Dry Aging Meats

Anybody do this at home? I have a friend whose dad does it consistently, and the result is some of the best steak I've ever had--including Luger's, Charlie's, etc.

He buys whole rib roasts, puts them in the fridge on a cooling rack over a pan, and leaves 'em there at least 10 days, and as long as three weeks. When ready to eat, slice off a steak, trim any really rank bits around the edges, then a little salt and 2 minutes or so on each side on a blazing hot fire. Heaven.

I'm going to give it a shot in the next week or two and will report back; just wondering if any Salonistas are doing this?

Cheers,
John

I wouldn't do it on a smaller cut because the surface area (which you'll lose) is a larger percentage of the whole cut than with a whole animal as it's traditionally done. Between lost water and stuff you trim, aging a roast might cost you 25-30% of the total weight you started out with on a small cut. I'm sure it would still be good, though.

If you want to go the dry aged route, most butchers will age a half for you before cutting it up. You'll get the benefits of aging without as much waste.

If the temperature cooperates during deer season we often dry age the meat by hanging the carcasses whole. You lose some water weight and a little has to be trimmed off, but I do think it makes the prime cuts better.

I'll put a thick cut ribeye, seasoned with salt and pepper on top of a small rack/plate on the top shelf of the fridge for about an hour.

It's not exactly dry aged but the surface area dries out and the crust you get over a high heat grill is amazing.

I've had aged beef though and it's worth the extra sometimes.

I dampen my aging meat as often as is feasible.

P.o.t.d.

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Originally Posted by davids

i dampen my aging meat as often as is feasible.

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somehow i knew that was going to happen...

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Originally Posted by WadePatton

somehow i knew that was going to happen...

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I was giggling like a girl before I even opened this thread.

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Originally Posted by chasea

I was giggling like a girl before I even opened this thread.

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fixed it. mebbe. men will be boys fer sure--that's the fun part of being one.



and yes, aging meats is rarely a bad thing-but adds time=money to production meats.

as stated above, wx permitting large game is left to hang. if i were buying sides of beef or pork, i'd want it aged.

however the real trick to de-gaming venison is fresh-water soaking. i'll start a thread on that when i get my main keyboard back up.

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Originally Posted by rydesteel

I'll put a thick cut ribeye, seasoned with salt and pepper on top of a small rack/plate on the top shelf of the fridge for about an hour.

It's not exactly dry aged but the surface area dries out and the crust you get over a high heat grill is amazing.

I've had aged beef though and it's worth the extra sometimes.

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Try flipping it every twelve hours for a day or two .... that's the Bitman method

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Originally Posted by caleb

I wouldn't do it on a smaller cut because the surface area (which you'll lose) is a larger percentage of the whole cut than with a whole animal as it's traditionally done. Between lost water and stuff you trim, aging a roast might cost you 25-30% of the total weight you started out with on a small cut. I'm sure it would still be good, though.

If you want to go the dry aged route, most butchers will age a half for you before cutting it up. You'll get the benefits of aging without as much waste.

If the temperature cooperates during deer season we often dry age the meat by hanging the carcasses whole. You lose some water weight and a little has to be trimmed off, but I do think it makes the prime cuts better.

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Agree 100%

As growing up in the grocery business i learned many things and one of my favorites was working n the meat department with the cutters a learning the tricks of the trade.
steak house and meat markets (not the ones me and MaineMike frequent) dry age their beef as whole cuts. meaning the entire "roast" or loin then as the appropriate dates allow, steaks are then cut once the crust is removed.
doing it in a refrigerator at home totally freaks me out, because unless you can perfectly control your humidity levels you aren't really dry aging anything.

enjoy, but also be careful