# how long is fresh brisket good for



## jc1971 (Dec 23, 2011)

Ok here is my question

i am making brisket tomorrow for dinner then again on new years eve!

Both i picked up from my butcher today.

I am using jeffs rub on them and was wondering if i rub them both today will the one for new years eve still be ok or do i need to freeze it

and can it be rubbed then frozen?

Thank you for any advise

jerry


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## SmokinAl (Dec 23, 2011)

Yes it can be rubbed then frozen. I do that with ribs all the time.


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## rbranstner (Dec 23, 2011)

People dry age beef for weeks so I would think it would be fine as long as it is refrigerated. Personally I would probably freeze it just because its a force of habit and I wouldn't have much fridge space.


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## scarbelly (Dec 23, 2011)

rbranstner said:


> People dry age beef for weeks so I would think it would be fine as long as it is refrigerated. Personally I would probably freeze it just because its a force of habit and I wouldn't have much fridge space.




X2


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## jc1971 (Dec 23, 2011)

i have lots of fridge space. Fridge in garage is just for beer and smoking meat lol

just means i have to get drinking

just worried about making someone sick


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## rbranstner (Dec 23, 2011)

jc1971 said:


> i have lots of fridge space. Fridge in garage is just for beer and smoking meat lol
> 
> just means i have to get drinking
> 
> just worried about making someone sick




If you have the space and it's only for a little over a week I guess I would just keep it thawed.


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## jc1971 (Dec 23, 2011)

ok good deal thank you for the advice

will post pics when all done


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## jc1971 (Dec 23, 2011)

make a difference if it is rubbed for the time it is in fridge?


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## supercenterchef (Dec 24, 2011)

rub shouldn't matter...but I'd make sure and store it in a fridge that is consistantly 34-38 deg (ie not one whose door is regularly opened...guess it depends on beer consumption, lol)


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## chef jimmyj (Dec 25, 2011)

I'm a little late to the game, but I would Rub it, wrap in Cheese cloth or cotton tea towels, and place it on a rack in a pan...It can Dry age, uncovered, in the Beer fridge for a week no problem , just re-wrap it every 2 days and you will be good to go...JJ


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## subotai (Dec 26, 2011)

If the rub contains salt then the extra time the brisket sits in the fridge will certainly draw more water from the meat.  This will should become visable pretty quickly in the form of bloody water pooling around the meat.  Some smokehouse rub the meat and let it sit for a few days to give flavor to the meat while using the salt to take out excess moisture from the meat (something like quick dry aging).  We like to rub our beef briskets 24 hours before smoking, but it is all personal prefarance.  We have tested 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and 96 hours.  The meat definatly changes a little with extended time in the fridge while the meat is rubbed.  We noticed end product tends to be a little drier with the test briskets sitting for over 48 hours.  We speculate the cause is the salt having extra time to extract more moisture from the meat.  It might be a good idea to smoke or cook the brisket now, then cool it off and keep in the fridge till the new years party.  This way the cooking process will stop the salt from doing its thing and "set" the meat in place.  We have had briskets cooked and held in cooler and as long as the meat was wrapped tightly after cooking reheating it was NEVER an issue.  Most people that smoke brisket will tell you that it is easy to smoke a whole brisket and wrap up portions kept in the fridge and freezer and kept properly and reheated they will taste as good as the day you smoked them.  Just my thoughts....


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## sprky (Dec 26, 2011)

Just my 2 cents. 

If you rub it smoke it with in 24 hours or freeze it. Reason I say this is the salt is going to draw moisture out and you want all you can get in there. I smoked a brisket that had been in fridge rubbed for almost 3 days and it was much dryer. You could inject apple juice or wine before ya smoke to help with the drying out, but doing that will also change the flavor. Another thought on rubbed for almost a week is it may impart more of the rub into the meat and become over powering, I cant say for sure as I have never dont this, however I do have more of a rub taste when i allow my brisket to sit for 24 hours verses 12. Just some food for thought there.


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