When people hear the word butcher paper, they think of a butcher counter, but what really sells the most are BBQ smokehouses and restaurants using it as either a table cover or a presentation surface. The paper used remains essentially the same for both uses. These changes are color, weight, and smoke-permeability. The difference between a roll that performs and one that tears, browns, or otherwise does not meet the desired expectations is the understanding of which version does which job.

What is Butcher Paper?

Butcher paper is an uncoated, heavy-duty paper that was created for wrapping raw meat, but is now used throughout the food service industry far beyond the meat counter. Three main types are suitable for most purposes: kraft butcher paper (brown, strong, general purpose), white butcher paper (bleached, used at meat counters and for cleaner presentation), and pink or peach BBQ butcher paper, designed to allow smoke to permeate through during a long cook. Standard butcher paper is not designed for freezer use since it is not coated. This is a different product that is coated in poly and is routinely mixed up with the other.

Why the Choice for This Packaging?

Meat wrapping paper is a thing of beauty for restaurants and meat ventures because it can accomplish what foil and plastic cannot. Foil will hold too much moisture in a smoker and will soften the bark on a brisket too much; BBQ butcher paper will hold moisture in a smoker, but not so much that it will steam the outside of the brisket. That one little thing is the reason that pitmasters ask for it by name and not a generic replacement.

Butcher paper can be used for BBQ joints and casual restaurants as a table cover outside the smoker; it’s also a no-frills look that sets the tone before food even arrives, and is cheap enough to change between each seating without it being an actual issue. White butcher paper at a counter is an indicator of a more refined and thoughtful presentation, as opposed to a generic bag.

Whether it’s used, custom-printed butcher paper serves as a branding surface. A Logo on a Table Cover is seen throughout a meal; a Logo on wrapped meat goes home with the customer.

Features & Specifications

A roll’s performance at a meat counter, in a smoker, or as a table cover depends on color, weight, and breathability. Please read these before making an order:

Use Cases, by Industry

White butcher paper is not as much used by those people as one thinks. While meat counters use it, BBQ restaurants and general dining may use it more in volume. Here’s the breakdown:

Customization Options

The Deli Paper designs custom kraft butcher paper with your logo and brand colors, in either roll or pre-cut format, depending on the application, which is table cover, wrap, or both. The MOQ starts with a first-run order of one BBQ spot or Butcher shop and goes up to full-pallet orders for multi-location operators. The order of standard rolls, which take the shortest time to ship, is reused for each reorder, while custom printed rolls take longer to set up.

When selecting the appropriate food wrapping paper, it is crucial to consider factors such as size, thickness, and texture.

Don’t begin with the paper; begin with the job. It’s important to use white butcher paper with raw meat at a counter for a clean appearance and because it is the grade generally available for raw meat. When a brisket is taken to a smoker, it has to be at the very least pink or peach-colored BBQ butcher paper. Standard kraft does not release moisture as it does, and it will not allow the moisture to develop properly.

It’s very easy to make a mistake on the width of your rolls, going either too wide or too narrow. Too wide results in a waste of time and paper when staff overlap sheets to cover a table or a cut of meat. Too large is a waste of material every time it is used. Roll to a size that you roll most frequently.

The most popular pitfall, grabbing regular butcher paper when going to the freezer. It is not moisture-proof over time, and meat wrapped in the material and stored in the freezer for longer periods is prone to freezer burn as compared to meat in a good poly-coated freezer paper.

Why Choose The Deli Paper?

The Deli Paper produces BBQ butcher paper directly, eliminating the distributor’s markup and the speculation as to whether the reorder is the same roll that was first approved. All batches are subjected to the same quality control before dispatch, and low MOQs allow a single butcher shop or BBQ outlet to place a custom printed paper order without having to order a pallet.

Orders are quickly fulfilled from a U.S. location, so an operation that’s low on inventory before a busy weekend is not waiting on an order from overseas. Custom printing is done in-house from initial proof to printing, and there is a real person to speak to if a spec needs tinkering with prior to printing.

FAQs

Q: Why is it that the pitmasters use pink butcher paper in particular? 

A: This is breathable enough to allow smoke to pass through, and with a greater water retention capacity than does foil, it helps maintain bark texture on a brisket.

Q: Can raw meat be stored on kraft butcher paper? 

A: In general, yes, although white butcher paper is more widely used to wrap retail meat.

Q: Could the butcher paper be used as a table cover? 

A: Yes, Kraft butcher paper is often used for casual and BBQ restaurants to make a disposable table cover that can be printed.

Q: What is the difference between butcher paper and freezer paper? 

A: Standard butcher paper is not coated, and freezer paper is coated with poly designed for freezing.

Get a Free Quote

Looking for the perfect kraft butcher paper to stock your counter, smoker, or tables? Get a free quote and sample from The Deli Paper today. Wholesale/Custom Printed pricing within 1 Business Day; call 832-900-9245 or email sales@thedelipaper.com. Check out all of the options at the deli paper.