Just got my first smoker

[Benton]

(01-28-2021, 12:31 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I've done a couple of them unwrapped the whole time.  The crust was perfect.  Just amazing.  The downside was the time and keeping the flat moist.  Spritz with my water/apple cider vinegar mix every 45 minutes or so on the flat especially, but parts of the point, too.  And the last one I did like that was Mother's Day and I smoked for about 19 hours to get it done (14 lb brisket at 250).  I just don't have that kind of time, and I'm a stick burner, so that's a lot of time tending a fire!  

Honestly, wrapping in butcher paper, I find that the bark is still just fine.  And the last brisket I smoked (about a month ago) I smoked through a full day, wrapped like I normally would, then when it was done, I refrigerated it overnight (so I wouldn't have to deal with timing the dinner).  When I re-heated in the oven the next day at 250, I had it unwrapped, put some pats of butter on top (along with the rendered fat that had drained off and solidified in the fridge) and it was maybe the most moist and perfect bark yet.  

So there are several ways to skin the cat, but I'm not convinced the extra time and attention to keep it unwrapped the whole time are really worth it.  And I think with some of the rendered fat drippage when it's unwrapped it loses some of the moisture, too.  Not sure I'll ever do one again fully unwrapped if I'm being perfectly honest.  

I've done them both ways and prefer unwrapped. I alternate between spraying it with apple cider and sundrop one time, then smearing on some butter the next.

(01-28-2021, 01:26 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I question how big of a role the rub truly plays on the pulled pork, though I am less inclined to douse it in sauce and try to appreciate the natural flavor with maybe a little vinegar based sauce on top. 

I tried a couple without rub. It does effect the flavor, but the bigger issue was the moisture. The ones without rub were a lot drier. I dunno the science of it, but rubs help keep the moisture in, which is a big part of cooking anything slow.