What Is Butcher Paper? Colors, Uses and How to Choose
By the Avco Boxes team · Updated
Butcher paper is a sturdy kraft paper made for wrapping fresh meat. It comes in white, pink (also sold as peach) and natural brown, in uncoated and coated grades. Besides the meat counter, it is used to wrap brisket in the smoker, line trays and cover tables. It is usually sold on large rolls, and sometimes as precut sheets.
What butcher paper is
Butcher paper is a heavy, tear-resistant paper made from kraft pulp, the same strong wood pulp used for paper bags and shipping sacks (see what is kraft paper). It takes its name from the meat counter, where butchers have long wrapped cuts of beef, pork and fish in it for customers to carry home.
What makes it suited to that job is strength. A good butcher paper holds together when it is folded tightly around a bony cut, handled with damp hands or stacked in a cooler, and many grades are made to keep their strength when they get a little wet. Plain butcher paper has no nonstick coating, which separates it from parchment paper; our guide on butcher paper vs parchment paper covers that comparison in detail.
Butcher paper colors: white, pink and brown
Butcher paper is sold in three main colors. The color tells you whether the paper was bleached, and it also signals the kind of shop or cook it is aimed at.
| Color | What it is | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| White | Bleached kraft paper | Meat and deli counters, sandwich shops, table covers, crafts |
| Pink or peach | Unbleached kraft paper with a pinkish tone; pink and peach are two names for the same paper | Barbecue, especially wrapping brisket and other large cuts in the smoker |
| Brown (natural kraft) | Unbleached kraft paper in its natural brown color | Tray liners, packing and wrapping, crafts, rustic table settings |
Color does not change how the paper wraps meat in any big way; strength and coating matter more. Many buyers choose by look: white reads clean and classic, pink signals barbecue, and brown gives a natural, rustic feel.
What butcher paper is used for
- Wrapping fresh meat and fish at the counter. The paper is folded around the cut, taped and often labeled with a marker.
- Smoking brisket. Pitmasters wrap brisket, pork butt and ribs partway through a cook. Uncoated paper lets some steam escape, so the bark stays firmer than it would in foil.
- Lining trays and boards. Barbecue joints serve sliced meat on a sheet of butcher paper over a metal tray or a cutting board.
- Covering tables for crab and crawfish boils, picnics and parties, then rolling up the mess afterward.
- Crafts and classrooms. Wide rolls of white or brown paper are used for drawing, banners, murals and gift wrap.
- Packing. Crumpled sheets fill gaps in boxes, and flat sheets protect surfaces.
For any use that touches food, buy paper that is sold for food contact rather than craft or packing paper, and follow the manufacturer's directions for smokers or ovens. Heat ratings vary by product, so check the package rather than assuming.
Coated vs uncoated butcher paper, and freezer paper
Uncoated butcher paper is plain paper all the way through. It breathes, absorbs a little moisture and is the type pitmasters use in the smoker. Coated butcher paper has a thin coating on one side, often wax or plastic, that holds juices in and slows moisture loss, which makes it better for storing raw meat in the fridge. Coated paper is not meant for smokers or ovens.
Freezer paper is a close relative. It has a plastic coating on one side, and you wrap meat with the coated side against the food to help guard against freezer burn. The uncoated side faces out so you can write the cut and date on it.
| Uncoated butcher paper | Coated butcher paper | Freezer paper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coating | None | One side, often wax or plastic | Plastic, one side |
| Breathes | Yes | Less | Little |
| Best for | Smoking, wrapping, lining trays | Wrapping raw meat for the fridge | Wrapping meat for the freezer |
| Smoker or oven | Check the package | No | No |
Sizes and how to choose
Butcher paper is mostly sold on rolls, often from a dispenser that sits on a counter or mounts on a wall. Common roll widths include 18, 24 and 36 inches, and roll lengths vary widely by brand. Precut sheets are also available for shops that want a consistent size without a cutter. Paper weight is usually listed in pounds; our guide to paper gsm and basis weight explains what those numbers mean.
- Start with the job. For smoking, choose uncoated paper sold for that use. For fridge storage, choose coated paper. For the freezer, choose freezer paper.
- Pick a width that wraps your largest item with room to fold. A whole brisket needs a wide roll; deli portions and steaks do not.
- Choose a color for the look you want: white for a clean counter, pink for barbecue, brown for a natural feel.
- For food contact, buy paper sold as food-grade, and check any heat rating before it goes near a smoker or oven.
Butcher paper vs printed sheets at the counter
Avco does not sell butcher paper. In a smokehouse or deli, though, butcher paper is often only part of the picture. For wrapping sandwiches, burgers and burritos, and for lining baskets and trays at the counter, many shops use precut greaseproof paper sheets instead, because they come in ready-to-use sizes and can be printed with the shop's logo.
Avco's printed food papers are greaseproof sheets, made in the USA in 6 x 6, 7 x 7, 8 x 8, 10 x 10, 12 x 12, 12 x 15, 14 x 14 and 14 x 18 inch sizes, on white or kraft paper, 400 sheets to a bundle. Options include custom deli paper, burrito and sandwich wrap paper and low-minimum wax paper from a single bundle; see how to fold a sandwich wrap for wrapping technique. Barbecue shops can browse BBQ and smokehouse packaging.
Frequently asked questions
- Is butcher paper the same as kraft paper?
- Butcher paper is a type of kraft paper. Kraft paper is the broad category of strong paper made from kraft pulp; butcher paper is a grade of it made for wrapping meat, sold in white, pink and brown.
- Is pink butcher paper the same as peach paper?
- Yes. Pink and peach are two names for the same unbleached kraft butcher paper, the kind barbecue cooks use to wrap brisket in the smoker.
- Is butcher paper the same as freezer paper?
- No. Freezer paper has a plastic coating on one side to hold in moisture in the freezer. Plain butcher paper is uncoated and breathes, which is why it is used in smokers and freezer paper is not.
- Can I bake with butcher paper instead of parchment?
- It is not a good swap for baking. Butcher paper is not nonstick, so food can stick to it. Use parchment for lining pans, and see our guide on butcher paper vs parchment paper.