Brisket sell by date

[Red Man]

So I finally got a Costco membership, pretty much just for the brisket and other bbq type cuts of meat. I hadn’t gotten it sooner because I’d heard my Costco didn’t have prime packers. Big thanks to rodkeary for letting me know they have them! $3.29/lb, I’m super excited about it! So... on to my question. The sell by date on all the prime packers they had was 10/31, pack date is blank. I don’t want to cook it for two weeks, so that’ll be a week and a half past the sell by date. What’s the opinion of the pit on whether I should worry about smoking it in two weeks?

[Oakgrovebacon]

Keep it in original cryovac package in fridge and you will be good. You are wet aging. Some people store to age them up to 60 days.

[Red Man]

Thanks. I know I can wet age for a while, i just don’t know how long it’s already been wet aged at Costco, that’s why I was a little concerned.

[Jerod Broussard]

You could probably go at least 40 days beyond the sell by and still be fine.

[Red Man]

Sweet, thanks! I knew I’d probably be fine, just wanted a little confirmation from the experts.

[JGo37]

I always have a plan, have a schedule, and then life happens. You're going to absolutely OK.

[Huskee]

Next time you see that just ring the bell and ask the butchers when the pack date was. They *should* be able to tell you. At the very least they'll tell you *a* date and you won't know the difference, lol.

But yes, when wet aging cryovaced briskets, pay no attention to the sell-by date, I believe that's simply a formality that they have to put on all perishables, but it doesn't apply here. Age as planned in a fridge under 40 degrees.

[Huskee]

I would typically shoot for 30 days, because "a month" just seemed like a good timeframe to me. Jerod mentioned going 40 or more, which I was nervous about even though I completely trust him.

Then just a few months ago on April 12th I bought a 6lb flat from a local grocery store and this thing was dark red and the juice looked like Merolt and it was floppier'n a wet towel. I asked the packed on date and was told it was February 2nd (remembered that because it's my wedding anniversary). I'm no math whiz but I calculated over 2 months (it was 69 days). I was VERY nervous. I even asked if it was no good could I bring it back, "of course" they said.

That was the single most memorable flat-only I've ever eaten. It was like Wagyu (but it was just a plain-Jane Choice). Can't say I have the guts to wet age my next packer 69 days, but, assuming I was told correctly, 69 days was puuuurfect.