If you are an avid pit master or just someone who loves to smoke meats, you probably already know all the tools you need to smoke meats. However, there is always room for improvement.
One tool you probably already use for wrapping your meats while they smoke is foil. But did you know that you can gain the same effect, if not better, by creating smoked meats in parchment paper?
You can wrap your meat in parchment paper during the smoking process or after, during resting. By wrapping your meat in parchment paper, you can help retain moisture by slowing the release of juices. Also, wrapping can help with temperature management during and after smoking.
This article will give you the low down on everything you need to know about parchment paper. We will show you when to use it and how to use it and how it holds up better or worse than some of the other classic options used.
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What is Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper is a particular type of thin paper typically coated with silicon to provide a non-stick surface. Other properties of parchment paper include grease resistance, humidity resistant, and disposable for easy clean-up.
Traditionally, parchment paper is also referred to as baking paper and has been used as such since it was invented. It is usually used in place of cooking spray or oil to provide a non-stick surface to bake on.
Parchment paper can be used in place of commonly used kitchen tool, like silpats or silicon baking sheets, which serves the same purpose but are reusable. Another advantage in baking is a quick turnaround. You can remove your parchment paper with baked goods on it to cool and use a new sheet of paper to continue baking.
While parchment paper is usually used in the baking world, it works well for many other cooking methods, including smoking.
What are the Benefits of Smoking with Parchment Paper?
Keep foods from sticking to your grates is the top benefit of parchment paper in the smoker. Fish and soft vegetables are known for sticking to grates and tearing when removed. If you cut one-inch slits spread evenly in your parchment paper, then you can smoke your fish or vegetables without sticking or sitting in a puddle of juice.
Steaming vegetables or fish in the smoker or on a pellet grill is an excellent use for parchment paper. All you need to do is create an airtight package or pocket with the parchment paper by creating folds over and over. Ensure the veggies or fish in the pocket with a little bit of liquid help steam the food as it cooks. This process is usually done in an oven but can also be done on the grill or smoker.
Parchment paper is a great alternative to foil or butcher paper when used in a smoker or even on a pellet grill. The most common way parchment paper is used in smoking is by wrapping it around meats during the smoking process. When you wrap meat in parchment paper, you are able to lock in the moisture and juices that would usually escape. It will also trap heat inside the package better than using butcher paper or even foil.
Even though parchment paper will not trap air as well as foil, this does something to specific cuts of meat when smoking them.
Take brisket, for instance. Once the brisket has reached its ideal temperature during the smoking process, most people will wrap it in foil or butcher paper. Wrapping locks the heat inside the meat and keeps the moisture within during the final stage of the smoking process. Because parchment paper will still breathe a bit, you will maintain your crispy bark, and because of the silicon coating, your bark will not stick to the paper.
We would not recommend placing it directly on the grill or over direct heat because it is paper and could easily catch on fire.
What are the Negatives of Smoking with Parchment Paper?
There are not a whole lot of negative factors when it comes to smoking with parchment paper. As we stated before, parchment paper will not trap air, and there will be a constant flow of air.
This can be beneficial with brisket, but it could create a drawback with other meats and foods. The silicone coating on most parchment paper will also prove difficult for some meats when smoking. Starting your cooking process without parchment paper will give you a better smokey flavor and crispy bark.
Trying to find the type of parchment paper without this coating will not only be a little troublesome but may also cost quite a bit more than normal.
Will Parchment Paper Burn?
Since parchment paper is paper, it will catch on fire with direct flame, contact with burning coals, or when heated to 451 degrees. For the most part, parchment paper has a heat index rating of 420 degrees and will perform well under that temperature.
Most of the time, the paper will brown and not burn as long as it is not placed over direct heat or flame. But if the parchment paper is left in the smoker or grill over indirect heat at 451 degrees for longer than 15 minutes, chances are it will burn or catch fire.
But that shouldn’t come into play very often as most meat smoking temperatures do not exceed 300 degrees in the first place. However, because most grills have open flames, we never use parchment paper or butcher paper on gas or charcoal grills.
How to Use Parchment Paper to Smoke your Meat
If you plan to use parchment paper as a crutch for your brisket, then the process is the same as it is with any other wrapping option. Once the brisket has reached the desired temperature, possibly 165 degrees, wrap it in a few layers of parchment paper.
You may need to use some kitchen twine to hold the paper on there or seal it up, but you can also fold the parchment paper accordingly to seal the meat inside. Once the meat is finished smoking, leave the brisket in the parchment paper the entire time you plan on letting it rest out of the smoker before serving or cutting.
Other Ways to Use Parchment Paper in a Smoker
One of our favorite ways to use parchment paper is for smoking spices or nuts. Because of how fine spices, such as salt, are parchment paper is the perfect vehicle to smoke on. Also, parchment paper is slightly porose and allows some to penetrate the paper.
Take a large sheet of paper or use a pre-cut pan liner and fold the two longest sides to create a pan effect. Spread your spices on your parchment paper and smoke until you are happy. Most nuts and spices will be cold smoked or low temperature; the paper will work well.
Check out our article How to Smoke Salt – Step By Step
Alternatives to Smoking in Parchment Paper
Pink Butcher Paper– This is also a great option to use for smoking meats. It is used very commonly in the barbeque world for a while now but is very different from parchment paper for smoking meats.
For the most part, pink butcher paper and parchment paper perform the same in most areas, including the actual usage of the paper. The pink butcher paper is slightly stronger than parchment paper, making it easy to handle.
The main advantage of the pink butcher paper is smoke will penetrate it with ease. The silicone coating on the parchment paper reduces the amount of smoke that will pass through.
One of the fallbacks of butcher paper doesn’t have a non-stick silicone coating. This coating also allows the parchment to be used at higher temperatures.
But when used at low and slow smoking temperatures, it should be just fine, and you should expect the same results as you would with parchment paper.
Foil– This is another excellent option for smoking meats and is the most commonly used tool for smoking meats. Foil has been the king forever when it comes to wrapping brisket, veggies, and fish to be used on the grill or in the smoker.
It is able to not only trap heat inside the package but, in some cases, also heat up the inner workings. If the foil is over direct heat or direct flame, chances are it will raise the internal temperature of the package.
It will also be able to trap air and moisture within the wrapped package, which can be ideal in some situations but is not always the case for some. It can also grill fish on so that nothing falls through the grate during the grilling process.
Foil also has a significantly higher burn temperature which means it won’t catch fire or burn when exposed to very high temperatures. This property makes foil our only choice for charcoal or gas grills.
Conclusion
Using parchment paper when smoking your meat is a great option that you should not shy away from. While there are many advantages to using parchment paper, our favorite is that it has many uses in your kitchen.
So, placing your smoked meats in parchment paper can open up a whole new world of possibilities and maybe even elevate your smoking game. You may like it more than foil and end up asking yourself why you were not doing this all along.
FAQ
Can you use parchment paper in a Traeger?
Yes, you can use parchment paper in a Traeger grill. In fact, parchment paper can be a great way to smoke your favorite foods without you having to worry about the meat or fish sticking to the grill. Parchment paper is a great alternative to aluminum foil because it is breathable, so will allow the smoked flavor to permeate the paper itself to reach your meat.
However, there are a few caveats you will need to bear in mind when using parchment paper on your Traeger grill. Parchment paper should never be placed over a direct source of heat in case it catches fire. It’s also best not to place it directly onto the grill for the same reason.
If your Traeger grill is set to a much higher temperature of around 451 degrees Fahrenheit, you will need to ensure that the longest the parchment paper is left in the grill is around 15 minutes. Anything more than this, and it could catch fire.
The vast majority of the time, you will only need to wrap your meats in parchment paper for the tail end of the smoking process. So you should be able to use parchment paper to get even better tasting smoky foods. You may also need to use kitchen twine to keep the parchment paper in place around your meat.
Can you use waxed butcher paper in a smoker?
Technically, you can use waxed butcher paper in a smoker. However, it’s not recommended. This is because the waxed butcher paper is covered in food-grade wax. This is in place to prevent the meat from leaking juices.
When placed over intense heat, this food-grade wax coating tends to melt. This will of course then affect the flavor of your meat and will leave you with unsmoked meat that is then covered in a layer of wax.
Instead, you will be better off opting for an unwaxed paper that has been designed for use with smoking. Waxed butcher paper and parchment paper are often confused for one another, which is likely where this miscommunication comes from.
When it comes to waxed butcher paper vs parchment paper, it will always be best to opt for the latter, as this can cope with the heat of your grill and won’t be covered in wax which could melt.
If you really want to use butcher paper instead of parchment paper, it will be best to opt for pink butcher paper. This doesn’t come with a wax coating and is most often used during backyard barbecues because of how easy it is to use during the cooking process.
Will parchment paper burn on a grill?
It is possible for parchment paper to burn on a grill, but only if the circumstances are right. It is still paper, after all! So if the parchment paper comes into direct contact with the hot coals or with the source of heat in your grill, it will catch fire and burn.
If you have your grill set at a higher temperature of around 451 degrees Fahrenheit and leave your parchment paper in there for longer than 15 minutes, it will catch fire and burn.
Typically, parchment paper is safe in your grill or smoker up to 420 degrees Fahrenheit, which is greater than the majority of temperatures used for smoking.
So you shouldn’t have to worry about this being a factor that could cause the parchment paper to burn. If you need to set the smoker or grill to this higher temperature, it will be better to opt for aluminum foil.
It will also be important to never use your parchment paper on a hot grill, as this will most definitely catch fire. In fact, it’s important to not add parchment paper directly to the grill to ensure that you can avoid this from happening.
Do you wrap chicken in butcher paper when smoking?
It is not recommended to wrap your chicken in butcher paper when smoking, no. In fact, it’s not recommended for you to wrap your chicken at all when smoking.
This is because unlike a joint of beef, pork loin, or a whole turkey, it won’t take you long to smoke and cook your chicken. Chickens also don’t have much connective tissue for you to break down during the cooking process.
You will also need to be mindful of the chicken skin’s texture. Smoking this uncovered will result in crispier skin, which will be much more delicious. A crispier skin gives you a clean bite, without it being too tough or rubbery.
However, if you were to cover your chicken with butcher paper or even aluminum foil, this will leave you with mushy chicken skin which won’t be tasty at all. It’s true that pink butcher paper is more permeable than aluminum foil, but it will still leave you with less than tasty skin.
Another factor that you will need to consider is basic food safety. Unlike other meats which are often cooked low and slow in a smoker, such as pork or beef, chicken doesn’t need to be cooked like this.
This is because you need to cook chicken on a higher heat so that you can avoid letting bacteria remain on the meat. All poultry needs to be cooked above 140 degrees Fahrenheit so that dodgy bacteria won’t form. It will also be important to ensure that your chicken is cooked all the way through.
Your chicken will taste best if you spatchcock it and cook it in your smoker uncovered.
Can you use brown butcher paper in a smoker?
Yes, you can use brown butcher paper in a smoker. In fact, this will even leave you with beautifully smoked meat, because the paper is permeable.
Whereas aluminum foil would prevent that tasty smoke from penetrating your meat, brown butcher paper will protect the food from dirt and soot, but allow the smoke to flavor your meat.
In fact, some grill and smoker enthusiasts often prefer using brown butcher paper to aluminum foil. As long as you use this responsibly, it can be a great way to smoke your meat. Remember not to place the paper directly onto the grill, never use it for longer than 15 minutes in a heat of around 451 degrees Fahrenheit, and make sure to never place it in direct contact with a heat source.
You can use your brown butcher paper to smoke your meat, steam your meat, or stop your meat from sticking to the grates of your smoker or grill. You may need to secure it in place with kitchen twine.
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