New to the brisket game and am running into a continuous problem and am wondering if the OB can impart wisdom. My briskets have all turned out well thankfully, however each time the butcher paper sticks to the bottom (fire side) of the brisket and pulls off some of the bark. Anyone else experience this problem, any solutions??

TIA

Butcher paper or parchment paper? It's not the waxy side of the butcher paper sticking to the brisket is it?

It's UNCOATED and BUTCHER paper? I've not had this issue.

It's the Texas Tough Pink Butcher paper. No wax side that I can visibly see. There seems to be plenty of moisture because in lots of places the paper is soaked through w the drippings.

Hmm. Should be fine. How hot is the fire and at what temp are you wrapping?

I've been following a pdf I got from Franklins class. I start around 225 then before the stall (160 internal) bump it up to 270 after it's out of the stall I let it come back down to 250 or so. I wrap right after the stall.

Typically wrap around 180

I got nuthin then. I do similar and don't have any issues at all.

You using the HEB stuff for wrap too? Fat up or down?

Never heard of that issue. Maybe you just got a bad batch?

My guess was that it was too high of heat directly below but if soaked with drippings that doesn't make sense...

Well, one solution is to not wrap at all... just keep it sprayed down until finished.

jpb1999 said:

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Well, one solution is to not wrap at all... just keep it sprayed down until finished.

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Or foil like the rest of us unsophisticated heathens.

Interesting, my first guess would be wrapping to early and your bark isn't set, but at 180 internal you should be plenty fine there.

Try spritzing the brisket all over right before you wrap in paper. That should help it not stick as much.

Are you using a lot of sugars/honey in your rub and/or mopping it? I use the same paper and have never had an issue. I use a dry rub, no spritz, no mop, no sugars/honey.

I just use salt and pepper. I'll try a new batch of paper, odd thing is it's just random spots on the bottom.

ToHntortoFsh said:

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I've been following a pdf I got from Franklins class. I start around 225 then before the stall (160 internal) bump it up to 270 after it's out of the stall I let it come back down to 250 or so. I wrap right after the stall.

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I pretty much use this same method and have been wrapping with pink butcher paper the past couple of years. I have never experienced this issue.

Edit to just mention that I buy my butcher paper on amazon. Nothing special.

Quit wrapping mine and just stick to a 250 temp the whole time. Smoke to about 202-205 internal temp.

This works great on my pellet grill because you can get a good bark without drying out the meat.

PearlJammin said:

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Quit wrapping mine and just stick to a 250 temp the whole time. Smoke to about 202-205 internal temp.

This works great on my pellet grill because you can get a good bark without drying out the meat.

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Do you spritz yours or do you just put a water pan in and let it cook?

I had this same issue on my first brisket on the egg. My best guess is that maybe I wrapped it too soon and the bark was not solid enough and still mushy so it stuck to the paper.

ToHntortoFsh said:

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New to the brisket game and am running into a continuous problem and am wondering if the OB can impart wisdom. My briskets have all turned out well thankfully, however each time the butcher paper sticks to the bottom (fire side) of the brisket and pulls off some of the bark. Anyone else experience this problem, any solutions??

TIA

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What kind of smoker? Fire is below the brisket? What is temperature at the grate level of your brisket?

I'm using a kamado joe, the temp at the grate is 250 I have a thermocouple that stays on the grill so I know the temp. Using the deflectors and spritzing the meat about once an hour after the first three hours.

I had the exact same problem on my last brisket Sunday. I am using a Green Mountain and the fat side stuck to the butcher paper. When I pulled off the paper, it seemed as if I lost a lot of the juices as well.

Thinking next one I will cook slower and at a lower temp (stay around 225) and rest closer to 2 hours instead of 30-45 mins. Maybe a longer rest will pull more juices into the middle of the brisket.

Also going to try spritzing the butcher paper prior to setting the brisket on it.

CE Lounge Lizzard said:

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PearlJammin said:

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Quit wrapping mine and just stick to a 250 temp the whole time. Smoke to about 202-205 internal temp.

This works great on my pellet grill because you can get a good bark without drying out the meat.

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Do you spritz yours or do you just put a water pan in and let it cook?

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Heck no. Just throw it on fat side up. The 20+ pounders I smoke take about 17 hours. I do not use a pan of water because I've read that pellets contain enough moisture and pellet smokers are not designed to handle artificial/elevated moisture smoking. Water is needed for coal burners from what I understand.

I use peach non-coated paper I buy in 1000' rolls at this site.

I cook at 275-300, spritz on the hour, and wrap when the color looks good. I spritz the paper first and then the top of the brisket.

I cook fat up until the wrap, then fat down.

I've never had a problem with paper sticking (yes for foil I used in my non-enlightened days.) In fact, I usually have a problem with my briskets wanting to slide out of the soaked paper...

PearlJammin said:

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Quit wrapping mine and just stick to a 250 temp the whole time. Smoke to about 202-205 internal temp.

This works great on my pellet grill because you can get a good bark without drying out the meat.

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Same.

I also spritz during the early cook to enhance the smoke ring.

Perfect every time!