45 Day Dry Aged Brisket Experiment

The process of dry aging beef is one that goes all the way back to the caveman days.  Fortunately for us, we have UMAI dry aging bags to help us with the process and make our lives much more simple.  Gone are the days of needing expensive dry age refrigerators and all kinds of special equipment.  This process could not be more simple and yet, it produces fantastic results.  That nutty flavor from dry aged beef is something that many try to achieve with mixed results.  Now, it is available to anyone with very little cost and no experience necessary! You will be as amazed as we were!

Directions:

1. Remove one UMAI Dry Aging Bag from the package, unfold it and fold the top down 3 times, like the cuffs of a shirt.
2. Cut open the flat side of the brisket package and drain all of the fluids.  After it is drained, place the open end of the brisket bag inside of the UMAI bag.  Squeeze the brisket out of its original packaging and into the dry age bag.
3. Place the bag into the vacuum sealer at an angle to seal as much of it as possible.  The entire opening will not fit in a normal sized vacuum sealer.  Seal that corner, then take it out, insert the VacMouse (included with the bags) in the other corner and seal it, making sure the sealing seams overlap one another.  NOTE** all of the air will NOT come out.  The bags are designed to breathe so you will never get 100% of the air out.  You want to reach 75% of the meats surface being in contact with the plastic.
4. Slide the sealer one inch away from the seal and make a second seal, again sealing twice in that position and cooling completely.
5.  Place the brisket on a wire rack with the fat cap up.  It is recommended to age your beef in your regular kitchen refrigerator set at 33-40°.   Place it on its own shelf with the rack at least 1” off of the shelf so that air can easily flow all around it.  An often-opened refrigerator is preferred as this will help release moisture from the meat.  
6. Do not move the meat for the first week as the bond between meat surface and the bag is fragile.  It will take 7-10 days to fully bond.  
7. Age for 21-35+ days.  We did 45.
8. Once the meat is done aging, remove it from the plastic and trim off and discard the dark, waxy bark (about ¼”).
9. Fill your grill with FOGO Super Premium Charcoal and prepare it for Indirect Smoking at 250°. 
10.  Combine the kosher salt and pepper using an 60/40 mixture of Pepper/salt.  Coat the entire brisket with the seasoning.
11. Add your smoking chunks just prior to putting the meat on the grill.
12. Set the brisket, fat side up on the Drip-n-Griddle pan and fill the pan with water or broth.  Insert the Meater+ in the thickest part of the brisket flat and set it for 165°.  Place the pan in the center of the grill and close the dome.  Smoke the brisket until the thermometer alarms at 165°.  If you are satisfied with the bark, set the Meater+ for 195°, wrap the brisket in pink butchers’ paper and continue cooking until the brisket hits 195°. ** If you feel the bark needs more color, let it cook unwrapped until it reaches the desired color, then wrap it.
13. When the brisket hits 195°, start checking for doneness.  It is done when a probe slides in with no resistance whatsoever.
14. When it is done, remove it from the smoker and rest it in a cooler or Cambro for a minimum of one hour, longer if possible.
15. Remove the brisket from the paper and slice it ¼” thick, making sure to slice across the grain.