Accidentally wet-aged my brisket 60 days! What to do?

[wcpreston]

I have no idea how this happened, but I just found out I accidentally wet-aged a brisket for 60 days. I threw it in the freezer yesterday, but not before realizing it had a packing date of 9/30!

Based on other posts I've seen, I'm guessing the advice from the group will be, "open it up and it smells god-awful, throw it out. Other than that, you should be fine."

AMIRIT?

[RonB]

I think some here have gone longer. Give it the smell test and if it passes, you should be fine.

[Loren]

Give it the smell test, it shouldn't be a big issue though.

if it is not nasty, then smoke it and take lots of pictures!

[Steve R.]

Really though, even if it is nasty he could still smoke it and take lots of pictures. We'd never know the difference.

[FireMan]

Yeah smell test then use a really big towel, a real thick one. It’ll probably be good.

[Panhead John]

Was there a "use or freeze by" date on it also?

[wcpreston]

No, there was just a "sell by" date, which is 10/7 LOL

[Huskee]

I intentionally go 60-70 days. You're fine! You should accidentally cook it before it freezes! Don't overthink the smell test, if there's a bit of 'locker room funk' that's ok, it shoudl dissipate, it's called "cryovac stink" and it's normal. If it screams of summertime roadkill and makes you sick, toss it, or if the bag is swelling, toss it. But at 60 days in the proper temp fridge (<39) you should be mighty fine and it may even be the best brisket you've made.

[Huskee]

Oak Smoke twice i've had bad experiences going over 70 days. Once at 80 it was swelled up tight and had spoiled. Another time at about 75 days it smelled strong of Parmesan cheese. Wasn't bad, was just very odd and pungent, and I was concerned. Cooked it anyway, and it had a sharp taste like Parmesan or Gorgonzola but it was perfectly edible.

[wcpreston]

@Huskee

Well alrighty, then! Too late on the freezing bit, though. I threw it in there faster than I could think once I saw that date. LOL.

[Huskee]

wcpreston Well if the bag wasn't swelled at all when you froze it, then at least you have the reassurance knowing it's a good brisket for when the time comes!

[wcpreston]

BTW... it came out perfectly. And yes, I forgot to take pics AGAIN.

[Loren]

Omg! Consider this your last before third from secondly prewarning 🤣

Glad to hear it turned out great!!

[Panhead John]

Funny! 😂

[Huskee]

Love to say "I told you so" in a case like this!

[FireMan]

He’s alive, he’s alive! 🕶

[wcpreston]

OH, and one other funny thing about this cook.

I cut the brisket in half right at the end of the point and wrapped up the flat for the fridge. I then sliced up the point (and leftover flat piece) for me, my wife, and our two guests. We had our fill of this 13 lb (after trimming) brisket and there as a ton of beautiful meat there. No one could eat anymore, so I wrapped it up in aluminum foil in the paper plate to pop in the fridge.

My wife is filipina, and their culture is everyone has to go home w/a plate of food. Without asking me, she sent our two guests home with probably 3 lbs of sliced point - leaving us w/the sliced off flat.

THEY BETTER EAT IT.

[Dr. Pepper]

Reminds me of the time good friends (Don and Sue) had us over for dinner and I brought a bottle of Cayuse Syrah from Walla Walla, WA. Sue, who doesn't drink, poured 4 6 oz pours for guests we didn't know at the other end of the table. Emptied the bottle before I knew it. Don never got a sip. (BTW, did you check on the two guests to see if they had botulism poisoning the next day?)

[Huskee]

Dr. Pepper that stinks!! My wife emptied a bottle of a store pick/barrel pick bourbon I was saving to sip on as the mood struck by using it in making Old Fashioneds for some guests who weren't even crazy about the drinks after the fact. She essentially wasted the rest of my bottle. I felt like that old guy trying to smile in the "Hide Your Pain Harold" meme.