Texas Crutch

The Texas Crutch is wrapping your brisket, pork shoulder, or ribs in aluminum foil or butcher paper during the cook — typically when the internal temperature hits 165°F and the stall kicks in. The wrap traps heat and moisture, creating a braising environment that pushes the meat through the temperature plateau faster.

Why It Works: During the stall, evaporative cooling from moisture leaving the meat surface keeps the internal temperature from rising. Wrapping stops the evaporation by trapping that moisture inside the wrap. Without evaporative cooling, the temperature climbs again normally.

Foil vs. Butcher Paper: - Aluminum foil: Traps all moisture. Fastest through the stall. But the trapped steam softens the bark significantly. Some cooks call foil-wrapped brisket "pot roast texture." - Butcher paper (pink/peach, unwaxed): Semi-permeable — lets some moisture escape while still reducing evaporation. Slower through the stall than foil, but preserves bark texture much better. This is what most Texas pitmasters use.

When to Wrap: I wrap at around 165°F internal, after the bark is set. You can tell the bark is ready by touch — it should feel firm and dry, not tacky. If you wrap too early, the bark won't have developed enough and it'll dissolve in the moisture.

The Third Option: Don't wrap at all. Some pitmasters never wrap — they ride through the stall with patience and end up with thicker, crunchier bark. The trade-off is a longer cook (2-4 extra hours) and slightly drier exterior. Both approaches produce excellent BBQ.