I finally stopped wrapping my brisket halfway through the cook

For years I followed the Texas crutch method, wrapping at 165 degrees to push through the stall. Last month at a cook-off in Kansas City, I watched a pitmaster from Austin skip the wrap entirely. He just kept spraying with apple cider vinegar every 45 minutes. The bark on his finished brisket was way darker and had a better crunch than mine. Has anyone else gone no-wrap and noticed a real difference in texture?

2 comments

2 Comments

vera_dixon891mo ago

That reminds me of a guy at a Memphis rib fest who swore by just a heavy rub and zero spritz. His theory was that opening the smoker too much was the real problem, not the wrap itself (which honestly made me rethink my whole process). I tried his method once and the ribs were good, but my fire management was a total mess that day.

tessa_hunt421mo ago

Actually saw a whole article about that exact thing last week. The writer made a good point that every time you open the lid, you lose heat and smoke, which really messes with the cook. @vera_dixon89, that guy at the rib fest was onto something. My own take is a heavy rub does create a great bark, but you still need to watch the fire close. Letting the temperature swing around is what dries the meat out faster than anything. It's all about keeping a steady temp so you don't feel the need to peek.