PSA: I was wrapping my briskets in foil at 165 for 6 years before a guy at a Kansas City comp asked to see my process
Back in 2017 I started cooking on a cheap offset and read somewhere that foil at 165 was the move, so I did it on every single packer without ever questioning it. Last spring at a comp in Kansas City, a pitmaster named Ray walked by my pit and asked why my bark looked like wet leather. He told me foil traps steam and softens the bark you worked 8 hours to build, and that butcher paper breathes and keeps it dark and firm. I tried paper on my next two cooks and the flat came out way better, still juicy but with actual bite instead of mush. Now I am wondering how many other habits I picked up from old forum posts and never tested. Has anyone else had a random stranger at a comp call out something you were doing wrong for years?