How Long Can Beef Brisket Stay In Fridge After Opening (+Live Smoking Feed)

[adam d]

I bought a cry-o-vac'd Beef Brisket today, about 8-9 lbs. I plan on smoking it Saturday morning. Any issues with me opening the bag Friday night so I can trim the fat, so I can get started first thing Saturday morning? I will be tired so I won't want to be trimming beef early... any issues? Should be fine I'm thinking, figured I'd ask.

Any benefits to putting the rub on the night before also? Any down sides?

 

[pc farmer]

You will be good to rub on friday no problem.

 

[gary s]

You will be fine,   Be sure and post pictures and let us know how it goes

Gary

 

[crankybuzzard]

Rubbing the night before isn't a problem at all.  Depending upon the seasonings in the rub, it may help the spices meld and migrate a bit.  If you want, you can saran wrap it, but I'd just let it sit in the frig open on a cookie sheet.

If possible, pull it out of the frig a couple of hours before you smoke it so that is can get close to room temp before you put it on the pit. 

 

[adam d]

I'm actually going to throw it on the smoker tonight, around 11pm-12am... going to do an overnight cook, so that it's ready for tomorrow by lunch.

 

[crankybuzzard]

Sounds like a great plan! Be sure to take pics so we can all eat vicariously through you!

 

[adam d]

Here is the first batch... after I trimmed the brisket I thought "damn I should take photos of this" so here are a few after I trimmed it (that's the fat side down):

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• adam d
• Jan 9, 2015

Giving it some love:

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• adam d
• Jan 9, 2015

Sitting to rest now for about an hour or two (waiting till about 11pm as I said to start getting smoker ready, but minion method so no real prep work)

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• adam d
• Jan 9, 2015

 

[gary s]

Keep us posted

Gary

 

[pc farmer]

What smoker are you using?

 

[gary s]

If your a stick burner your looking for a long night, been there done that

Gary

 

[adam d]

11:00pm - Brisket went on. All vents open 100%. Temps slowly starting to climb. I have about 1 1/2 gallons of hot water in my water pan. Revised Minion Method (hole in center, 40 red hot brickets in center). 3 small pieces of hickory, 2 big pieces of apple. It's also 23 degrees outside. Should drop to maybe 16 overnight they say.

Temps at 230 right now.

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• adam d
• Jan 9, 2015

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• adam d
• Jan 9, 2015

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• adam d
• Jan 9, 2015

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• adam d
• Jan 9, 2015

Like my temp prob stand (the chair) Usually I use the grill as a stand but i'm doing an overnight smoke, so im keeping the grill covered

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• adam d
• Jan 9, 2015

 

[adam d]

Should I add some more wood ya think? Those apple chunks are on the bigger side. Don't people usually put in about 6-7 chunks for a long smoke?

 

[pc farmer]

Dont need too. I put 4-5 chunks in my mini for long smokes. All depends on how much smoke you like.

 

[adam d]

K great thanks. I'll leave it as is, since those apple pieces are about the equiv of 2 of the smaller hickories. I should have cut them down into smaller pieces (axe was in car, didnt feel like getting it) and put them on the bottom and covered with with briquets to make my life easy. Ohh well.

So exciting, first overnight smoke AND first TRUE brisket (those who saw my previous thread know my failure with my 1st brisket)

What was scary was the wife and I were SUPPOSED to go to Lowes after work. I took a nap and kept waking up thinking I had something to do, but knew I'd just go to Lowes tomorrow... well I got o start my smoker and realize, I was almost out of briquets the other night. Luckily it barely made it to the top, BUT I found another bag in my basement, so that got me through. WOO crisis averted.

 

[pc farmer]

Just let the wsm do its thing.

 

[adam d]

Okay it's just after 2am. We're 3 hours into the cook. I sprayed the brisket with a bit of apple juice, not that it really needed it but i figured, why not.

We're at 163 internal temp so far and the smoker is starting to run a bit hot the last 15 minutes.

I have 1 vent closed all the way, the other two are open 25% and i've actually closed the top vent so it's open about 75% now.

Trying to get that temp back down to the 225-250 mark.

She's at 284 right now. So in a few minutes I might go choke back one of the vents fully on the bottom

 

[adam d]

It's 2:30 now. I've closed 2 vents, left one about 30% or so. I have the top vent open about 75%. Temps starting to calm down... from 285 down to just under 259 right now. Once she stays betwee 225-250 I'll go catch some z's

 

[krubby]

Looking good.  I can't sleep I am so excited to see your updates (ha ha).

Just kidding.  Youngest kid not feeling to well (stupid flu...) so I am kind of up.

Your WSM looks great.  I just got one myself, I am a very rookie smoker - have had it for about 3 weeks, have done 4 things on it so far. 

Where are you with the snow etc?  central Ohio myself.  It is supposed to get the -7 tonight, so your temp sounds nice and balmy

anyway, looks really good so far.

 

[adam d]

I'm in NY.

5 hours in and the weber decided to wake me up. Temp dropped to below 215. So I went outside, opened the lid to full, made sure two vents were about 50% and i kicked the stand a bit (not because I was mad it woke me up... okay maybe slightly, but to clear some of the coals off).

Meat has dropped to the 147 mark... odd, okay we'll see how it looks in 2 hours when my alarm clock goes off, i may wrap it at that point.

We're at 196 right now, waiting for it to get above my 215 alarm temp so I can go back to bed now.

Anybody know why the meat temp is dropping now? Perhaps it was keeping the smoker warm and it's dropping off?

 

[wade]

It is looking good Adam. I see that you trim your brisket the same as me. Let us know how it turns out

.