Wrap or not

[smarkley]

Last time I did a butt... instead of wrapping, I used one of those oven bags, when the time was right.

I didn't notice any difference between that thing and wrapping... was easier to contain the juice though, heh heh

[Huskee]

That was a Definate Yes or No ? Maybe! Head Scratcher, Confusing this old Plowboy! I think I will just keep practicing, Dan

I think what we're seeing here is that, like DWCowles said, "Different strokes for different folks."

However, JohnF was asking about preparing a pork butt on his kettle with SnS. With a ~8-10hr charcoal life on one basket, my advice is to wrap to save some time and fuel. Obviously great pulled pork can be made not wrapping, but you pay with extra cook time.

On my kettle, with ~3-5lb butts, I average 7 or 8 hrs until they are past the stall and into the 180 range. Then wrap, and another two hours until cambro ready. It's more in how you want the cook to progress than in end quality. If you can budget 12, 14, 16, 18hrs to cook, and especially if you have a high-humidity cooker like a ceramic kamado, then by all means go unwrapped. But if a person crutches at the right time, (I prefer and preach after the stall, not at the start of the stall as is common), then your finished product will still be amazing. It's not a lack of planning, it's a different method of planning.

[Danjohnston949]

That was a Definate Yes or No ? Maybe! Head Scratcher, Confusing this old Plowboy! I think I will just keep practicing, Dan

[JohnF]

Thanks Huskee and DW thanks for the input. well see how it turns out.

[DWCowles]

For what it's worth I always wrap the pork butts and I don't consider it as a fail plan as it is in my plan to wrap. Different strokes for different folks...just saying 😊

[Breadhead]

Hmmm... The only time I warp is when I've failed to plan properly. John Wooden said "those that fail to plan - plan to fail."

I humbly believe that a low and slow (unwrapped) cook gives you a better bark and tastier food. I could be wrong but I don't think so.😁

I plan to give butts and briskets a 2 hours cambro rest after I reach the desired IT temp.

Most butts and briskets cooked at 225° degrees take about 16 hours.

I always plan butts and briskets as an 18 hour project. Some cook a little faster and get more cambro time. Some cook a little slow and get less cambro time but... I know exactly when I'm going to serve that meal. I build in leeway for both scenarios.😎

Smoking... Is all about low and slow! If you have to turn up the temp or wrap your meat, you've failed to plan properly in my humble opinion.

I'm just sayin.😎

[Huskee]

Arguably a tastier butt and "more better" bark can be had not wrapping. But, when you're running a kettle with limited fuel, wrapping is more user friendly. Wait until after the stall when temps being rising again, often in the 180s, and you'll be in fine shape. For folks with SiFi cookers like pellet smokers, time is often a moot point since the machine does all the work and you can start the meat at bedtime for instance. The SnS is very easy to set and nearly forget, but it's not automated like some cookers.

For what it's worth I always wrap (after a few experiments not wrapping) and when wrapping AFTER the stall, and a several hr cambro hold, they are phenomenal. No loss of quality or flavor, at all.

[JohnF]

Thank you.

[Jerod Broussard]

Any of the above, just wrap before it gets too dark. While it is brown, but not black.

[JohnF]

I have a 9# butt and will to do this weekend on the SNS, reading the SNS site it says to wrap it and use meatheads receipt, I go to Meathead's recipe and he says don't wrap it. From what I have read, wrapping will kill the crunch but what about flavor? DW don't like the bark as she thinks it 's burnt and with me cooking it probably is so I'm thinking, wrap it. I guess the question is flavor?

What wood is favored, I have Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Mesquite, and Oak?