Bark

JacketD61

Been very happy with all my cooks on the egg since I got it about a year ago but wondering how to get more solid bark on pork butts and briskets.  I have always foiled  at 165 to the end and let rest in foil before cutting and serving and I'm sure that is when it is becoming mushy. It seems like cooking without foiling would be one thing to do to help but seems like others still have better bark results even when foiling.   Any tips for maintaining a better bark would be appreciated. 

RRP

To each his own, but I haven't foiled my butts for years for the very reasons you said! The other thing that has worked for me is to trim the fat cap down to within say a quarter inch thickness or so, but if I cut clear to the meat in spots so what! The thinner fat assures more bark and no foil means no mush.

Wolfpack

You answered your own question- skip the foil and you will be good to go

pgprescott

Just make sure to plan on a longer cook or raising the cook temp. 

RRP

pgprescott said:

Just make sure to plan on a longer cook or raising the cook temp. 

Correct - or move on to the turbo method for butts! Turbo saves foil and saves time! 

bweekes

Before you foil, are you spritzing? If so, that could slow the formation of a good crust. Of course, there are pros and cons to adding moisture and no shortage of opinions here on what method is better. I still think the biggest impact is foiling. Cut the foil, and you'll be fine. 

slovelad

Could also be about what run you use. But honestly, if the meat tastes good. Who cares

xiphoid007

+1 on turbo for butts. Much faster and great bark.

WeberWho

Do you use yellow mustard for the butts? I stopped using mustard all together on meat because it became too much of a crust.

Foghorn

Two words:

butcher paper

Now that I have indisputably solved this problem I'll move on to another.  You're welcome.

RRP

Foghorn said:

Two words:

butcher paper

Now that I have indisputably solved this problem I'll move on to another.  You're welcome.

I agree for briskets, but no for butts.

Foghorn

RRP said:

Foghorn said:

Two words:

butcher paper

Now that I have indisputably solved this problem I'll move on to another.  You're welcome.

I agree for briskets, but no for butts.

I'll give you that.  I have to admit that I have never done it on a butt.  I do them naked.  

SmokingPiney

I don't foil butts. They go naked until done............bark is not a problem. 

bgebrent

Dont foil, don't wrap, just cook the meat.  Don't f with butchers paper cuz it doesn't matter. My opinion which should mean little to you.  The egg makes great food brother.  @SGH who is an amazing resource might disagree and you should trust his advice.   Too much over thinking me thinks.

blasting

To achieve bark that is to my preference, I foil at 185.  This seems to allow the maximum bark to form, and still allow enough time for it to soften to how I like it.

Edit ^^ that is for pork butts.  I never foil briskets.  I apply magical high priced pink butcher paper at about 175.

bgebrent

blasting said:

To achieve bark that is to my preference, I foil at 185.  This seems to allow the maximum bark to form, and still allow enough time for it to soften to how I like it.

Edit ^^ that is for pork butts.  I never foil briskets.  I apply magical high priced pink butcher paper at about 175.

My advice was for briskets brother blasting, and butts!

blasting

bgebrent said:

Don't f with butchers paper cuz it doesn't matter. 

What? @bgebrent  you NEVER speak badly of the magical and revered butcher paper!  I feel like you are tempting fate.

Chubbs

Great bark requires quite a few factors. Air flow, smoke, moisture (meat itself is enough), sugar in rub (too much will burn), temperature (too high burn too low no bark). Blah blah blah. 
You can get good bark with some of these but the more "ideal" the scenario the better the bark. What say you @Darby_Crenshaw

JacketD61

Thanks for all the feedback, going to give the next butt or brisket a try with no foil 

bgebrent

blasting said:

bgebrent said:

Don't f with butchers paper cuz it doesn't matter. 

What? @bgebrent  you NEVER speak badly of the magical and revered butcher paper!  I feel like you are tempting fate.

As you know my friend I never speak badly of anything other than basketball teams out of North Carolina  I also don't wrap butts or briskets.  Perhaps I am tempting fate?  It's really just because I'm lazy @blasting

cottonseed

No foil on butts.

Score the top and bottom of the meat. Work your rub into the cuts.

Also, ive found when using an injection, the solution runs out and sits on top of the meat. this helps form a noticeable thicker and crispier bark. 

fishlessman

the butts i get pretty much have no fat cap. im a fan of rub then mustard then more rub low and slow til done, you get really heavy bark this way i break the rules with brisket. heavy coat white sugar wrapped in saran wrap for 1 to 2 hours max in fridge, then wipe off the sugar,cover with salt and pepper, low and slow at 235 dome, again really good bark

pgprescott

I usually foil for timing reasons, and never have this issue. Maybe let the bark set a bit more prior to foil? I would agree that the bark will be thicker and more pronounced going naked, but it is hard to un-bark the butt with foil IMO. Once the bark is set and hardens a bit, I don't know how you can reverse that process. Hard to go wrong with Butts IMO

lousubcap

Don't know if there is a foil vs no foil tally here (too lazy to sort it out) but I'm in the no foil camp as well.  To me, foiling while still being cooked leads to the softening of the bark as you are essentially creating a steam bath like environment.  No science here-just observation.  FWIW-

JohnnyTarheel

No foil on butts. I trim fat cap down to 1/4 " or less. I use mustard before rub. Bark is always great. I find that foil just gives you a mushier bark and meat. Only need ever for foil is if you are in time crunch. 

SmyrnaGA

What if I add a bit of food coloring into the brine...  Hmmmm