2nd 60-Day Dry-Aged Brisket

[mneeley490]

Last time I made this, I started with a 15+ lb. brisket, and I ended up losing about 50% after the dry aging and the trimming. The upside was that it didn't loose much more during the cook. Taste was fantastic, but it didn't last long.
This time around, I found myself a 23.27 lb prime packer at Costco. Yes, it's bigger than the lid of a standard garbage can. Hopefully that will suffice. Seems like it's got a 3 week wet-aging head start, too. That should be interesting. Using the UMAI brisket bag this time, and it barely fit inside. I'm timing it for smoking on Halloween.

See you in 61 days!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Interesting. Grandpa dry aged Sides of Beef for 6 weeks before cutting. I've not had 60 day. How's the Funk Factor?...JJ

 

[mneeley490]

Going by my first and only one, not a whiff. Smelled a little like beef jerky before I trimmed it. Here's a link to the previous one:
Clicky!

 

[chilerelleno]

I'm in.

 

[Brokenhandle]

happy Halloween!

Ryan

 

[SmokinAl]

Well I bet it will be awesome!
The brisket I aged was too small & after the trim I ended grinding it up & making Reuben brats. Looking forward to seeing how yours turns out!
Al

 

[mneeley490]

Well, tonight's the night. I was busy yesterday, so officially this is a 61 day brisket.
Tonight I trimmed and seasoned with EAT Barbecue The Most Powerful Rub.

Forgot to weigh it tonight. I'll do that before I put it in the smoker tomorrow.

 

[mneeley490]

Okay, we're about 4 hours in now. My GMG Daniel Boone has been giving me some trouble this morning with maintaining temps. First, it didn't want to get near 250°, and now I'm having minor trouble keeping it at 250° or below. I think the auger was stuck, but it's broke loose now.
I have it set for 200° right now, but the fans don't seem to want to turn off as much as they usually do. I have a welding blanket over the top to try to keep in heat, and a water pan inside to keep the temps steady. Seems to be okay for the moment; it's in the 230's-240's.
So I'm using a mixture of Lumberjack hickory, mesquite, and apple blend, and spritzing with apple juice every so often.

The big piece is at 165°, and judging by last time, there won't be much of a stall , if any.

I love the way the dry aging keeps the meat this nice, mahogany color.

Small piece that was trimmed is at 190°, and it'll be lunch.

 

[mneeley490]

Well I bet it will be awesome!
The brisket I aged was too small & after the trim I ended grinding it up & making Reuben brats. Looking forward to seeing how yours turns out!
Al

Al, I think the trick is to get a big one to start with. I still forgot to weigh this, but even after moisture loss and trimming, I'm guessing it is still in the 15-16 lb. range.
When smoking a fresh brisket, I usually count on close to a 50% weight loss by the time it's done. Having already shed some moisture, these don't shrink as much in the smoker.

 

[mneeley490]

Success! Smokey, juicy, beefiness! Ended up taking 9 hours to become probe-tender at 203°, and my wife said the bark was like "beef candy". Indeed, it was the best part.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Man that looks good! Nice job!

Ryan

 

[chilerelleno]

Looks pretty darned good to me.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Damn that looks good man! Was it worth it in the end?

 

[mneeley490]

Damn that looks good man! Was it worth it in the end?

I think so, yes. You just have to find a monster sized brisket to start with, so there's enough to go around. You get a more beefy flavor with plenty of moisture in the finished product. And that bark was to die for!