British BBQ Society Forums

I often see comments come onto the forum about foiling meats spoiling the bark, and some people feeling that they shouldn't use competition cooking methods because people want authentic BBQ

The purpose of competition BBQ is to create the best BBQ you can for one bite judging and this is based on appearance, taste & tenderness.

When people talk about not wanting to eat competition BBQ at home this is due to the intense flavours needed to make the meat stand out from the other 5 entries on your table. You still have to cook the meat correctly! Otherwise you'll still end up at the bottom half of the table.

Using competition methods for cooking at home will help you create better BBQ!!!

Think about this BBQ judges are people (hungry people admittedly). People don't want meat that you'll break your teeth on trying to bite into it or dry stringy meat. Ask yourself this. If people wanted meat that had not been foiled and could tell the difference, don't you think all competition teams would be cooking without foil???

Using foil is a key part of the cooking process. Your bark will have already formed by the time you wrap the meat and foiling it will stop the rub burning and losing all the flavour of the rub. You'll have a more moist, tender & flavoursome product by foiling. If you really want hard bark, take the meat back out of the foil once you're close to your final temp and place it back on the smoker till it's finished, if you feel you must.

Now i know some people are going to mention different restaurants that don't use foil. I say to that you can always cook better BBQ at home!

I'm sure this will raise a few eyebrows from the foil haters and i might get a bit of a slating but this is my belief and will stick by it.

Let the debate commence

Completely agree.......

I'm kind of foil agnostic tbh. I don't use it religiously on every cook but neither am I against using it. I probably use it most frequently on ribs. I certainly think you can still get good bark with foiling.

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Good post Ed, totally agree.

Eddie

Well having been lucky enough to have tatsed both Ed & Eddies product I can say they know what they are talking about. However foil or not the choice is yours, try it and see. Cook two racks of ribs and blind taste them with your guests see which one they prefer. Me I foil. I'm not a competition cook, I never will be BUT if it works there must be a reason behind it other than "Emporer's Clothes" so I foil.

But it's your BBQ cook as you wish and yo your taste, the guys and gals on here give of their best with regard to advice that has worked for them the choice of whether to accept it or not is yours alone. There are no BBQ Police here.

I always foil, IMHO it's the only way to go.

Si

Great post Ed. Never apologise for having a strong opinion, nor for putting it.

A quick question for everyone on bark.

What is it? No, don't think I've gone mad. I specifically mean, what are the exact causes?

I've heard some say it's the hard 'crust' you'll get on most roasted meat if roasted long enough at the right temperature. I've heard others say it has to have sugar to bark (or to be called 'proper' bark).

Opinions and thoughts?

Steve W

Pecker wrote:I've heard some say it's the hard 'crust' you'll get on most roasted meat if roasted long enough at the right temperature. I've heard others say it has to have sugar to bark (or to be called 'proper' bark).

The bark is where the rub infuses with the meat during the cooking process as the maillard reaction takes effect.

Swindon_Ed wrote:

Pecker wrote:I've heard some say it's the hard 'crust' you'll get on most roasted meat if roasted long enough at the right temperature. I've heard others say it has to have sugar to bark (or to be called 'proper' bark).

The bark is where the rub infuses with the meat during the cooking process as the maillard reaction takes effect.

Aye, but the maillard reaction takes place with just s&p or no rub at all.

I think what I'm saying is, would you still qualify that as 'bark'? Does there have to be certain ingredients in the rub (like sugar) for it to qualify as bark, or for that matter any rub at all?

Steve W

IMO you are right BARK is a crusty exterior delight, caused by the maillard reaction and I really don't think it has any relation to a rub or specific seasoning. My plain Rib of Beef has a bark and it's not seasoned at all. Bark is a delight to eat, but IMHO not essential to enjoying well cooked meat. I liken it to a trip in you dream car, it is still your dream automobile and gives you the same satisfaction (steady that's not what I mean) whether or not the switches are gold plated .

Bark is a loverly outcome of well cooked and prepped meat, it's not essential, nor rub/spice dependant but technique related.

Parachute on and ready to be shot down