USDA says 5 days but that is a guideline. At 6 days that meat is not suddenly a toxic waste land. Second, the USDA assumes people are idiots with refers running at 40° and kids that stare in for an hour deciding what to eat. A 36° refer, back of the bottom shelf will hold meat very cold, if not partially freeze it. This to gives some wiggle room. Third, Rub contains Sugar and Salt as well as Blk Pepper, and Chile powder. These all have antibacterial properties that inhibit growth if not kill bacteria. Think Prosciutto or Country Ham. Raw pork rubbed in salt with or without sugar and spices, hung at 40-50° for months to years. So Rubbed, wrapped and in the back, bottom shelf of a, best case, little used refer for 6-7 days should be no issue. This is of course, barring the meat was mishandled, 2 hours in a 100° car getting home from the butcher.
Freezing a couple of days is fine as well. But...watch your timing! You gain nothing if you forget to pull the meat to defrost 3-4 days out slowly in the refer, and have to put it on the counter or water to defrost it.
Myth...Salting meat too long before cooking dries it out.
Yes and No...Yes salt sucks moisture and a pool of juice forms but this is only an issue over a short time. For best result, Salt meat immediately, seconds, before cooking, or salt an hour or more out, wrap or bag it. In the first case you get seasoning only. Salting way ahead is called Dry Brining. The salt draws and combines with the meat juices, but, it is reabsorbed over time, result in flavorful, tenderizes meat that actually Holds its juiciness better than meat that is not salted. Salting, Rubbing, etc, an hour or more out result in a better more juicy product than just Salting or Rubbing while the smoker heats up. Good luck...JJ
