Best Butcher Paper for Smoking (2026)
The best pink butcher paper for wrapping brisket and ribs, chosen for food-safe unwaxed paper, wet strength and the right roll width.
Pink butcher paper, sometimes called peach paper, is how many Texas pitmasters wrap brisket to push through the stall without losing the bark. The key is buying the right kind: unwaxed, uncoated, food-grade paper that's wide enough for your meat. These are the rolls owners and reviewers rate highest.
Our picks at a glance
- Best overall: Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper Roll (18 in x 175 ft)
- Best for big briskets: Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper Roll (24 in x 175 ft)
- Best with a dispenser: Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper Roll with Dispenser Box
- Pitmaster favorite: Oren International Pink Butcher Paper
- Easiest to find in stores: Traeger Pink BBQ Butcher Paper Roll
- Best for occasional cooks: Reynolds Kitchens Pink Butcher Paper
1. Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper Roll (18 in x 175 ft)
Best for: Most home smokers
Bryco's 18-inch roll is one of the best-selling butcher papers on Amazon and a common pick in brisket guides. It's unwaxed, uncoated and made from food-grade virgin pulp in the USA. Owners say it stays strong when it soaks up fat and spritz, and it breathes enough to keep bark firm. The 18-inch width covers ribs, pork butts and most briskets with two sheets.
What we like
- Unwaxed, food-grade and made in the USA
- Holds up well when wet
- Great price per foot
Keep in mind
- No dispenser
- Tight for very large packer briskets
2. Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper Roll (24 in x 175 ft)
Best for: Full packer briskets
The 24-inch version of the Bryco roll is wide enough to wrap a big packer brisket with fewer seams, which means fewer leaks onto your grate. It's the same food-grade, unwaxed paper as the 18-inch roll. It's bulkier to store and wasteful for one rack of ribs. If you cook a lot of brisket, it's worth having.
What we like
- Wide enough for large briskets
- Fewer seams and leaks
Keep in mind
- Bulky roll to store
3. Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper Roll with Dispenser Box
Best for: Cooks who want clean, easy cuts
This is the same 18-inch Bryco paper packed in a box with a serrated cutting edge. The box keeps dust and grease off the roll and lets you tear straight sheets with one hand. It costs a bit more than the plain roll. Owners who use paper every weekend say the box is worth it.
What we like
- Built-in serrated cutter
- Box protects the roll
Keep in mind
- Costs more than the plain roll
- Cardboard box can wear in damp spots
4. Oren International Pink Butcher Paper
Best for: Cooks who want the paper the pros use
Oren is the US paper maker whose pink steak paper became the standard in Texas BBQ joints. It's unwaxed, food grade and strong when wet. Oren also makes the paper sold under Traeger's name. Rolls come in several widths and lengths, from home sizes to big restaurant rolls.
What we like
- The paper many BBQ joints use
- Strong and unwaxed
- Many sizes available
Keep in mind
- Big restaurant rolls are heavy and long
5. Traeger Pink BBQ Butcher Paper Roll
Best for: Pellet grill owners shopping in stores
Traeger's pink butcher paper is made with Oren and sold at many hardware and sporting goods stores. It's an 18-inch roll in a box, sized for home cooks. You pay a bit more for the brand name than for Oren or Bryco rolls. It's a good grab if you need paper today and can't wait for shipping.
What we like
- Made with Oren
- Sold in many local stores
Keep in mind
- Higher price per foot
6. Reynolds Kitchens Pink Butcher Paper
Best for: A few cooks a year
Reynolds sells a small roll of pink butcher paper in a box with a slide cutter, right next to the foil at many grocery stores. It's food safe and unwaxed, and the short roll is fine if you only wrap a few times a year. It costs more per foot than the big rolls. Heavy users will run out fast.
What we like
- Sold at grocery stores
- Slide cutter included
Keep in mind
- Short roll
- Higher cost per foot
What to look for in butcher paper
Unwaxed and uncoated. Never use waxed or plastic-coated freezer paper in a smoker. The coating can melt, and it traps steam, which is the opposite of what you want. Look for paper labeled unwaxed, uncoated and food grade (often FDA-approved).
Width. An 18-inch roll handles ribs, pork butts and most briskets with two overlapping sheets. A full packer brisket wraps more cleanly with 24-inch paper.
Wet strength. Brisket fat and spritz soak into the paper for hours. Good paper stays strong when wet, so it won't tear when you lift the meat.
| Paper | Width | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Bryco Goods 18 in | 18 in | Most cooks |
| Bryco Goods 24 in | 24 in | Big briskets |
| Bryco Goods with Dispenser | 18 in | Easy cutting |
| Oren International | Several sizes | Pro-style paper |
| Traeger Pink BBQ Paper | 18 in | Buying in stores |
| Reynolds Kitchens | Smaller roll | Occasional use |
How to wrap a brisket in butcher paper
Lay two long sheets on the counter, overlapping by about half. Set the brisket fat side down near one end, about a foot from the edge. Fold the near edge over the meat, then fold in both sides tight. Roll the brisket forward, folding the sides in each turn until it's snug. Put it back on the smoker seam side down.
Most cooks wrap when the bark is set and the internal temperature stalls, usually around 160–170°F. Leave it wrapped until it probes tender, typically around 200–205°F. For a step-by-step cook, see our smoked brisket for beginners recipe.
Storing and using your roll
Keep the roll in a dry spot. Damp paper loses strength and can tear when wrapped around a hot brisket. A box or a wall-mounted holder helps keep it clean and flat.
Butcher paper also has uses beyond wrapping. Lay a sheet on the counter while you trim and season meat, then roll it up and toss it for easy cleanup. Line a tray for resting ribs. Wrap a finished brisket in a fresh sheet and a towel, then rest it in an empty cooler for an hour or more. That rest gives the juices time to settle before slicing.
One roll usually lasts a long time. An 18-inch by 175-foot roll covers dozens of briskets, so the price per cook is very small.
Paper or foil?
Foil holds in all the moisture, so it speeds up the cook but softens the bark. Paper breathes, so bark stays firmer, but the cook takes a bit longer. Many people use foil for ribs (like the 3-2-1 method) and paper for brisket. For more must-have gear, see our best smoker accessories.
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