that? What were your results?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah_barnes21d agoMost Upvoted

That's actually a pretty common method in central Texas. The stall happens whether you wrap or not, it just takes longer without it. A good fire and steady airflow can push through it for a truly great bark.

rubyw8321d ago

Central Texas pits are running 18 hour cooks without wrapping at all? The bark must be like tree bark, how do you even get meat tender enough to eat after that kind of heat? I've always been told wrapping is the only way to save the moisture and push past the stall before everything dries out. Are you just burning through a crazy amount of wood to keep that temp perfectly steady for a full day?