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Brisket Bark Question

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FearlessTheEggNoob
FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
in EggHead Forum
I am not very satisfied with the bark I have been getting with my current method. I do however like the flavor I'm getting from my zero sugar rub. I'm thinking about adding a layer of brown sugar to my next packer and possibly a spray bottle of apple juice to blacken things up. Would this change likely result in a drastic change in taste?
Gittin' there...
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  • cheeaa
    cheeaa Posts: 364
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    Beef doesnt like sugar. At least it doesnt with me. You can get great bark with no sugar. How are you cooking? 
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  • FearlessTheEggNoob
    FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
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    275 running lump with post oak chunks
    Gittin' there...
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  • cheeaa
    cheeaa Posts: 364
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    I dont know man. I cook about there and get some pretty good bark. Maybe more rub? You using a water pan or anything?
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    Don't wrap if you're wrapping. Unnecessary in my brief experience. 
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • FearlessTheEggNoob
    FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
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    No water pan, but I do paper wrap at 170
    Gittin' there...
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
    edited September 2017
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    You still in Austin? I'll be glad to cook one with you or at least set it up. I think I can probably help with the bark. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    Paper arrests bark development. 
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • FearlessTheEggNoob
    FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
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    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
    You still in Austin? I'll be glad to cook one with you or at least set it up. I think I can probably help with the bark. 
    That's a real fine offer! Nothing more precious than a person's time. That is very generous.

    Unfortunately I only get back to Austin a couple times a month now days. I couldn't ask nor allow anyone to give up their weekend for something as trivial as this.

    Apparently nobody thinks that some brown or turbinado in the rub would do the trick without royally screwing things up.   ???

    I can't give up wrapping. It's what I do. In fact, I have a theory that I want to test that involves a large rectangular aluminum pan, a roast rack, some pink butcher paper, and a bottle of scotch.


    Gittin' there...
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    A little sugar won't hurt.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,757
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    i cover the brisket in half a bag  of white sugar, wrap in syran wrap 3 hours, scrape/wipe off the sugar, salt and pepper rub, and cook indirect til done, no wrap. lots of bark. but im a northern yankee =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
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    I am not a fan of sugar on brisket. Not sure what you are looking for with your bark, but a higher starting temp is not a bad idea. Experimenting is the funnest part, especially when it involves brisket :)
    Happy cookin'. Chris
    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
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  • 1voyager
    1voyager Posts: 1,157
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    Salt and pepper only. No liquid in drip pan. Don't crutch. No sugar on beef.
    Large Egg, PGS A40 gasser.
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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,971
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    Bark is mystical. I don't know the secret. But I've done brisket with just salt and pepper, plenty of oak smoke, and gotten meteorites. No wrapping.
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • FearlessTheEggNoob
    FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
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    Im going to give this packer i just bought a month to age. Then im going to attempt a sugar cookie brisket. It's going to be epic! Or horrible. 
    Gittin' there...
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,842
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    You might try wrapping just a little later to let the bark develop a little more.  A smart person once told me that butcher paper arrests bark development.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    FearlessTheEggNoob said:
    I am not very satisfied with the bark I have been getting with my current method. 
    Brother Noob, as I have already mentioned in another thread (Smoke Ring thread) beauty is in the eye of the beholder. With that said, what are you looking for in a bark? Something extremely dark and wet looking, or extremely dark yet drier looking? 
    With the above questions asked, I will offer a visual guide:
    Wet, dark bark.

    Equally dark bark, but a tad "drier" in appearance. 

    If either of the above is what you are shooting for, let me know and I will PM you the method to obtain either. 
    Good luck in the future my barkless friend. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • FearlessTheEggNoob
    FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
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    Bark #2 is what I want...it's what every white boy off the lake wants.

    Gittin' there...
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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,208
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    FearlessTheEggNoob said:
    Bark #2 is what I want...it's what every white boy off the lake wants.

    So the classic meteorite look?
    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • FearlessTheEggNoob
    FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
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    Yep, a sooty looking hunk o meat. Got the taste I want. getting more consistent on the texture, I even manage a satisfactory smoke ring now. Just need to somehow push more black bark before the wrap.
    Gittin' there...
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    You will not get better bark by wrapping in paper @170.
    Wrapping in paper or foil is mainly designed to slow down the bark and or speed up the cook.
    Before you change up the rub that you know you like, run a brisket unwrapped to the end.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    You don't need sugar for bark. Start at a higher temp. I would say up to 300 until you get the bark you are after then wrap if that's your jam. I find myself wrapping less and less because my bark sets up a little slower in the cooker I use for briskets now. I only wrap if my bark gets to the color and texture I like. That happens much later in the cook for me these days. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • FearlessTheEggNoob
    FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
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    y'all are probably right, but...

    Gittin' there...
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,757
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    the foil is just stopping bark formation AND softening any bark you have =) stop using it =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
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    FearlessTheEggNoob said:
    Bark #2 is what I want...it's what every white boy off the lake wants.

    :)=):)=)
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    edited September 2017
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    FearlessTheEggNoob said:
    No water pan, but I do paper wrap at 170
    Forget the wrap.  I have tried it several times and we all prefer naked on the Egg.  We have hard crunchy bark on our Egg with nothing but S&P.  Rub is a non factor for us.  
    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
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  • Wolfie51sb
    Wolfie51sb Posts: 267
    edited September 2017
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    My wife commented on our most recent brisket that the bark was the best ever. I used 50 percent black pepper, 25 percent coarse kosher salt and 25 percent iodized (table) salt. Applied it liberally 4 hours before putting it on the Egg, then refrigerated. Cook was about 10.5 hours at a steady 260 degrees. No wrap. In fact, didn't even lift the lid of the Egg until the 10-hour mark. FWIW.

    Rob

    Columbus, Ohio

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  • johnnygreengo12
    johnnygreengo12 Posts: 5
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    SGH said:
    FearlessTheEggNoob said:
    I am not very satisfied with the bark I have been getting with my current method. 
    Brother Noob, as I have already mentioned in another thread (Smoke Ring thread) beauty is in the eye of the beholder. With that said, what are you looking for in a bark? Something extremely dark and wet looking, or extremely dark yet drier looking? 
    With the above questions asked, I will offer a visual guide:
    Wet, dark bark.

    Equally dark bark, but a tad "drier" in appearance. 

    If either of the above is what you are shooting for, let me know and I will PM you the method to obtain either. 
    Good luck in the future my barkless friend. 
    I’d love to know how you got the results on the second. Any chance you share your method?
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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
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    nolaegghead said:
    Paper arrests bark development. 
    Profiling is racist.

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    GATraveller said:
    nolaegghead said:
    Paper arrests bark development. 
    Profiling is racist.
    I think you just profiled me as a profiler...that's racist, man!
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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