Wet aging brisket?

GrateEggspectations

caliking said:

Foghorn said:

Best brisket I've ever cooked sat in my fridge 2 weeks. It was a Creekstone prime. I've cooked one other Creekstone prime - the day after I bought it. It wasn't as good. Probably just coincidence. 

,GrateEggspectations said:

Just did a two month wet-aged AAA brisket that turned out fantastically. Brisket was noticeably more moist (i.e., jiggly!) than the same variety that I had not aged. Will definitely do again. 

Any noticeable  difference in flavor? Or just texture?

Not sure I can speak to flavour, as I anticipate every brisket is different and there was no control group in my experiment. While it tasted great, I don't remember thinking that it was inherently better than others I'd had. I didn't notice. 

The texture is where I did notice a huge difference. I could tell the brisket was going to be great when I removed it from the grill and immediately felt an enormous amount of give in the meat. I have never before had a brisket be that beautifully gelatinous - even though I generally buy from the same distributor and of the same grade. This alone would be reason enough for me to repeat the process.

GoldenQ

Who cares?   Brisket is always good and each has its own taste/texture/cook time ETC.     Just keep cooking them.

caliking

I'm sort of expecting that the texture may he softer, but the flavor may not be that much different. Provided I don't screw up cooking it.

FearlessTheEggNoob

Another week later and this is what my packer looks like. Lots of small bubbles. Opened it up and took a whiff. Smelled like raw hamburger at the freeze or cook stage.

Foghorn

Interestingly, as I was helping a competition cooker prep some select briskets yesterday for hurricane relief we started talking about brisket quality.  He said that for both home and competition use he prefers to wet age his briskets for 60 days.  He said that he puts a brisket or two into the refrigerator every couple of weeks and writes the date on it, because after 60 days even a select brisket tastes better than any fresh brisket that you can buy at any price.  But you have to leave the fat side up.

FearlessTheEggNoob

60 days seems like a long time. This one is probably somewhere around 30. It could be all in my mind, but it does seem more flexible than when I first handled it.

caliking

FearlessTheEggNoob said:

60 days seems like a long time. This one is probably somewhere around 30. It could be all in my mind, but it does seem more flexible than when I first handled it.

have you cooked it yet?

@Foghorn I flipped mine so it is fat side up now. I'm going to let it ride for another week. Maybe two. May try a 60day wet age depending on what the outcome is. 

FearlessTheEggNoob

I seasoned it last night, going on later this evening.

Foghorn

I'll be curious to see how they both turn out. 

lousubcap

@Foghorn - I get the fat side up suggestion as you want the aging to occur on the protein not the fat.  I have never gone past around two weeks and as I mentioned earlier, I didn't get a wow factor but without side-by-side.  Definitely didn't hurt.  

FearlessTheEggNoob

The bark was somewhat lacking and I overslept so I think I pulled it a bit past it's prime, but overall it was very tasty, tender and well received.


oh yeah, no stomach distress whatsoever.

FearlessTheEggNoob

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I have forgotten briskets for 60 days. They are fine (if still in uncompromised cryo)

caliking

FearlessTheEggNoob said:

Nice! Looking forward to this.

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

I have forgotten briskets for 60 days. They are fine (if still in uncompromised cryo)

That helps to put things in persepective. I'll try a 60 day wet-age after this.