How fresh is to fresh

[lanning6@ameritech.net]

I have found a place that I can get Brisket 1 day from the Hoof and wanted to know if that would be too fresh to use for competitions.

 

[earache_my_eye]

Beef is best if it is aged. Ideally you want about 21 days or more of aging in a refrigerator. Keep the fridge pretty cold....33-36 degrees.... and keep the meat well wrapped with plastic wrap, if it isn't cryovac packed.

I remember finding an article on the web a while back about dry aging beef....that would give you much more flavor, but I'm not sure what it would do for a piece of meat that is headed for a smoker....might make it drier since that method pulls moisture out of the meat to intensify flavor.

Hope this helps,
Eric

 

[yankeerob]

that's what the pros do. They do it weeks before. The theory is it makes the meat more tender as the tissues break down. I talked my butcher into doing this for me in his cooler.

-rob

 

[white cloud]

The dry aging also helps to draw water ( tasteles ) from the meat. I do prime rib like that for the holidays and in about a weeks time it loses about 30% of its weight. But I don'y wrap in plastic, I lay the meat on and cover with paper towels and change them a couple times a day. I seen it on Alton Brown.

 

[fatback joe]

Make sure you check with the organization you are competing in. Some expect to you show that it was inspected (label on the packaging) or a receipt from a butcher. I am sure you could come up with something to satisfy the meat inspectors, just check a head of time. It would suck to show up at a comp with a nice piece of beef and not be able to pass inspection.

Edit - I re read your post and think I missunderstood the first go around. I thought you were bringing your own meat from your own cow. Buying it should be good, but I would age it a bit as suggested.