Sitting in a liquid the brisket is being BOILED, sitting above the liquid it's being STEAMED.
If you boil broccoli it turns out limp, reduced in size because it's own moisture content has been boiled out of it, it's discolored and even loses some of it's flavor. Steamed broccoli however, is plump, retains moisture and keeps more of it's flavor and color. Neither cooking method however, is going to do a better job of preserving the moisture, flavor and nutrients of the broccoli than if the broccoli were cooked over or in direct heat as it would be in a stir-fry for instance. It's the same principle with meat.
You've established that in cooking a brisket steaming is better for moisture retention and bark preservation than boiling, so lets take it one step farther by suggesting that in order to get maximum moisture retention in a cooked brisket we should revisit the data from the broccoli experiment and conclude that a brisket is even better when it hasn't been boiled or steamed but has been cooked with it's own moisture content.
So then we're left really with two options,...
1.) Cook it naked for MANY, MANY hours till it's done, or...
2.) Wrap the brisket in butcher paper for a juicy piece of meat, with a good bark and eat earlier!:wink:
Aaaand that's my long-winded, Sheldon Cooper-esque promotional speech for using butcher paper over foil!!!:razz:
