Wrap a brisket first?

[Jim G]

Has anyone tried or heard about wrapping a brisket first? What if you wrapped the brisket in paper and smoked it until the temp hit 150? Then unwrapped and finished smoking. Wrapping first may keep the moisture in during the early temps. Not sure if any smoke could penetrate a brisket after reaching 150.

 

[GrillMeister]

I've never done it that way. I always smoke it overnight, and wrap it in the morning till done.

 

[Jim G]

Me too. I was wondering if "reverse smoking" could be like reverse searing.

 

[GrillMeister]

Nope. The meat will only absorb smoke for about the first 3 hours of the cook anyway.

 

[Jim G]

Thanks GrillMeister. That's what I wanted to know. Never know... I could blindly run into a good idea. lol

 

[Pylex]

I've never done it that way. I always smoke it overnight, and wrap it in the morning till done.

What do you set your temperature to for overnight brisket smoking? I will be smoking a brisket overnight this weekend.

 

[Jim G]

I like to run at 225 degrees. Wrap around 155-160. I will wrap with foil, meat side down on 2 sticks of butter, sliced into tabs.

 

[traeger860]

Has anyone tried or heard about wrapping a brisket first? What if you wrapped the brisket in paper and smoked it until the temp hit 150? Then unwrapped and finished smoking. Wrapping first may keep the moisture in during the early temps. Not sure if any smoke could penetrate a brisket after reaching 150.

I think it would just dry out at the end if you unwrapped it from 150 until 200-205. And not sure if it would get a nice bark on it if it's wrapped during the first part. It would get tender though. But if you try it, please report back.

 

[Jim G]

Will do.

 

[Pylex]

I like to run at 225 degrees. Wrap around 155-160. I will wrap with foil, meat side down on 2 sticks of butter, sliced into tabs.

Sounds great. I will give that a try.

 

[magoo40]

I do 180 overnight, crank it up to 225 in the morning and it's ready to wrap in about an hour.

 

[Pylex]

I do 180 overnight, crank it up to 225 in the morning and it's ready to wrap in about an hour.

Does it develop a bark at 180 overnight?

 

[RemE]

I do 190F overnight, wrap at 165F mid morning, then 225F till 203 internal.

My next change will be to rest out till 180F, then into the cooler for the final rest before slicing.

Regarding this reverse smoke idea, I will be trying a Sous Vide brisket, season and cook at 165 for 24hours, then smoke to 203. Probably not wrapped.

 

[RemE]

Does it develop a bark at 180 overnight?

Low and slow gets a bark!

 

[Slimpicker]

• More smoke does not equal a better smoke ring – When meat reaches the 140°F mark, it stops taking in smoke. By this we mean that the gases which are responsible for the formation of a smoke ring will not penetrate the meat after it has reached this temperature. Many will wrap their meat at this point to keep it extra juicy.

That's why it would be foolish to wrap a brisket while it's taking on smoke.