Brisket Question

[UncleSpike]

I'm doing a 16 lb brisket on Saturday. My question is about the dry brine. After I apply it, I put it in the fridge for 24+ hours. In the past I've never covered it, but I find that the outside dries out completely. Does it hurt to lightly cover it with a plastic wrap?

[STEbbq]

Not at all. I usually wrap in wrap and foil. Some say it takes more rub off but I haven’t noticed and I usually add more rub if any spots look a bit light before smoking it.

[Loren]

I haven't experienced any differences with wrapping or not when dry brining.

I ended up buying some luggers (big plastic food prep containers) to leave meat in while brining. They also work well when applying rub.

[Mr. Bones]

Meat Lugs.

[HawkerXP]

I believe it was Jerod Broussard who said "If it has skin, you can leave it uncovered. No skin, cover it up." This is what we adhere to.

[UncleSpike]

Ok, thanks. That is what I'll do.

[Jerod Broussard]

UncleSpike yeah, the surfaces of the brisket and skinless wonders get a little too dessicated for my taste. I touch up the skin creatures with oily spray before applying the granular stuff.

[bbqLuv]

Wrap in plastic after dry brine.
Unwrap before cooking,
sip PBR during cooking and mop with Old Crow mop sauce.

[58limited]

Not all fridges are equal so I advise using the methods that your experience dictates. In your case, as advised above, I would wrap. Newer fridges do seem to be dryer inside.

My fridges are all antique - the newest is 1954. They seem to have a moister environment than newer fridges and I haven't had trouble with meat drying out - I've dry brined pork butts and briskets for 48 hours. I even dry brined a 2" ribeye for 48 hours with no problem. Slightly dry surface but no tough skin when cooked and it was very good!

[RustyHaines]

I never cover while dry brining. I'm thinking the new vs. old fridge may be true. Mine is an older fridge (not 1954 old though !) and after a 24 hour dry brine the meat comes out "glistening" and not dried out.

[fracmeister]

I wrap out of a perhaps misplaced sense of caution. I just dont like raw meat touching other surfaces I can't (or don't) routinely clean like maybe the side or bottom of a shelf above the meat in question. I use Saran wrap having had a "lasagna battery" experience once.

[Redwng]

When I dry brine beef I have never covered it in the fridge whether it is a rib roast or a steak but I do put it in a rack to raise it off the platter so air can get all around it and have never had any issues.

[texastweeter]

If just salt, I wrap tightly in plastic wrap. If rub is applied (such as pastrami) I leave uncovered so the rub barks up some. For regular brisket it gets the S as it and plastic treatment, then the salt free rub goes on just before the pit.

[UncleSpike]

Thanks for the responses! Everything turned out great!

[Jerod Broussard]

awesome!!

[Santamarina]

I changed my brisket method after reading Aaron Franklin’s book a few years ago. Brisket is now the only cut I do NOT dry brine.

Brisket gets trimmed, covered with 50/50 mix of coarse kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, and it immediately goes in the pit.

Comes out perfect every time!

[bbqLuv]

Interesting, AAron's videos follow that as well.