Wet age brisket.

[WeekendWarrior]

It will probably be next week when I cook my brisket.  I am guessing it is OK to leave it in the vac pack in the fridge for over a week.  I read you can "wet age" it for 45 to 60 days, but since I don't know how long it's been at the meat market, I am not going to push it much.

Anyone wet age a brisket for a few weeks and then brine it?

I unwrapped to see if were any types of dates on the vac pack but I didn't see any.  Only markings was certified angus beef logo, and a usda inspection stamp.

 

[DivotMaker]

I've never done any wet-aging...always scared me a bit.  Plus, I've pulled meat out of vac packs that was too old, and it just didn't smell very good.  If I were to age a brisket, I'd dry-age it.  Otherwise, pull it, prep it, smoke it!

 

[Smokster]

Hey Bruce, I had a brisket in a vac pac sit in the fridge for 2-3 weeks before I had a chance to smoke it.  There were absolutely no issues, however I would agree with you about not knowing how long it was packaged.  However, I don't think waiting 1 week will be an issue.

 

[Walt]

I have read that some competition smokers will wet age in the original packing for 45 days from date of packaging.

 

[DivotMaker]

I have read that some competition smokers will wet age in the original packing for 45 days from date of packaging.

Hmmm...sounds like you may have to do a wet vs. dry-age competition, Walt!

 

[es1025]

I'm in the dry rub category. Not sure the finished product will be different.

I agree we need a side by side comparison....

 

[Walt]

It is generally accepted that wet ageing improves tenderness but does not help with deepening the rich beefy flavors.  Dry ageing does both! ;D

 

[DivotMaker]

It is generally accepted that wet ageing improves tenderness but does not help with deepening the rich beefy flavors.  Dry ageing does both! ;D

OK Walt; I agree!  Just thought I could goad you into a challenge! lol!

 

[WeekendWarrior]

Well I opened the vacuum pack yesterday morning, after about a week and a half in the fridge at 36 degrees.  No unpleasant odors, so I seem to be good on that point.

I put it in a 2% equilibrium brine with garlic and other spices, and let it go 24 hours. 

I pulled it from the brine, rinsed it and rubbed it this morning, and wrapped in plastic wrap, and back in the fridge.

Looking for a 6PM dinner time tomorrow, was thinking I need to start the smoke around 2 AM tomorrow.
Since it's a 10 pounder, I am guessing 15 hour smoke, plus 1 hour rest.
I guess my biggest worry is it only taking about 1 hour per pound instead of 1.5 and getting done 5 hours earlier.  Can I hold it at 190 - 200 for that long?

Going to use 4 oz. of hickory and 2 oz. of mesquite.

 

[Walt]

Last weekend i did an equilibrium brine on a 7 lb flat.  I left it in for 4 days.  The pinking salt penetrated about 2/3 of the meat.  Not sure how long it would take for total penetration.  This time my new stainless injector broke, so it was only brined & rubbed.  The flat was great but not quite as good as when I also inject.  However, i believe the brineing is what makes the fat dissolve so easily.  Had a few friends over who live in west Texas & they raved about the flat.  Brineing really helps brisket.

 

[DivotMaker]

Well I opened the vacuum pack yesterday morning, after about a week and a half in the fridge at 36 degrees.  No unpleasant odors, so I seem to be good on that point.

I put it in a 2% equilibrium brine with garlic and other spices, and let it go 24 hours. 

I pulled it from the brine, rinsed it and rubbed it this morning, and wrapped in plastic wrap, and back in the fridge.

Looking for a 6PM dinner time tomorrow, was thinking I need to start the smoke around 2 AM tomorrow.
Since it's a 10 pounder, I am guessing 15 hour smoke, plus 1 hour rest.
I guess my biggest worry is it only taking about 1 hour per pound instead of 1.5 and getting done 5 hours earlier.  Can I hold it at 190 - 200 for that long?

Going to use 4 oz. of hickory and 2 oz. of mesquite.

Good news!  If the brisket is done that early, cut the smoker temp to 135, and you can hold it in there for several hours.  Five is kind of pushing it, so wrap it/rest it after 3.  It probably won't be done that early, though.

 

[mnsmoker]

Did someone say 45 day aged brisket.......here we go!!

 

[Walt]

Hmmmmmm........

 

[WeekendWarrior]

Well it's 7:30 AM, 5.5 hours into the smoke and the IT is 158.  Hopefully it will hit the stall soon.  I have to go to work, but will be leaving early to check on it at 9.0 hours in.  Not sure if I should turn the temp down a tad while I go to work.  Got it currently set to 225. 

Temps been running 208 to 244, for an average temp of 226. 

 

[tbcop-is-smokin]

Let us know how it turns out...
Tony

 

[WeekendWarrior]

Well it's 3:00 PM and IT is 178, seem to have hit another stall.  Going to bump the temp up to around 235 for a while and see how it goes.  Hopefully it will hit 195 in the next 2 hours.

 

[WeekendWarrior]

Finally hit 195 at 5:30, 15.5 hours it's wrapped in foil and a towel and going to let it rest an hour.

 

[WeekendWarrior]

Wow, incredibly juicy and tender.  Not dry like most briskets I've had.

Only complaint I could have is I probably could have trimmed a bit more fat off before smoking.

 

[DivotMaker]

Looks mighty tasty, Bruce!  I trim fat, on briskets, to about 1/4", and put some score lines in it so it absorbs the rub better.  You don't want to trim too much, or moistness will suffer!  What you don't want to eat comes off easy when done, so it doesn't hurt to leave a little more!

 

[Pork Belly]

That doesn't look like a terrible amount of fat in the picture. A big reason you have a moist hunk of meat is all that rendered fat.