Got schooled by a 70 year old pitmaster at a competition last month

I was at the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational in Lynchburg, Tennessee last month and thought I had my brisket game down. I pulled it off the smoker at 203°F internal temp like all the YouTube guys say, and let it rest for an hour. An old timer named Roy walked over and said I was wrapping it way too tight in foil - he said it was steaming the bark right off. He showed me how he uses peach paper with a little more give, and his brisket had this perfect crust that mine never gets. I tried his method yesterday on a practice run and got a much better result, even at 205°F. Has anyone else had a competition vet change up their whole process like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

cameron_webb2d ago

Roy absolutely wrecked my whole foil game too... I used to wrap like it was a hostage situation with that death grip. Figured if I squeezed hard enough the smoke flavor would stay in there or something. Now I'm out here with peach paper looking like a total rookie convert and loving every second of it.

owens.willow2d ago

That bit about "steaming the bark right off" is something I read in an old Franklin BBQ book, and it totally changed how I wrap too. Glad the peach paper worked for you at 205, I've been nervous to push mine that high.