Smoking a 14 Lb Brisket overnight Friday. To freeze or not to freeze.

[gporter85]

I am planning on smoking a Brisket overnight Friday for a party Saturday afternoon.  I have done this before with brisket and pork butts with great success.  Only problem is I bought the brisket the 12th and it says cook by the 18th.  Friday is the 21st.  

If I trim and rub the brisket tomorrow with enough salt will that preserve it the extra 3 days?  

Or

Am i better off Freezing tonight until Thursday night?

The brisket is being kept in the bottom of my beer fridge.  Which is not opened much and is very cold 35-37 degrees.

 

[ken2587]

It's been in my personal experience and can't speak for every one else but package on meats etc has to have a sell buy or good by date on it I learned from my neighbor that it doesn't mean much if your gonna use in near future and I can agree with that I have had meats I've cooked / smoker week maybe week Or two past sell good by date and never had any flavor diffrence or smell or anything like that beef will sometimes start to loose color but still nothing I've ever worried about even with example of burger meat in the plastic trays with the sealed plastic on top I use to work for a place that made the machines to package all them products and they use to put think it was a nitrogen air into the pack before sealing to help keep color so people would still buy the product up to 2 weeks after packing and shelfed but that's neither here nor there in my opinion again not every one else's I wouldn't freeze I think you'll be good to go

 

[SmokinAl]

If the brisket is in the original cryovac packaging, then it's good well past the cook by date.

Even if it's been repackaged, a couple of extra days in the fridge won't hurt.

Al