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Formula for Identifying Pack date on briskets?

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GoooDawgs
GoooDawgs Posts: 1,060
in EggHead Forum
I've been having a lot more success with briskets now that I've been wet aging them at least 2 weeks.  I have one now that I was planning to cook this weekend that has been in the fridge in cryo for 3 weeks  that I got at Costco. 

The "sell by" date is Feb 22nd, but I know all that really matters is the pack date since it has remained refrigerated and in cryo the whole time.   

I have to push the cook out one more week, so this will be my new record of wet-aging at 4 weeks total.  

Is there any way to determine what the pack date is if we know the sell by date?  I don't want this to really be a 7 or 8 week wet-age if it was packed in January - especially since this is for guest and I never gamble with food safety. 

I know some competition folks will wet-age 45 days, so I assume it's fine, but of course want to get the experts' opinions here. 

Thanks! 
Milton, GA 
XL BGE & FB300
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  • Chris8938
    Chris8938 Posts: 156
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    I wet aged a ribeye roast for 32 days and it was very good.  No problems what so ever.  Obviously, make sure the protein stayed under 40 degrees and I believe you will not have any problems.  Have a great cook!
    XL BGE, Lg BGE, MiniMax BGE, Mini BGE

    Appleton, WI 
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    GoooDawgs said:
    Is there any way to determine what the pack date is if we know the sell by date?  
    No, there is not. Why?  First, the “sell by date” is simply a best guess estimation on part of the packing plant. Not an exacting standard. Second, there is no exact packing standard that lays out guidelines for expiration dates that one could use to back track from sell by date to packing date. 
    With the above said, there is a “sell by date” calculator used by most places to come up with the theoretical sell by date. The data used is as follows:
    Temp of Meat at time of packing. 
    Temp of environment at time of packing. 
    Time exposed to above 40 Degrees before packing. 
    Time exposed to above 40 Degrees after packing. 
    Time exposed to below 40 degrees before, during and after packing. 
    The calculater is used as a guide. More often than not, most meat, beef in particular, has atleast 1/3 shelf life left after the sell by date as long as it has been properly wrapped and kept cool. 
    But to sum it up, there is no way to calculate the packing date down to the day by using the sell by date. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • GoooDawgs
    GoooDawgs Posts: 1,060
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    @stlcharcoal didn't you mention you guys do a minimum 45 day wet age on briskets?   
    Milton, GA 
    XL BGE & FB300
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
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    GoooDawgs said:
    @stlcharcoal didn't you mention you guys do a minimum 45 day wet age on briskets?   
    Most competitors in the STL BBQ society swear by it.  Some will take it out of the cryo half way through, wash it off, let it sit on the counter for 6-8 hrs, then shrinkwrap it back up......and do that again the following weekend.  Then pull it around the 43rd day (2 days before the comp) and start the injections and rubs.

    For me, I buy one when I'm at costco, then smoke it whenever I want brisket.
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