Parchment vs Butcher Paper: A Comprehensive Review

Parchment paper and butcher paper are two essential tools used in the food industry to bake and cook various food items boxes. They may sound the same, but their functionality and applications are different. Parchment paper, aka baking paper, is used in baking to ensure the non-stickiness of baked items boxes. 

Butcher paper is not only used for cooking meat but also for wrapping meat and retail products. Knowing the difference between parchment vs butcher paper is important for you to lead a successful food business with the right applications of these essential papers.Read this blog to understand the difference between parchment and butcher paper!

What is Parchment Paper?

Parchment paper is used in baking because it helps you bake your goods to perfection without getting sticky or burned. The silicon coating on parchment paper prevents baked goods from burning and also ensures they are baked correctly at the right temperature. 

Parchment paper is also known as baking paper. It is heat-resistant, withstanding even high temperatures. 

It is food-safe because it is made from natural cellulose fibres and then coated with silicon. Some people often ask why is parchment paper coated with silicone. The coating of silicon ensures that when you use parchment paper for baking, baked goods won’t stick to the pan. 

Types of Parchment Paper

Know the types of custom parchment paper when exploring parchment vs butcher paper. The following are two major types of parchment paper, differing in color and processing:

Bleached Parchment Paper

Bleached parchment paper is coated with a layer of chlorine. The use of chlorine on bleached parchment paper results in a bright white color. It is often preferred for its pristine appearance when baking delicate pastries like meringues.

Unbleached Parchment Paper

As the name suggests, unbleached parchment paper has no coating of chlorine and comes in its natural light brown or off-white color. Unbleached parchment paper is more eco-friendly due to no use of chemical coloring and processes.

Uses of Parchment Paper

As the name suggests, baking paper, aka parchment paper, is primarily used for baking. Parchment paper sheets are reusable if you keep them clean after baking. You can explore the use of parchment paper when understanding parchment paper vs butcher paper:

• Parchment paper helps you cool melted chocolate.
• Baking paper is used for lining baking sheets and pans. 
• Parchment paper prevents food from sticking to surfaces. 
• Preserve the sticky dough by rolling it out onto the parchment paper. 

What is Butcher Paper?

Butcher paper is used to wrap raw meat and cooked food. It is made from food-grade and uncoated kraft paper, especially designed to wrap meat to keep it moist during smoking and cooking. Butcher paper can also be used for packing meat, retail items, and making art and crafts. 

As far as parchment vs butcher paper is concerned, butcher paper is completely different from parchment paper. The texture and applications are also different. Butcher paper is breathable, which means it has a porous surface. 

It has exceptional heat resistance, which makes it ideal for use in cooking and smoking at high temperatures. However, some people often ask a question: Is butcher paper flammable? The answer is, yes, butcher paper is flammable, especially if exposed to open flames or temperatures above approximately 450°F.

Types of Butcher Paper

The following are some important types of butcher paper you must know when analyzing parchment vs butcher paper.

• Brown Butcher Paper

Made from 100% biodegradable kraft paper. The use of kraft paper gives it a brown color. This is why it is called brown butcher paper. It is used to smoke chicken, pork ribs, or brisket.

• Peach/Pink Buchter Paper

A special type of butcher paper that is naturally dyed pink from the wood pulp or treated with a peach-colored, food-safe resin. It is not only used for wrapping or storing meat, but also for smoking the meat. Its breathability allows permeation while protecting the meat. A treated pink butcher paper is stronger and quite costly due to its water-resistance, but its treatment can also make it catch fire easily when not handled with care. It is used for preserving fresh meat cuts.

• White Buchter Paper

Virgin wood pulp is used to create white butcher paper, which is often used for wrapping cooked food items and lining the serving trays. It is bleached to achieve its bright white color. Its clean appearance adds a professional touch to your food presentation.

• Gardenia Butcher Paper

It is a special type of butcher paper, which is used to store poultry, chicken and fish. Gardenia butcher paper also enhances the color of poultry and fish. Also, it prevents moisture from the preserved poultry.

Uses for Butcher Paper

Understanding the uses of butcher paper is as important as understanding parchment vs butcher paper. Butcher paper is primarily used for wrapping and cooking raw meat. The following are a few applications of butcher paper you must know when exploring parchment vs butcher paper:

• It can be used for wrapping retail products.
• Printed butcher papers are used to wrap retail food.
• Butcher paper can be used for shipping fragile items.
• Its rustic charm makes it ideal for use in arts and crafts.
• Pink Butcher paper is used for smoking and roasting meat. 

Butcher Paper vs Parchment Paper: Key Difference 

Let’s delve into the following factors that help you understand the key differences between parchment paper and butcher paper:

• Strength

Butcher paper is more durable than parchment paper. However, parchment paper can be reused multiple times to bake different products. Both 

• Color

Parchment paper comes in white or off-white, while butcher paper has a brown color as it is sourced from kraft paper. Butcher paper can be coated in pink and white butcher paper as well. 

• Cost

Butcher paper is quite expensive compared to parchment paper. What makes parchment paper cost-effective is its lightweight nature and low raw material costs.

• Weight

Butcher paper is made from kraft paper; this is why it is heavier than parchment paper. However, the lightweight baking paper reduces your shipping costs.

• Thickness

Butcher paper is thicker than parchment paper. The higher thickness of paper ensures durability, which shows that the butcher paper is more durable.

• Texture

The texture of parchment paper is smoother and non-porous than that of butcher paper. Butcher paper is breathable due to its porous texture. 

• Printing and Customization

Butcher paper supports printing and customization, which helps improve branding. On the contrary, printed parchment paper may affect the quality of your baked items or may induce an unpleasant smell to the food. However, butcher paper is printed with food-safe inks. 

• Temperature

Parchment paper can withstand the high temperatures up to 430°F. On the other hand, butcher paper can also withstand high temperatures during roasting and smoking up to 430°F.

Parchment vs Butcher Paper vs Wax Paper

People often get confused between wax paper, parchment paper, and butcher paper. Wax paper is another name for butter paper and can not withstand high temperatures. On the other hand, parchment paper, aka baking paper, is heat-resistant, non-stick, and silicon-coated. And when it comes to butcher paper vs wax paper, they are also different. Butcher paper is kraft paper, used for roasting, smoking, and wrapping meat. If you want to customize any of these papers for your business, feel free to contact OXO Packaging.

Conclusion

Parchment paper and butcher paper are two essential components of baking and cooking in the food industry. The key differences between parchment vs butcher paper are that parchment paper is heat-resistant, non-stick, and oven-safe. On the other hand, butcher paper is ideal for wrapping, roasting, and smoking meat as it can withstand high temperatures.

Feel free to share your queries at (510) 500-9533 or sales@oxopackaging.com. We would answer all of your questions regarding parchment vs butcher paper!