Q: Covering Brisket w/ plastic wrap during prep

Texasliveoak · August 2010

When I prep my brisket with a rub, after I pat on the rub, I place the brisket in a pan (pyrex), and cover the top with foil or plastic wrap over night in the refrigerator.

I heard a better method, which is supposed to infuse the rub more efficiently, would be to pat on the rub, and then wrap the whole brisket in plastic wrap and store that in the refrigerator over night. Then unwrap and cook as you normally do. Having the plastic wrap directly on the meat is said to increase direct contact between the rub and the brisket.

Has anyone tried or heard of this?

Erich
Lexington, Texas

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker · August 2010

i've done this, early on when i first got the egg.

i find the wrap can remove some rub, and the wrap doesn't always stick well.

also, liquid (water and sugar) forms while the ribs are resting. it gets all over the plastic wrap and makes a mess.

i usually cut the slab into a couple racks, and keep them in a bowl with the rub on them.

haven't found that leaving rub on overnight (or even longer) cures the meat at all. there's not a lot of salt in my rubs, certainly not enough to effect a cure.

big bowl, rubbed ribs, and maybe plastic wrap over the top.

...edited: of course i'm talking ribs, and you're talking brisket. but it's pretty much the same thing as far as the rub goes

fishlessman · August 2010

i sugar a brisket for a couple hours with the wrap, then remove it, wipe the excess sugar off, add rub, then onto the pit. the sugar will be dissolved by the liquid that forms and some will marinate in. then my rub is mostly pepper as the meat has enough sugar for what i want. i never put rub on overnight

tnels · August 2010

I don't think it makes a difference. The rub contact with the meat is the important part. As I think about it, putting it in the pyrex dish already applies pressure to the contact surface anyway.

I'll be interested to see if anyone's tested the theory.

Z man · August 2010

I've tried the method you describe of wrapping brisket in saran wrap after applying the rub. It's a mess and the saran wrap is not wide enough. I've also wrapped in foil which is more manageable - it's also easier to retain and reuse the juices that come out of the meat while it's in the fridge.
But now I just use glass Pyrex pan which works best. There's no difference in the "penetration" of the rub into the meat as far as I can tell.
So, I think it's a wasted effort to wrap it in plastic.

Q: Covering Brisket w/ plastic wrap during prep

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