Why dry age beef

The third change that occurs to meat during the drying process is moisture loss. A dry-aged piece of beef can lose a third of its initial volume in water loss, which concentrates its flavor. Most of this moisture loss occurs in the outer layer of the meat, which is trimmed off after the drying process and for preparation before cooking. Though it may weigh less after the drying process than wet-aged beef, or meat you find in the grocery store, the result is a premium cut of meat that is much more flavorful and tender.

The conditions necessary for dry-aging meat require spacious facilities and expensive refrigeration equipment where slabs of beef can hang and the temperature can be monitored and carefully controlled.

Therefore dry-aged beef is typically only found in specialty steak houses and butcher shops, or available through specialty providers such as Rafter W Ranch. Between the involved process of dry-aging meat and the tender, flavor-filled result, dry-aged meat comes at a premium price that is reflected in every enjoyable bite. Call the Farm! This fridge is slightly cheaper than the Edgestar but still has a glass door. Obviously there are even more budget options, but here are some things to watch out for.

The good news is, ensuring you have adequate circulation is easy, and cheap. Just add a standalone fan. I chose this one — it was cheap, the perfect size for my fridge and offers swivel of the fan head.

I actually placed my fan on a sheet pan to catch any meat drips for easy cleaning , and angled the fan to face straight up towards the shelves. Too much humidity can lead to spoilage, with bacteria growth producing nasty odors and also spoiled flavor. If humidity is too low, excess product shrinkage will occur, and drying too quickly can compromise the integrity of the muscle structure, creating gaps and air pockets. For example, in the winter, you would simply ensure that your fridge is stocked to capacity, so the water within the fresh also called green product would contribute to humidity.

If you do live in an area where you will be dealing with extremely dry or moist air, you will need a humidity control on your fridge. Although not cheap, the simplest solution is to look for a wine fridge that has this feature. I have mine set to 37f, just to account for any potential inaccuracies in the built in thermostat.

The sweet spot is f. Anything above 40f will lead to faster spoilage and oxidization… aka rancidity. When I discovered the concept of dry age fridge inoculation, it kind of blew my mind. I had never considered it before, yet it was so obvious! Much like a sourdough needs a starter, or salami requires introduced mold cultures, your dry aging fridge will benefit from being inoculated by an already dried piece of meat. And my fridge was started off by a 70 day old strip shell from the CAB facility, with DeBragga provenance.

This may require you to trace down some online options or try to negotiate with your local dry age purveyor. Well, nothing bad. You can still start your own fridge off, but the microclimate will just take far longer to develop. So, your meat will be tender and slightly more intensified, but will lack the funkiness of a mature dry aging facility. Mold in dry aging is like terroir. In winemaking, terroir refers to the hyperlocal environmental conditions that form the unique flavor and aroma profiles in the wines.

So each region, sometimes down to the different vineyard plots, has its own unique terroir. The mold in your fridge will be influenced by what is locally present in the atmosphere where you live. For example — even though CAB in Ohio got their starter meat from New Jersey, it will have evolved over time to account for the local bacteria that can be found there. Not to mention the bacteria on the various humans handling the meat and opening the door. My fridge will be another evolution of that mold again, with a Texas twist being added into the Ohio hybrid.

This is also the reason you want to make sure not to put any additional items in your dry aging fridge, and to keep the door closed as much as possible. Black mold is bad, folks. Thus suggesting, whether to mold or not mold is up to personal preference. I like getting funky. There are important two factors you need to consider when approaching the preparation and cooking stage: palatibility and food safety. The rind does not soften during the cooking process and so needs to be removed.

The times differ at this point, depending on your preference of temperature: blue, rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, or well-done. The resting time is about ten minutes. Two things are important to remember at this point! Sign up now for exclusive access to weekly deals, special offers and recipes.

Email Address. Sign Up Now. Follow Us On Instagram. Say cheese! It all started with an investment in herself. After life-saving GI surgery, Alysa healed her condition for good with homemade bone broth. Now, the FOND founder is sharing her incredible soup with the world. To make matters worse, all of the options in stores at the time were bland!

From there, I added synergistic combinations like turmeric and black pepper to make a bone broth that was — dare I say it — yummy enough to drink all on its own! Thanksgiving will be here before you know it.