Franklin Brisket - Butcher paper

Nashville_Egger

Planning on trying to cook a whole brisket this weekend in the style of Franklin BBQ.

I don't have any pink butcher paper, but I do have an abundance of parchment paper I use to cook pizzas on.  Has anyone tried using that instead? Or anyone have any thoughts on the differences between those two kinds of paper? Seem pretty similar to me.

Also, any other tips y'all might have for a brisket virgin would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

lousubcap

I don't do paper but I do know the parchment is not a suitable substitute.  You can use paper grocery bags to achieve the same effect.  FWIW-
And watch for a PM that may help you out with the cook.

NPHuskerFL

Agree with @lousubcap I'd use brown paper grocery bags to wrap in a pinch.  Parchment doesn't breath.

SmokeyPitt

Just my $.02 but I wouldn't worry too much about the paper. It will be just fine without it.  I would make sure to use foil or pans to ensure it is not hanging over the plate setter.  You can also drape it over something like and inverted V-rack. 

Nashville_Egger

Thanks y'all. I think I'm just going to run it naked with no paper and see how it goes.  That's what I do with my butts and they turn out great.  Is the wrapping more to just speed up the final few hours?

pgprescott

Nashville_Egger said:

Thanks y'all. I think I'm just going to run it naked with no paper and see how it goes.  That's what I do with my butts and they turn out great.  Is the wrapping more to just speed up the final few hours?

Not really for the franklin method, but the foil at 155 is precisely for that reason along with moisture retention on lower grade cuts. Franklin doesn't wrap until very close to the end of the cook I believe. My buddy uses his method exclusively with great results. There are many trails to the promised land. 

blasting

 
I wrap, and my reason is that I want the bark to form, but not get too crispy.

PInk butcher paper is critical.  White butcher paper is not what Franklin uses, and therefore your cook won't be as good.  jk.  

White paper is much cheaper, and available for about half the price at RD.  Brown paper sacks from the store are fine in a pinch, as has been pointed out.

SGH

lousubcap said:

And watch for a PM that may help you out with the cook.

I did not receive an instructional PM brother Cap. And to think, I thought that we were friends. 

SirSquatch

Franklin does a comparison in this video off all three (naked, butcher paper, foil)

http://video.klru.tv/video/2365494916/

HeavyG

blasting said:

 
I wrap, and my reason is that I want the bark to form, but not get too crispy.

PInk butcher paper is critical.  White butcher paper is not what Franklin uses, and therefore your cook won't be as good.  jk...  

In the episode of Franklin's TV show where he cooked briskets three different ways - unwrapped, foiled, and papered - they enjoyed them all. 

Franklin said the unwrapped one was better than he thought it would be but at the end both he and his pal really seemed to be digging the unwrapped one the most.

In a blind taste test I wonder which one they would have really preferred. 

bhedges1987

HeavyG said:

blasting said:

 
I wrap, and my reason is that I want the bark to form, but not get too crispy.

PInk butcher paper is critical.  White butcher paper is not what Franklin uses, and therefore your cook won't be as good.  jk...  

In the episode of Franklin's TV show where he cooked briskets three different ways - unwrapped, foiled, and papered - they enjoyed them all. 

Franklin said the unwrapped one was better than he thought it would be but at the end both he and his pal really seemed to be digging the unwrapped one the most.

In a blind taste test I wonder which one they would have really preferred. 

He eats so much brisket, I'm sure it wouldn't be a blind test. He would immediately know which one is which. 

HeavyG

bhedges1987 said:

HeavyG said:

blasting said:

 
I wrap, and my reason is that I want the bark to form, but not get too crispy.

PInk butcher paper is critical.  White butcher paper is not what Franklin uses, and therefore your cook won't be as good.  jk...  

In the episode of Franklin's TV show where he cooked briskets three different ways - unwrapped, foiled, and papered - they enjoyed them all. 

Franklin said the unwrapped one was better than he thought it would be but at the end both he and his pal really seemed to be digging the unwrapped one the most.

In a blind taste test I wonder which one they would have really preferred. 

He eats so much brisket, I'm sure it wouldn't be a blind test. He would immediately know which one is which. 

Fair point. I have no doubt he knows his product well. Would the fellow in the video with him have known the difference? Would anybody else be able to repeatedly answer correctly how their bite had been prepared?

I think the point to take away is that the differences are very slight and that a good hunk of meat, cooked properly, is not really going to be made worse by any of the three methods.