Question About a Brisket Purchase...

castlepines · 09-26-2013, 10:14 AM

So, I've been feeling a little cocky lately about my smoking skills. After having a couple successes with my first two butts I've decided to do an "end-around" and move up to a brisket. I stopped at Walmart just for S's and G's and they happened to have a good sized (just shy of 16lbs) beef brisket on sale. Normally it's $2.38/lbs but was marked down to $1.67/lbs with the caveat that it must sold by 9/27. It's USDA select, not prime, but it's my first brisket so I didn't want to break the bank on it.

I will be out of town this weekend but am thinking about cooking this beast either on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday of this week. I don't want to freeze it only to thaw it a short time later if I don't have to. I'm wondering how long after the "sell by" date this thing will be good for if I just leave it in the fridge without freezing it. Thoughts?

daninnewjersey · 09-26-2013, 10:18 AM

Cook it on Sunday......

boaz65 · 09-26-2013, 10:36 AM

+1, do it on Sunday bro

SmittyJonz · 09-26-2013, 10:50 AM

It'd be good a week later ......besides Smoke fixes bad meats......

There was just an article put out the other day on the a Yahoo or somewhere on how much Good Food Americans waste because of those dates.

Ron_L · 09-26-2013, 10:59 AM

It will probably be fine for a few days, but unless you know how Walmart assigned that sell by date, or know the date that the brisket was originally packed, you can't tell for sure.

Bludawg · 09-26-2013, 11:23 AM

A little age is a good thing and don't be so fast to belittle a Select,they cook up just fine if it don't it aint the cows fault

. Some of the very best briskets I have ever cooked have been graded Select.

Okie Sawbones · 09-26-2013, 11:30 AM

Sell by, or best by dates are just suggestions. Most products last considerably longer. Great price!

sliding_billy · 09-26-2013, 12:29 PM

You will be fine. Is there a packed date on it?

Grillman · 09-26-2013, 02:12 PM

It seems that most people still don't know that Beef is very different than
Poultry and Pork. Poultry and Pork will go bad fairly quick, and should be eaten
as fresh as possible. Beef goes "bad" much differently. Beef is best when it has
been aged, this improves its flavor and makes it more tender too.

Whenever I buy Beef, I plan to cook it 4 or 5 days AFTER the "use by date".
So wait until Tuesday or Wednesday to cook that Brisket. This way it has
a little time to age, and will give you better flavor and tenderness.

bignburlyman · 09-26-2013, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmittyJonz

It'd be good a week later ......besides Smoke fixes bad meats......

There was just an article put out the other day on the a Yahoo or somewhere on how much Good Food Americans waste because of those dates.

Here is an article I just read today regarding this. I agree beef is the most forgiving on aging time, I once left a brisket in the fridge for 6 weeks and it cooked up awesome.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-livin...190200241.html

retired trucker · 09-26-2013, 04:09 PM

I cooked lots of Wal Mart select briskets with fantastic results long before I knew about any other grade of brisket. I thought that a brisket was a brisket. The going price for Wal Mart briskets was $.99 lb for years on sale. I guess that dates me, but it wasn't too many years ago that you could still get one on sale for that price.

Blessings,
Omar

castlepines · 09-26-2013, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sliding_billy

You will be fine. Is there a packed date on it?

No pack date listed and I didn't ask.

The next issue is that the brisket is just a little bit longer than my 18.5 WSM. Would you rather put something in the middle underneath it to allow it to bend or would you fold part of the flat underneath it to allow it all to fit?

sliding_billy · 09-27-2013, 02:20 AM

Put something under it. It will start shrinking up soon enough.

mikeleonard81 · 09-27-2013, 03:12 AM

I've seen people fold it on their post here.

mikeleonard81 · 09-27-2013, 03:12 AM

I've seen people fold it on their post here.

09-26-2013, 10:14 AM	#1
castlepines is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-23-13 Location: Colorado	Question About a Brisket Purchase... So, I've been feeling a little cocky lately about my smoking skills. After having a couple successes with my first two butts I've decided to do an "end-around" and move up to a brisket. I stopped at Walmart just for S's and G's and they happened to have a good sized (just shy of 16lbs) beef brisket on sale. Normally it's $2.38/lbs but was marked down to $1.67/lbs with the caveat that it must sold by 9/27. It's USDA select, not prime, but it's my first brisket so I didn't want to break the bank on it. I will be out of town this weekend but am thinking about cooking this beast either on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday of this week. I don't want to freeze it only to thaw it a short time later if I don't have to. I'm wondering how long after the "sell by" date this thing will be good for if I just leave it in the fridge without freezing it. Thoughts?

09-26-2013, 10:18 AM	#2
daninnewjersey Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-01-11 Location: Southern NJ...exit 36	Cook it on Sunday...... __________________ Proud owner of 4 VERY ugly drum smokers....and a Greasy Hill reverse flow....

09-26-2013, 10:36 AM	#3
boaz65 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-23-13 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	+1, do it on Sunday bro __________________ "Just keepin' it GRILL"....on an Ugly Drum Smoker!

09-26-2013, 10:50 AM	#4
SmittyJonz somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-17-13 Location: Burleson Tx	It'd be good a week later ......besides Smoke fixes bad meats...... There was just an article put out the other day on the a Yahoo or somewhere on how much Good Food Americans waste because of those dates. __________________ NO Such Thing as Over Smoked - just Over Dirty Smoked.............

09-26-2013, 10:59 AM	#5
Ron_L Moderator Join Date: 12-09-04 Location: Wandering, but not lost Name/Nickname : Captain Ron	It will probably be fine for a few days, but unless you know how Walmart assigned that sell by date, or know the date that the brisket was originally packed, you can't tell for sure. __________________ "Ron Rico, Boss. You can call me Captain Ron..." Naked Fatties Rock! PKGo X 2/PK360/Weber Q1000/Blackstone Camping Griddle/Pit Boss Pro Series 850

09-26-2013, 11:23 AM	#6
Bludawg somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-04-09 Location: Jonesboro,Tx	A little age is a good thing and don't be so fast to belittle a Select,they cook up just fine if it don't it aint the cows fault. Some of the very best briskets I have ever cooked have been graded Select. __________________ I'm a Proxy Vegetarian> Cows eat grass & I eat cows.

09-26-2013, 11:30 AM	#7
Okie Sawbones Banned Join Date: 09-03-13 Location: Edgewood, TX	Sell by, or best by dates are just suggestions. Most products last considerably longer. Great price! __________________ My cooking family - 48" Jambo Pit Clone, Blaz'n Grill Works Gridiron Pellet, Primo XL Ceramic, Weber 22", Lynx 36" SS Grill PNWBA - CBJ, KCBS - CBJ DAV, VFW Cooking BBQ since 1971, seriously cooking BBQ since 1996, when I read Smoke and Spice.

09-26-2013, 12:29 PM	#8
sliding_billy somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-27-13 Location: Princeton, TX Name/Nickname : )	You will be fine. Is there a packed date on it?

09-26-2013, 02:12 PM	#9
Grillman is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-05-09 Location: Aurora, Colo.	It seems that most people still don't know that Beef is very different than Poultry and Pork. Poultry and Pork will go bad fairly quick, and should be eaten as fresh as possible. Beef goes "bad" much differently. Beef is best when it has been aged, this improves its flavor and makes it more tender too. Whenever I buy Beef, I plan to cook it 4 or 5 days AFTER the "use by date". So wait until Tuesday or Wednesday to cook that Brisket. This way it has a little time to age, and will give you better flavor and tenderness.

09-26-2013, 04:09 PM	#11
retired trucker is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-28-11 Location: Dallas, Georgia	I cooked lots of Wal Mart select briskets with fantastic results long before I knew about any other grade of brisket. I thought that a brisket was a brisket. The going price for Wal Mart briskets was $.99 lb for years on sale. I guess that dates me, but it wasn't too many years ago that you could still get one on sale for that price. Blessings, Omar __________________ Webber 22 1/2 OTG Gold, UDS, rusted out chimney, Red Lavatools Thermowand, Maverick ET 732, 1950 model wife. Walking cane to help me get around.

09-27-2013, 02:20 AM	#13
sliding_billy somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-27-13 Location: Princeton, TX Name/Nickname : )	Put something under it. It will start shrinking up soon enough.

09-27-2013, 03:12 AM	#14
mikeleonard81 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-11-12 Location: kettering. ohio	I've seen people fold it on their post here.