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Table of Contents
Can you dry age beef in a mini fridge?
Unless your refrigerator is odor-free, a mini fridge is the best possible option. A fan. To promote drying of the surface and even aging, you want to stick a fan inside your fridge to keep air circulating. This works in much the same way as a convection oven, promoting more even cooling and humidity all around.
What is a Himalayan salt fridge?
Our Himalayan Salt Wall Fridge reduces excess moisture out of the meat through the chamber’s salty atmosphere. As a result, air humidity is lowered, and in turn, the meat conveys its moisture into the air.
Can I age meat in my fridge?
Simple: Aging steak in the fridge is useful if you do it for a minimum of half a day, but only to aid in browning. Aging any longer than that will do nothing more than add a nice, stale-refrigerator aroma to your meat.
Can you use a wine fridge to dry age meat?
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.
Himalayan Salt Fridge
How do you turn a fridge into a cheese cave?
Turn your refrigerator or freezer into a cheese cave. This thermostat makes it easy to convert your refridgerator or freezer into a ‘cheese cave’. Just plug the thermostat into your wall socket. Then plug your freezer or refridgerator into the thermostat and adjust the thermostat anywhere from 20-80f degrees.
Himalayan Salt Fridge
This is the subject of today’s reader email. Sandra would like information about problems with cheese (also wine) refrigerators.
Hi Gavin, could you please tell me the brand of wine cooler you bought for your cheese? Did you have problems with the thermostat it contained, which kept a constant temperature – summer and winter? I have many problems with the Tempo 16 bottled wine cooler that I bought. I have my second Tempo wine cooler in two years. After 6 months the thermostats everywhere start floating – too hot most of the time – ruining my cheese. I mainly make Camembert, Blues, Farmers and Swiss cheeses. I would appreciate your help.
sandra
First of all, thank you Sandra for your email. I enjoy answering each and every one of my readers.
My cheese fridge model is a 28-bottle wine fridge, similar to yours. It is made by PAVO (I have no affiliation with that company). I have no idea if it’s good, bad or different. It has worked tirelessly in the 3.5 years that I have owned it.
However, I’ve discovered some interesting things about maintaining the temperature of these devices. They are not refrigerators at all and do not use normal refrigeration techniques. This type of refrigerator is a thermoelectric wine cooler and uses only 70 watts.
This type of refrigerator requires a room temperature below 75°F to function properly. You also need adequate ventilation and plenty of space behind it for it to function effectively. My cheese fridge has about 30 cm of free space on the sides and back. It is also located away from heat sources such as other refrigerators, ovens, stoves, etc.
I also keep a remote temperature and relative humidity sensor in the fridge just to keep an eye on it when I’m at my desk.
The last tip concerns the humidity. These types of refrigerators usually keep the air inside at around 40-50% RH, which is far too low for cheese making. I have found that by filling a 4 liter plastic tub with water and placing it on the bottom of the fridge the humidity rises to around 75% RH. That’s still a bit low for most cheeses, so I keep blue and mold cheeses in a separate container to ripen, which allows for much higher humidity.
I can age cheeses like Caerphilly and Farmhouse for the first month and then wax them before they split.
You can also reuse an old kitchen fridge with an external thermometer device. A longtime reader sent me this information.
Hi Gavin, I don’t know if you know, but there is an item that can turn a regular fridge into a cheese cave. I’ve read blogs from people here in the US using them and they say they work well. I haven’t read enough of your blog to know if you’ve seen them before, if so I’m sorry but thought if not you might be interested. I got this from the Cheesemaker.com website: JC Thermostat
Turn your fridge or freezer into a cheese cave. With this thermostat you can easily turn your fridge or freezer into a “cheese cave”. Simply plug the thermostat into your socket. Then connect your freezer or fridge to the thermostat and set the thermostat to any temperature between 20 and 80°F (6.6 to 26.6°C). Accuracy: +/- one degree F. 110-120 VAC. UL listed. This thermostat does not work on 220V. I have attached the picture that went with the description attached. Perhaps you can find the Australian equivalent and share it with your readers. Thanks again. Look forward to reading more from your blog! Sharon
Attached is a picture of the thermostat.
Hopefully I have given you and all other readers enough information to make your cheese aging a reality with one of these refrigerators.
If anyone has any other tips for maintaining the right temperature in your repurposed wine cooler, please leave a comment.
Addendum: Since writing this post I’ve moved on to a better method of aging cheese. You can read about my new cheese fridge here!
What cuts of beef are best for dry aging?
Most butchers typically age full or sub-primals for the best effect. Some of the commonly dry aged cuts include strip loin (New York Strip), boneless ribeye (ribeye) and top butt (sirloin). These are steak cuts that age well and improve significantly in flavor and texture with dry aging.
Himalayan Salt Fridge
So which type of meat is best for dry aging?
One key point that may surprise you is that dry aging often works best on less luxurious cuts of meat. Because dry aging brings out hidden flavors and textures in the meat, lesser prime cuts often show the most transformation and are also more cost-effective than, say, aged eye fillet.
Another point to consider is that the cut you choose to dry-age should be high in fat. It is best to source a subprimal that has a good fat cap or band of fat in the “eye” as this aging fat gives dry aged meat that umami, that indescribable special flavor/aroma. The fat is reduced by the bacterial process, enriching and flavoring the cut of meat and protecting it from drying out throughout the process. Having bones in your meat can also keep it from drying out.
Dry-aging individual steaks are not recommended, as cutting off the outer, dried layer loses so much volume that not much is left. Especially since the loss of moisture through the dry aging process also causes the steak to shrink. Most butchers typically age full or subprimals for best effect.
Commonly dry aged cuts include Strip Loin (New York Strip), Boned Ribeye (Ribeye) and Top Butt (Sirloin). These are steaks that age well and improve significantly in flavor and texture with dry aging.
However, your dry aging journey needs to be limited to beef. Pork can also be dry aged with great success. Cuts of certain breeds are excellent for the procedure. Meat from the Mangalitza pig is particularly suitable because it is very aromatic and has a higher fat content.
The natural flavor of Magalitza pork meat is greatly enhanced by aging on the bone, becoming much richer and more decadent.
… brings out hidden flavors and textures in meat …
If you’re feeling adventurous, even poultry can be dry aged. Meat experts have successfully tested this with black-feathered chickens. Dry aging intensifies the poultry flavor and the slightly firmer meat from free-ranging animals has a tender texture but remains wonderfully juicy. The color of the animal changes slightly, becomes darker and the meat is significantly drier after 14 days. Once prepared, it becomes buttery soft and wonderfully aromatic.
To truly understand just how capable the dry aging process is of enhancing otherwise boring cuts of meat, it’s important to use the type of meat that lends itself to the process.
But be adventurous – try one of your favorite big, greasy cuts and marvel at the results. Try dry aged fish and taste the difference for yourself!
Read more here
How does dry aged beef not spoil?
The most common timeframe for a steak to be dry-aged is 30 days. The meat doesn’t spoil during this time, because you age it in conditions that tightly control the levels of moisture and bacteria. During the dry-aging process, moisture is drawn out of the meat.
Himalayan Salt Fridge
After today you will understand what happens to a steak when it is dry aged (and consequently why an aged steak costs more).
What is Dry Aged Beef?
The steak you usually eat is fresh. It’s red and full of moisture, which makes it nice and juicy.
A dry-aged steak, as you may have guessed, is aged before it is eaten. You can find steaks dry aged anywhere from 7 to even up to 120 days. The most common time frame for dry aging a steak is 30 days. The meat doesn’t spoil during this time because you’re aging it under conditions that tightly control moisture and bacteria levels.
Dry aging removes moisture from the meat. This makes the beef flavor even stronger and spicier. During the aging process, the beef’s natural enzymes also break down the connective tissue in the meat, making it more tender. A mushroom crust that grows on the outside of the meat as it ages encourages this tenderness process and gives your beef a nice, corny flavor (you scrape off this mushroom crust before cooking).
Dry-aging is basically a controlled breakdown of meat, which sounds a bit gross, but results in meat that is 1) tastier and 2) more tender.
The longer a piece of beef is dry aged, the tastier and more tender it will be.
In his book Meats, celebrity butcher and former podcast guest Pat LaFrieda gives a nice explanation of how a steak’s flavor and tenderness changes depending on how long it’s dry aged, which I’ve condensed and summarized below:
7 days: Collagen breakdown has just started, but the steak doesn’t have the flavor or texture you’re looking for in a dry aged steak. Steak is not sold as “aged” at this time. The flesh is still fairly light in color, but will darken as it ages and dries. 21 days: The steak loses 10 percent of its weight through evaporation in the first 3 weeks. The water will ooze out the front and back of the meat, but the fat and bones on the sides of the steak will waterproof the sides. As the meat shrinks, the steak will become more concave as it ages. Although fat does not shrink, it does darken with age. 30 days: This is the most commonly requested age for steaks. The steak has developed the flavor and texture qualities associated with dry aged meat: it is very tender, with a flavor best described as a cross between buttered popcorn and roast beef. At this point, the steak has lost 15 percent of its total weight. 45 days: The steak has a little more funk than the 30 day aged one. You’ll start noticing white streaks in the meat, which is a mixture of mold and salt. The steak lost only a fraction more weight, and the flavor of the fat changes before the meat, so it’s important not to trim off all of the fat before frying. 90 days: The white crust is still developing. This crust protects the meat like a rind on cheese. The outer crust is scraped off the meat before it is sold. 120 days: Only a handful of very high-quality restaurants buy steaks that have been aged that long. The steak has lost 35 percent of its original weight. A steak that has been matured for such a long time has a very unconventional flavor and is also very expensive, so for someone who really appreciates an unusually intense beef flavor.
A few months ago I decided to finally try dry aged steak. While most grocery stores don’t sell it (due to the time and money costs involved; more on that below), Reasor’s, a local grocery chain here in Tulsa, does. I bought a 30 day dry aged steak and a fresh steak to compare the two.
When you buy dry-aged steak from a grocery store, you want to cook it the same day. Leaving it in your fridge for a while throws the dry-aging process off balance. By letting it sit, it ages a little more, albeit under suboptimal conditions.
The dry aged steak definitely tasted stronger and had that light buttery popcorn flavor that LaFrieda described. It was also much, much more tender than the fresh steak.
To me, the dry-aged steak didn’t taste any better than the fresh steak; it was only . . . different. I probably wouldn’t bother or spend extra money for a dry aged steak at a restaurant. But that’s just me.
Why is Dry Aged Beef more expensive?
They’ll try to spend a few more dollars for a dry-aged version of a steak. Why?
Because the process of bringing it to this state takes a long time and requires special temperature, humidity and airflow controlled refrigerators. The refrigerators must also be sterile and must not contain any bacteria. If the temperature or humidity is too high or too low, the meat will spoil or not mature properly.
More TLC = More $$$
Can I dry-age beef at home?
Yes, but it’s a lot of work.
There are guides out there that show you how to dry age steaks at home. Some guides claim you can do it in your regular fridge, arranging the meat in layers of cheesecloth and letting it sit for a few days. But can you really?
I asked Pat LaFrieda about this during my podcast interview with him last year, and here’s what he said:
“It’s almost impossible to do that at home unless you have a dedicated fridge and one that lets you read the fridge’s internal temperature and humidity. Humidity must be controlled. We have several systems that remove moisture from the air. It is very difficult to do at home. . . It’s not worth your time.”
The inconsistent temperature and humidity inside your refrigerator from regularly opening and closing the door disrupts the dry aging process and causes unwanted and unhealthy bacterial growth. Additionally, the meat is likely to pick up flavors in your fridge. You’ve probably eaten unpackaged butter that was sitting in your fridge. It tastes like . . . Refrigerator. And it’s disgusting. Your meat will likely taste like this in your fridge for several days or even weeks.
If you want to dry-age meat at home, you should make a special refrigerator just for this process. Here’s a YouTube video of one version of it.
Unless you plan on making dry-aging beef your hobby (like brewing beer or roasting coffee beans), you’re better off just buying it at the store.
For an introduction to meat, listen to my podcast with Pat:
What kind of salt do you use for dry aging beef?
What Kind of Salt Do You Use for Dry-Aging Beef? A good dry-aged steak will not need much before going into the chamber. To help dry the meat and amplify the flavor, you can really use any type of salt like kosher or Himalayan salt.
Himalayan Salt Fridge
Do you need salt with dry-age beef?
The purpose of dry aging meat is to enhance tenderness and create a unique flavor that is only achievable through this process. Aging meat gives natural enzymes time to break down muscle and tissue, resulting in tender meat. The loss of moisture concentrates the aroma to create the rich, unique flavor associated with aged meat. While salt is not used to aid in the aging process, it is used to aid in drying or curing the meat.
How is salt dry aged beef?
Using salt to dry beef helps draw more moisture out of the meat, giving the flavor an extra boost.
What kind of salt do you use for dry aging beef?
A good dry aged steak doesn’t need much before it goes into the chamber. To dry the meat and enhance the flavor you can really use any type of salt like Kosher or Himalayan salt.
Can you use Himalayan salt to salt meat?
Himalayan salt can be used to salt meat. There are many benefits that can be gained from dry aging meat.
It ensures that the meat has a much deeper flavor.
It is known to act as a natural antimicrobial agent due to its chemical components.
How the aging room uses Himalayan salt
In The Aging Room, our drying chambers feature a wall of pink Himalayan salt bricks. Using our patented techniques, the Himalayan salt wall helps remove unwanted bacteria from the space and enhance the flavor of the meat. To protect the chamber, the coating on the chamber wall is absolutely salt-resistant. This way you don’t have to worry about the salt damaging the equipment.
To learn more about The Aging Room Chamber, visit our website or contact us today at +1 (888) 832-3376.
What is a steak ager?
The world’s first and only patented Smart Dry-Age Fridge for enthusiasts of high-quality steaks, meat, charcuterie, cheese or fish. Steak Lockers steak ager is simply the safest, most economical and professional-quality way to dry-age your steaks, selected charcuterie, cheese and even fish.
Himalayan Salt Fridge
Steak Locker has developed a unique steak ager. The world’s first and only patented Smart Dry-Age refrigerator for lovers of high-quality steaks, meat, sausages, cheese or fish.
Steak Lockers Steak Ager is simply the safest, most economical and most professional way to dry-age your steaks, cured meats, cheeses and even fish. What makes our Steak Ager the best is that it gives you the most tender and flavorful steaks, regardless of their USDA classification. This saves you money in the long run because you no longer only have to buy first-class beef
There are a variety of benefits that Steak Lockers dry-age refrigerators offer. The added smart features set Steak Lockers Dry Age refrigerators apart from all other steak products on the market.
Benefits of Steak Lockers Steak Ager refrigerators
Our meat aging fridge range is unique in that it has combined the best of old world dry aging techniques with sophisticated modern technology. Below we have summarized some of the most important advantages:
Saves 50-75% on retail cost of dry-age steaks.
This traditional technological composite allows the consumer to control the process and save at least 50% to 75% over current retail prices for dry-age steaks.
Steak Locker is the only Smart Steak Ager Dry Age fridge.
With the smart features, you can monitor the temperature and humidity of the dry time refrigerator through your smartphone. No more spoiled or wasted product.
Steak Locker has developed a smartphone app for iOS and Android* devices to connect to your Steak Ager.
The main application is your connection to the real-time digital sensor in your fridge, which gives you instant feedback on critical temperature and humidity events. This feature alerts your smartphone when preset levels are exceeded, ensuring you don’t lose your dry-aged product due to power outages or other emergencies. Their dry aged steaks and charcuterie are investments in deliciousness. Not only does our technology mean you can easily cook dry-age steaks, but there’s never any loss or waste.
The intelligent app has additional functionality beyond your central access to monitor your Steak Ager sensors.
It contains product information, handling instructions. Tutorial videos, customer service numbers, and nutritional and calorie information at your fingertips. All to ensure you have the best Steak Locker experience.
Enjoy a beautiful stainless steel design embedded in a smart and understated exterior aesthetic.
The Steak Locker’s chrome has a discreet dark exterior and our use of luxurious chrome handles makes this Steak Locker both elegant and to complement your existing luxury appliances. Steak Locker features a modern stainless steel design that incorporates all-important convection technology, convenient digital humidity and temperature controls. Our modern approach to design includes patented sensor-guided digital control systems that ensure you are alerted when critical temperatures deviate from recommended settings.
Steak Locker uses the latest in robust cloud computing.
This is to ensure your steaks have their first smart app, updated in real-time with vital information from your dry-age fridge. You can connect to your slices anytime, anywhere.
The interior of the Steak Locker Steak Ager is designed to protect your meat.
The chamber is lined with embossed food grade aluminum and cleverly uses germicidal lights to fully protect your dry aging product from contamination.
Your Steak Locker Steak Ager comes with a variety of accessories
These include a downloadable smart application, uplink controller and nebulizer, removable stainless steel shelves, powerful 120W compressor, replaceable carbon fiber filter and US electricity standards. Steak Locker is fully UL (Underwriter Laboratories) certified.
Summary of the Steak Ager Dry Age fridge from Steak Locker
We hope this article has given you a useful insight into Steak Lockers’ Steak Ager fridge range. If you want to learn more, see the user manual for more details. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or visit our FAQ post with everything you need to know about refrigerating a steak.
What is a salt brick?
What is a Himalayan salt block? A Himalayan salt block is a slab of Himalayan salt, which is similar to table salt but contains a slightly higher amount of minerals, such as potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur (1). These extra minerals give Himalayan salt its distinctive flavor and pink color (1).
Himalayan Salt Fridge
Cooking on a pink block of Himalayan salt is a relatively new idea.
This interesting way of preparing and serving food is growing in popularity due to the unexpected texture and flavor they add to food.
It’s also touted as protecting against foodborne illness and boosting the nutritional content of your meals. However, this practice can also have some disadvantages.
This article covers everything you need to know about cooking on a Himalayan salt block.
What is a Himalayan Salt Block?
A Himalayan salt block is a slab of Himalayan salt similar to table salt but with a slightly higher amount of minerals like potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur (1).
These extra minerals give Himalayan salt its distinctive flavor and pink color (1).
Slabs of it are quarried and carved into a range of shapes and sizes. Since it retains high heat for a long time, the end product can be heated in the oven or on the stovetop and used to cook food.
Himalayan Salt Blocks also make visually appealing platters for a variety of hot or cold dishes.
Summary A block of Himalayan salt, when heated, can be used to cook food. It is also a novel serving platter.
What Foods Can You Cook on a Himalayan Salt Block?
Himalayan Salt Blocks can be used to prepare and serve a variety of dishes.
Conducting heat efficiently and at high temperatures, they are ideal for baking or grilling meat, poultry, eggs, fish, seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables.
They can even be used to bake cookies, scones, pizzas and other baked goods.
What’s more, you can chill them to serve cold dishes and desserts – making them incredibly versatile. For example, chilled salt blocks can be used to serve sushi, cheese, meat, fruit, pudding, ice cream or sorbet.
Summary Himalayan Salt Blocks can be used to grill or bake a variety of foods, including meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and pizza. You can also chill your salt block and use it to serve cold dishes and desserts.
How to use a Himalayan Salt Block
A Himalayan salt block is easy to use, but there are a few tips you should keep in mind.
Start with a dry block of salt. Make sure your block is completely dry before using it, as any moisture can cause it to expand and crack when heated. Heat slowly. If you heat your salt block too quickly, it can crack. To prevent this, it is best not to increase the oven temperature by more than 200℉ (93℃) every 15 minutes. Preheat in the oven before using. Heating your block directly in the oven increases the risk of cracking, so you may want to preheat it on a grill or stovetop before putting it in the oven. Changes are normal. Heating can cause your salt block to crack and naturally discolor over time. Try to always roast on the same side so the cracks don’t get worse. Be careful with a hot block. A block of salt can reach very high temperatures and remain hot for several hours. Regular oven mitts don’t provide adequate protection, so consider using high-heat resistant gloves or a carrying frame instead. Don’t use fat. Butter and cooking oils are not required and will reduce the lifespan of your Himalayan Salt Block. Do not submerge your block in water. Water dissolves salt, so it’s best to clean your block with a damp sponge instead. Stubborn spots can be scrubbed with a scouring pad or soft brush.
grilling
Start by placing your dry block on a stovetop or outdoor grill, then slowly increase the temperature until you reach around 500℉ (260℃).
You can check the cooking temperature of your block with an infrared thermometer or by sprinkling a few drops of water on it – if they sizzle or evaporate immediately, your block is probably ready to use.
To cook food, just place it right on your block. If necessary, use silicone tongs or metal cooking utensils to flip or turn the food.
Make sure you cook your food in reasonably sized pieces. Things that cook quickly tend to work best — because the longer the food stays on the block, the saltier it’s likely to get.
To use your Himalayan Salt Block on an electric stove, you will need to fit a special metal ring over the burner to hold it in place. When using a charcoal grill, prevent your block from heating up too quickly by stacking the coals on one side of the grill.
Bake
To prevent your Himalayan Salt Block from cracking in the oven, slowly preheat it on a grill or stovetop.
Add your cookies, pizza, scones, or other baked goods, then place on a sturdy baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven.
Bake as usual. The block adds a nice touch of saltiness to your food.
Serving cold dishes
To use your Himalayan Salt Block as a cold serving platter, place in the fridge for 2 hours before use.
Then arrange fruit, sushi, cheese, vegetables, frozen desserts or other cold foods just before serving.
To avoid oversalting your food, try to limit the surface area that comes into contact with your salt block by placing food on its smaller sides.
cleaning and storage
Allow your salt block to cool completely before cleaning, then wipe clean with a damp sponge or washcloth. Only use water – no soap.
Difficult spots can be scrubbed with a scouring pad or soft brush. Water dissolves salt, so the less water you use the better.
After cleaning, pat your block dry and place on a drying rack. Allow to dry completely before storing in a cool, dry place. If you live in a humid region, try wrapping your pad in a towel before putting it away.
Summary Cooking with a Himalayan salt block is fairly simple, but you should use it properly, clean it, and store it to prolong its useful life.
Benefits of Cooking on a Himalayan Salt Block
Cooking on a block of Himalayan salt can offer some benefits.
Can add some nutrients to your meals
Himalayan salt is 98% sodium chloride, the same compound found in table salt. The remaining 2% comes from minerals like sulfur, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron (1).
These extra minerals give Himalayan salt a slightly different flavor than table salt and add a few extra minerals to foods.
However, the total amount of minerals added is probably too small to provide any significant benefits.
Improves the taste of food
Cooking on a block of Himalayan salt can add an unexpected flavor to your meals due to its mineral content (1).
In addition, Himalayan salt blocks have excellent heat distribution, which reduces cooking time and can prevent your dish from being too salty.
Plus, using a block of salt can add a unique texture to your dishes.
Can help fight germs
Salt is known for its germ-fighting properties, which is why it’s often added to foods to extend shelf life and inhibit unwanted bacterial growth (2, 3).
This could explain why Himalayan salt blocks are marketed as a natural antibacterial or antimicrobial cooking surface that reduces the risk of food poisoning.
While salt blocks can provide some level of protection from harmful bacteria, they are unlikely to provide a substitute for safe food handling, preparation, and preparation.
Summary Himalayan salt blocks impart a unique flavor and are often touted for their nutrient-dense and antibacterial properties, although these benefits are likely insignificant.
Possible disadvantages
Cooking on a Himalayan salt block can also have some downsides.
For example, this cooking method naturally increases the sodium content of your meals — a nutrient that most people overeat anyway. While sodium is necessary in small amounts, excess intake can be detrimental to your health (3).
People with heart, liver or kidney problems and those on a low-salt diet should avoid cooking on a Himalayan salt block.
If you rely on a block of salt for your sodium intake, you may not be getting enough iodine in your diet. This nutrient is especially important for your thyroid, which controls your metabolism (4).
Although Himalayan salt blocks contain small amounts of iodine, they probably don’t offer as much as table salt — which is usually fortified with this nutrient.
Summary Cooking on a block of Himalayan salt can dangerously increase your sodium intake while lowering your iodine consumption. People with kidney, liver or heart problems, as well as those on a low-salt diet, should avoid cooking on a Himalayan salt block.
The final result
Cooking on a block of Himalayan salt is an interesting way to prepare and serve food.
While some of the touted benefits are exaggerated, it can enhance the flavor of meals while adding a touch of saltiness.
Still, it can also encourage excessive salt consumption and indirectly reduce your iodine intake.
So it’s probably best to use a Himalayan salt block in moderation.
If you want to try this unique cooking method, you can find it in specialty stores and online.
How long does dry-aged beef last in fridge?
30 days. This is one of the most commonly selected times of the age process in dry age steaks.
Himalayan Salt Fridge
How long you keep your dry aged steak in the fridge depends on a variety of factors. Typically, the flavors associated with dry-aged steaks begin to emerge at around 21 days where a light nuttiness develops, subtle umami and mushroom flavors emerge at 28-35 days, and bold notes of blue cheese can be tasted beginning at 45 days.
Ultimately, the answer to the age-old question, “How long will you keep dry aged steak in the fridge?” depends on which cut you use and your personal taste preferences. Our guide will help you determine the best length of time to keep your dry aged steak in the refrigerator based on these factors.
How does slicing affect how long you can keep dry aged steak in the fridge?
In dry aging, whole sides or cuts of beef are hung in a constant flow of air and kept at a temperature just above freezing and allowed to mature for several weeks or even several months. These cuts are usually the larger muscle cuts that should be on the bone and still have their natural fat cap intact.
This environment allows the natural enzymes to act on the muscle tissue and slowly causes the cuts to become dehydrated. This concentrates the meat flavor and changes the taste, texture and tenderness. The advantage of this method is very tender meat with an intense taste. The downside is that there is some weight loss due to moisture loss, reducing yield and increasing cost per pound. Also, the surface of the meat must usually be trimmed away before the beef is portioned and sold, resulting in a further loss of volume.
Timeline of how long you can keep dry aged steak in the fridge:
7 days
The main structural protein in the steak has started to break down. But at this stage, the beef is still light-colored and isn’t sold as “seasoned” because it doesn’t yet have the complex flavor and tenderness typical of a dry-aged steak. After this stage, flavor and tender texture begin to intensify, but so does weight loss and risk of spoilage – this is where our Dry Age fridge comes in. Steak Locker specializes in meat aging refrigerator products that mature meat under strictly controlled conditions that regulate temperature, bacteria and humidity that eliminate the risk of dry aging.
21 days
During this phase, the flesh loses about 10% of its weight through evaporation. The fat and bones on the sides of the beef make the sides waterproof as water escapes from the front and back of the steak. As the moisture is removed from the meat, its flavor becomes more concentrated as a subtle nutty flavor begins to develop. At this point, instead of shrinking, the fat in the steak begins to darken.
30 days
This is one of the most commonly chosen times of the aging process for dry-age steaks. After 30 days, the flavor and texture of the meat has developed into that of the typical dry-aged steak. At this stage the meat has lost 15% of its weight and the flavor levels are described as rich, mushroom and umami flavors.
45 days
At this stage, the steak has developed a sharper, pungent flavor that exudes bold blue cheese notes. The fat around the steak changes flavor before the rest of the meat, and the meat has lost only a fraction of its weight.
90 days
After 90 days, the steak will have developed a white crust that protects the meat, much like the rind of some cheeses. This outer crust is removed before the meat is sold.
120 days
The meat at this stage has an extremely intense flavor that some would describe as offbeat. The steak has lost about 35% of its original weight. Steaks aged this long are only sold in a handful of high-end restaurants due to their high cost and strong, unique flavor.
How long does it take to cook dry aged steaks?
Depending on your choice of cut, and due to the nature of the dry aging process, it is almost always preferred to cut steaks at least 1.5 inches thick. How to Prepare the Best Steak When you are ready to prepare your steak, make sure the meat is dry and completely stripped of any hard, dried out layers and any dark areas from the dry aging process.
Your dry-aged steak will cook in about half the time compared to a non-dry-aged steak, primarily due to the lower moisture in the steak’s muscle. We have also found that electronic and analog thermometers can be unreliable. As with most tricky things, practice gets better. It is best to always undercook dry aged steaks and then have extra cooking time if desired. You can never Hungarian cook a steak, but you always have the option to increase the cooking time.
Due to the complexity and time required for the meat aging process, and to reduce the risk of cross-contamination of flavors with other products that you normally store in the refrigerator, it is recommended to use a separate refrigerator when dry aging. To unlock the flavors of your steak and learn more about our dry age refrigerators, visit our dry age refrigerators page.
Ask a steak expert
Our experts are available to answer all of your steak and dry aging questions, including how long can you keep dry aged steak in the fridge? Let us know what other questions you have and let us know yours Dry Aged Steak results on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with
Can you eat dry-aged beef raw?
< Dry-aged beef must be heated before consumption. It is not edible in the raw.> It is aged but not different from ordinary raw meat, and thus ingestion of raw dry-aged beef may cause food poisoning.
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“Dry Aged Beef” has recently come into focus, but there are currently no generally accepted definitions and standards.
“Dry-aged beef” sounds different than raw meat, but it is no different from raw beef from a hygienic point of view and can be tainted with food poisoning bacteria, which is why it is necessary to heat dry-aged beef sufficiently before consumption.
< No uniform definitions and standards have been established for dry aged beef.>
There are no legal definitions or standards for dry aged beef. Additionally, the industry does not have a single definition and individual shops and restaurants mature meat in their own unique way.
In general, beef is aged for a long time in a special aging chamber under controlled environmental conditions including temperature, humidity, wind and fungi, and then the surface of the beef is trimmed before it is sold as dry-aged beef.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government examined establishments working with dry-aged beef products and found that each establishment applied the aging conditions based on their own individual experiences, and none of them used the same aging methods as others.
* There is no established definition of dry aged beef, but in this FAQ, beef aged in the manner described above is referred to as “dry aged beef” for convenience.
< Dry aged beef must be heated before consumption. It is not edible in its raw state.>
It is aged but no different from ordinary raw meat, and therefore eating raw dry-aged beef can cause food poisoning. Dry Aged Beef is fundamentally different from products that have hygienic standards and criteria consistent with consumption in non-heated conditions, such as: B. Raw ham (non-heated meat products).
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government examined dry-aged beef products and found some food poisoning bacteria on the surfaces, which have also been detected in regular raw beef.
Heat dry aged beef sufficiently before consumption. Additionally, if you’re cooking a store-bought dry-aged beef product, use the same caution as you would when you’re cooking raw meat, e.g. B. when separating cooking tools.
* Research conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has determined that no “Dry Aged Beef” product meets the criteria for raw meat.
How long can you age beef in the refrigerator?
We recommend letting the cut rest for at least 28 days or up to 75 days. This is because the longer the beef ages, the more complex and intense flavours it develops, therefore the tastier it gets. At 28-35 days subtle mushroom and umami flavors develop, from 45-75 days bold blue cheese notes will develop.
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Fridge aging a steak is as easy as four simple steps. Here’s our guide to how to age a steak in the fridge. Steak Locker simplifies the process of dry aging steaks and minimizes the risk associated with the dry aging process. The prime rib or whole rib, also known as the eye muscle, is the cow’s least used muscle. As a result, its yield is at its most tender, it develops the most marbling and delivers generous portions.
The purpose of dry aging is to maximize the flavors in your beef. During the dry aging process, the meat loses some of its original weight. As your subprimal cut ages dry, slowly becoming dehydrated and losing water, it concentrates flavor but also loses about 15-25% of its starting weight. This is the main reason why such a high-quality product costs at least 70% more than the non-dry-ripened product. It’s worth it, however, as it will reward you with the most tender and truly naturally flavorful beef, impossible without dry aging, prepared with ease using our dry-age refrigerator.
Step 1:
Our first step on how to fridge age a steak is to befriend your butcher or meat source and ask them to make sure it’s “bone-in” and a prime or select subprimal cut. Boneless cuts can be used, but we don’t recommend taking them for more than 35 days as the bones add texture and flavor to the meat.
If you’re looking for a quality boneless cut of meat, our friends at Meat N Bone are here to help.
Step 2:
Unwrap the beef and pat dry with paper towels. Don’t cut the meat. If you’d like, you can loosely wrap the cut in a triple layer of cheesecloth as this is a bit cleaner. Note, however, that wrapping the cut is a lot more labor intensive as you have to change the cloth every week.
Place the meat on the Steak Locker rack so that all sides are exposed to the forced airflow. Make sure the UV light (germicidal light) is on at all times while the meat is in the dry fridge.
Step 3:
We recommend letting the cut sit for at least 28 days or up to 75 days. Because the longer the beef matures, the more complex and intense flavors it develops and the tastier it becomes. Subtle mushroom and umami aromas develop after 28-35 days, bold blue cheese notes develop after 45-75 days. For more information, see our in-depth guide to our dry-aging timescale in our blog post How Long Can You Store Dry-Aged Steaks in the Refrigerator?.
Step 4:
If you’re ready to portion a steak and not the entire piece, use a sharp knife and slice a 2.5-inch steak along the bone. Scrape off the tough, dried outer layer of meat and discard. Trim away any dried-on areas of fat, but leave as much good fat as possible to maximize flavor.
What to do after you learn how to age a steak in the refrigerator:
Now you can prepare your dry aged steak on a cast iron or grill. You can place the remainder of the primal cut back in the steak locker for additional dry aging time. Alternatively, if you don’t want the extra dry aging time, cut the entire subprimal into steaks and freeze them individually. We recommend using vacuum sealed machines and bags to avoid freezer burn.
Our Steak Locker meat aging refrigerators are multifunctional – by that we mean that our Steak Lockers can do more than just dry-aging steaks. With the Steak Locker it is possible to salt sausages, cheese and fish, we will include further details on this in later articles.
To learn more about Steak Locker Dry Age refrigerators, visit our product page.
How do you make biltong in the fridge?
Pour the vinegar, salt, and Prague Powder into a bowl. Mix and add the strips of meat. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for about two hours. Crush the coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar and mix with the pepper and chilli (if using).
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Adopted from the indigenous peoples by European settlers in South Africa, biltong was traditionally made from beef, but can also be made from springbok, ostrich and many other red meats and poultry. Originally, biltong would have been prepared and dried under the sun.
Because biltong is made from much thicker cuts of meat than jerky (typically 50mm/2 inches), it can take longer for the meat to fully dry. This works when there is the right amount of sun and wind, but when it isn’t, you’ll need to figure out how to get around this challenge.
biltong boxes
The biltong box is a container for the meat to hang in while a small fan (in some cases) and holes in the top and bottom of the box allow air to circulate. The holes are usually protected against insects with a fine net.
To increase the temperature inside the box to promote drying, some biltong boxes have small, low-wattage lamps in the floor. You can get the same results by hanging biltong in a refrigerator or using dry-aging bags.
It is even possible to dry biltong in the oven. This starts the drying process and partially case-hardens the meat. You can then hang the meat outside to dry naturally, and it’s usually ready in about three days.
Traditional biltong is pickled in salt and white wine vinegar and topped with crushed coriander seeds and pepper. If you like, you can add a little chili to give it a kick. Since biltong is classified as a slow drying product, I recommend using Prague Powder #2 (pink pickling salt #2) for safety.
Ingredients Metric Cups Imperial 1 kg lean beef topside 2.2 lbs lean beef topside 2.2 lbs lean beef topside For the marinade 100 ml white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp salt
0.5 tsp Prague Powder #2 (Pink Curing Salt #2) 3.5 fl oz white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp salt
½ tsp Prague Powder #2 (Pink Curing Salt #2) ½ cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp salt
0.5 tsp Prague Powder #2 (pink curing salt #2) For seasoning 8 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp ground black pepper
0.25 tsp finely chopped chili (optional) 8 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp ground black pepper
0.25 tsp finely chopped chili (optional) 8 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp ground black pepper
0.25 tsp finely chopped chili (optional) Details Cuisine: South African
South African Recipe Type: Snack
Snack Difficulty: Hard
Hard prep time: 120 minutes
120 min Cooking time: 360 min
360 minutes Servings: 12
Remove visible connective tissue, fat and silver skin from the meat step by step. Cut into strips 75mm long. Pour the vinegar, salt and Prague powder into a bowl. Mix and add the meat strips. Leave to marinate in the fridge for about two hours. Crush the coriander seeds in a mortar and mix with pepper and chili (if using). Remove the meat from the marinade and brush generously with the coriander mixture. To dry and store the biltong, hang the strips of meat in a biltong box or place them on racks in the oven, set to the lowest temperature possible. A convection oven is best as it circulates the heat and aids in the drying process. The biltong is sufficiently dry when it has become slightly dark and stiff. Store biltong in a vacuum pack in the freezer for up to a year, but in my experience, it’s far too tasty to keep that long.
Smoking, Curing & Drying – The Complete Guide for Meat & Fish by Turan T. Turan, with photographs by Simon Pask. Published by Apple Press, £12.99.
You May Also Like:
Recipe for beef jerky
Roasted Beef Rib Eye recipe with cracked black pepper
Beef tenderloin recipe
What humidity should dry aging beef be?
A relative humidity of 61 % to 85 % is recommended and actual RH should be recorded daily for the duration of the aging process [24; 21]. There are limited published studies that have compared the effects of different RH levels on dry aged beef.
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The DRY AGER Meat-Maturing Fridge for home and commercial use.
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The DRY AGER is not only the perfect partner for the dry aging of beef, it can also be used for the production of charcuterie such as sausage, ham and many other different types of meat. Why not try maturing cheeses too?
How to Dry Age Beef
Sometimes I get emails from readers saying something like, “You said one thing in article X, then a few years later, in article Y, you said almost the complete opposite. What is there? Don’t you believe in science? , and isn’t science concerned with facts?
There is only one science that does not contradict itself: the bad one. Science must be open to accepting and considering conflicting evidence and redefining “facts” by definition. Hell, if we weren’t allowed to form new theories and refute conclusions through further experiments, we’d still believe in crazy things like spontaneous generation, static universes, or even sautéing meat in juices. And where would we be today?
I mention this because a few weeks ago I went to great lengths to test and explain exactly why you can’t dry meat at home, no way, no way. Today I’m going to walk you through exactly how you can dry-age at home, how relatively easy it is, and how it can vastly improve the eating quality of your steaks and roasts to the point that they’re better than what you can buy at even the best gourmet supermarket .*
*And unlike many sources claiming similar results, I actually have the blind taste tests to prove it!
Now, before you go and call the National Committee of Good Science and send them to confiscate my calculator (by which I mean my head), let me first state that I stand by what I say in this article 100% wrote: Given that starting with individual steaks, dry aging at home is not possible, despite what some otherwise reputable sources have said in the past. The blind tasting showed that there was absolutely no discernible improvement in the eating quality of the steaks between the first day and the seventh day of such aging.
But we all know that single steaks aren’t professional dry aged meat, right? No, they start with whole subprimals — large chunks of meat with fully intact bones and caps of fat — and mature them uncovered in temperature, humidity, and air velocity controlled spaces designed to allow them to age for weeks or months without rotting. The question is, can we do this ourselves at home?
I got my hands on 80 pounds of prime bone-in, fat-capped beef ribs to get my answers.* Over the course of more than two months, I’ve aged them in nearly a dozen different ways in order to determine what works and what doesn’t and what matters. Here’s what I found.
*Special thanks to Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors for donating much of the fine beef used in this test.
The Purpose of Aging
How does aging work?
Good question! First, a quick overview of why you should age meat. Conventional wisdom cites three specific goals of dry aging meat, all of which help improve its flavor or texture.
Moisture loss could be a big one. A dry-aged cut of beef can lose up to about 30% of its original volume through water loss, which concentrates its flavor. At least that’s the theory. But is it true? (Cue dramatic foreboding music.)
could be an important one. A dry-aged cut of beef can lose up to about 30% of its original volume through water loss, which concentrates its flavor. At least that’s the theory. But is it true? (Cue dramatic foreshadowing music.) Tenderizing occurs when enzymes naturally present in meat break down some of the tougher muscle fibers and connective tissues. A well-seasoned steak should be noticeably more tender than a fresh steak. But is it?
occurs when enzymes naturally present in meat break down some of the tougher muscle fibers and connective tissues. A well-seasoned steak should be noticeably more tender than a fresh steak. But is it? Flavor change is caused by numerous processes, including enzymatic and bacterial action, along with the oxidation of fat and other fat-like molecules. Properly dry-aged meat develops deeply meaty, nutty, and almost cheesy flavors.
But is aged meat really better than fresh meat?
It depends. I had a panel of tasters test different aged meats and rank them on general preference, tenderness, and funkiness. Almost everyone who has tasted meat that has been aged for a few weeks – the period after which a certain level of tenderness has set in but has not yet developed a serious flavor – has preferred it to completely fresh meat.
On the other hand, people were more mixed when it came to meat that had been aged longer. Many preferred the more complex, cheese-like flavors that developed with meat aged between 30 and 45 days. Some even liked the ultra-funky flavors that developed in 45- to 60-day-old meat. Where you fall on that spectrum is a matter of experience. I personally prefer meat that’s aged up to 60 days, but beyond that it gets a bit too strong for me.
OK, I’m sold. Why would I want to make it at home when I can order it online or from my butcher?
Two reasons. First, bragging rights. How awesome is that dinner party going to be where you say to your friends, “Do you like that beef? I matured it myself for eight weeks”?
Second, it saves money. Lot of money. Aging meat takes time and space, and time and space cost money. These costs are passed on to the consumer. Well-aged meat can cost between 50% and 100% more than an equivalent piece of fresh meat. As long as you’re at home willing to forgo a corner of your fridge, or have an extra mini-fridge, the added expense is minimal.
You may have read that aside from the time and space it takes, a large part of the cost of cured meat is due to the amount of meat that is wasted – i.e. H. Meat that dries up and needs trimming. This isn’t as big of a factor as you think, and we’ll soon find out why.
Selection of meat for aging
Which piece of meat should I buy for aging?
To properly age meat, you need to choose a large cut that is best prepared using quick cooking methods. This makes the standard steakhouse cuts — the New York strip, rib steak, and porterhouse — the ideal cuts for aging. (For more information on the four high-end steaks you should know, click here.) The easiest to find (and my personal favorite) is the rib steak, which you get by cutting a prime rib between the bones into individual pieces cut steaks.
What is the minimum size I need to buy to properly mature? Can I mature a single steak?
Left individually “aged” steak; fresh steak on the right.
No, unfortunately you cannot mature individual steaks. (See more details on why not here.) You can wrap them in cheesecloth or paper towels, place them on a rack, and leave them in the fridge for about a week, but during that time no discernible level of texture or flavor changes will take place. Try aging them even longer and (assuming they don’t start to rot)* here’s what you get:
45 days individually dry aged rib steak.
*In my experience this can happen if the cheesecloth or paper towel holds moisture against the meat and you don’t have enough ventilation.
The meat is so dried out that it is completely inedible. After I cut away the dried and slightly moldy bits (perfectly normal for dry-aged meat), I was left with a slice of meat about half an inch thick. It was impossible to cook anything less than well done, making my effective yield a big fat zero.
The simple truth is that to dry age you need larger cuts of meat and you need to age them in the open air.
So what should I look out for with the larger cuts of meat?
Rib sections come in several different shapes, each with its own number designation.
The 103 is the most intact. It’s a whole rib section (that’s ribs six through 12 of the steer), along with a significant portion of the short ribs, the fully intact chine bones, and a large flap of fat and meat (called “heber meat” and not its). confused with the coveted Spinalis dorsi*), which covers the fleshy side. You’re unlikely to find this cut even if you ask the butcher.
is the most intact. It’s a whole rib section (that’s ribs six through 12 of the steer), along with a significant portion of the short ribs, the fully intact chine bones, and a large flap of fat and meat (called “heber meat” and not its). confused with the coveted Spinalis dorsi*), which covers the fleshy side. You’re unlikely to find this cut even if you ask the butcher. The 107 has been trimmed somewhat, with the short ribs trimmed short, sawing off some (but not all) of the chine bone and removing the outer cartilage. In this way, ribeyes are commonly sold to butcher shops and supermarkets where they can be further cut up.
was trimmed somewhat, with the short ribs trimmed short, some (but not all) of the chine bone sawed off, and the outer cartilage removed. In this way, ribeyes are commonly sold to butcher shops and supermarkets where they can be further cut up. The 109A is considered ready to roast and serve. The chine bone has been sawed off almost completely and the heber meat removed. The fat cap is put back on once the lifter meat is gone.
is considered ready for roasting and serving. The chine bone has been sawed off almost completely and the heber meat removed. The fat cap is put back on once the lifter meat is gone. The 109 Export is essentially identical to the 109A but the grease cap has been removed. This is the cut you’ll see on your Christmas table or at that fancy hotel buffet. The meat is only minimally protected on the outside of this section.
*The Spinalis, also known as the Ribeye Cap, is the tastiest cut of the cow!
I’ve aged a 107, a 109A, and a 109 Export in a 40°F Avanti mini fridge, which I placed a small table fan in to allow air to circulate (I had to cut a small notch in the weatherstrip around the door , so that the fan cable can be fed through) to simulate a dry ripening room on a small scale. I made no attempt to regulate the humidity, which fluctuated between 30 and 80% (higher at the beginning, lower with age).
I’ve found that the more protection you have, the better your end yield. Why is external protection important during meat aging? Because if you dry-age meat for a period of time, which is enough to make a difference, the outer layers become completely desiccated and need to be removed. The less protected the “good” meat is, the more of it you end up in the trash and trash. Here’s what happens when you try to age a 109 export:
See how much of that poor spinalis muscle has withered and dried up? I had to remove it completely before I could find meat to cook underneath. And that’s not meat you want to waste.
On the other hand, after removing the grease cap on a 109A, what is left is:
The fat cap effectively protects the meat from moisture loss, leaving a spinalis muscle that is 100% edible.
Trim off the fat a bit more, as did the cut surfaces, and here’s what we have:
The yield you get is basically the same as a normal sized roast. If you think of your prime rib as a long cylinder, you’ll only end up losing flesh on both ends. The fat cap and bones fully protect the sides.
What Causes Flavor Change?
Aged meat does not lose much moisture. But wait a minute, haven’t I read that aged steaks can lose up to 30% of their weight in water? Isn’t that one of the reasons aged steak is so expensive?
Don’t believe everything you read. That 30% figure is deceptive at best and a blatant lie at worst. Yes, it is true that if you dry age an untrimmed prime rib with bone and fat cap, you will lose about 30% of its total weight over the course of about 21 to 30 days. What they don’t tell you is that the weight is lost almost entirely from the outer layers – the part of the meat that’s going to be trimmed away anyway, regardless of whether it’s aged or not.
Have you never noticed that the aged ribeye steaks in the butcher’s display case aren’t 30% smaller than the fresh ribeyes in the display case? Or that bone-in aged steaks don’t stretch and detach from their bones—I mean, the bones don’t shrink, either, do they?
The fact is that the edible part of a mature prime rib is pretty much identical to that of a fresh prime rib, with the exception of the cut surfaces that need to be trimmed off.
Okay, let’s say I’m convinced of it. Does that mean the whole idea that “meat flavor is concentrated in an aged steak due to dehydration” is also wrong?
I’m afraid so. It’s a great idea in theory, but several facts don’t support it.
First, there’s a simple visual check: a trimmed steak cut from an aged cut of beef is pretty much the same size as a trimmed steak cut from a fresh cut of beef.
I also measured the density of differently aged beef versus completely fresh meat. To do this, I cut out pieces of meat of the same weight from the middle of ribeyes that have been aged to different degrees, making sure that large swaths of fat are excluded. Then I dipped each of these pieces of meat in water and measured their displacement. What I found was that meat aged for 21 days displaced about 4% less liquid than completely fresh meat. A slight increase, but not by much. Meat aged up to 60 days displaced 5% less overall – showing that the majority of the moisture loss occurs in the first three weeks.
“That is, the less aged the meat was, the more moisture was expelled.”
Moreover, these density differences disappeared completely after the meat was cooked. That is, the less aged the meat was, the more moisture it released. Why is this? One of the side effects of aging is the breakdown of meat protein and connective tissue. This will make the meat more tender and less likely to contract during cooking. Less contraction = less moisture loss.
Finally, in many cases, 100% fresh meat lost even more liquid than dry-aged meat.
Finally, a simple taste test was the nail in the coffin: Meat that had been dry aged for 21 days (the period when the greatest change in density of inner meat occurs) was indistinguishable from the taste of fresh meat. The improvements only concerned the texture. It was only between the 30 and 60 day marks that real perceptible changes in taste occurred, and during this time there was essentially no change in intrinsic density. Thus, the loss of moisture is not associated with a change in taste.
Why doesn’t meat that’s been aged lose moisture after the first few weeks?
It’s a matter of permeability. As meat loses moisture, its muscle fibers become increasingly tightly packed, making it increasingly difficult for moisture beneath the surface to escape further. After the first few weeks, the outer layer of meat is so dense and tough that it is virtually impervious to moisture loss.
Look here:
You can see that the layer of dried meat is as thick in a cut of beef aged for four weeks as it is in a cut aged for over eight weeks. No matter how long I aged the steak, the waste was about the same—just about an inch from the outer cut surfaces.
If it’s not moisture loss, what factors affect the flavor of aged beef?
A few things. The first is the enzymatic breakdown of muscle proteins into shorter fragments, altering their flavor in desirable ways. But this effect is entirely secondary to the far more important change that occurs when fat is exposed to oxygen. It is the oxidation of fat as well as bacterial action on the meat’s surfaces that causes the most profound flavor change – the funkiness you get in meat aged over 30 days.
It’s true that much of this unconventional flavor is concentrated in the outermost parts of the meat – the parts that are mostly trimmed away – and for this reason it is extremely important that you do it when getting the most out of your aged meat want to serve it with the bone attached. Unlike the fat cap, which is completely removed and discarded, the outer portions of the bones still contain tons of oxidized fat and affected meat. The flavors of this meat reach your nostrils as you eat, transforming your entire experience. Aged steak lovers also appreciate the spinalis (again, the outer cap of meat on a ribeye) for its richer, more aged flavor.
setup aging
What kind of setup do I really need to mature steaks at home? how easy is it
It is very simple and requires practically no special equipment. There are just a few things you need:
fridge space. The best thing you can use is your own mini fridge that you can keep closed so the smell of meat doesn’t permeate the rest of your food and vice versa. It can get a little… powerful. The mini-fridge I kept next to my desk filled the office with the aroma of aging meat if I peeked in for just a moment or two. Likewise, aged meats can absorb flavors from your refrigerator. Unless your fridge is odor free, a mini fridge is your best option.
The best thing you can use is your own mini fridge that you can keep closed so the smell of meat doesn’t permeate the rest of your food and vice versa. It can get a little… powerful. The mini-fridge I kept next to my desk filled the office with the aroma of aging meat if I peeked in for just a moment or two. Likewise, aged meats can absorb flavors from your refrigerator. Unless your fridge is odor free, a mini fridge is your best option. A fan. To encourage surface drying and even aging, you’ll want to put a fan in your fridge to keep the air circulating. This works similar to a convection oven and promotes more even cooling and humidity all around. I used a standard table fan. To get it in there, I cut a small notch in the fridge door seal – just big enough for the cord to fit through.
To encourage surface drying and even aging, you’ll want to put a fan in your fridge to keep the air circulating. This works similar to a convection oven and promotes more even cooling and humidity all around. I used a standard table fan. To get it in there, I cut a small notch in the fridge door seal – just big enough for the cord to fit through. A rack. Your meat needs to be elevated on a rack. I tried aging a piece of meat on a plate and right on the bottom of the fridge. Bad idea. The part that came in contact with the slab was not properly dehydrated and eventually rotted. Aging on a wire shelf or directly on the wire shelf of a refrigerator is the way to go.
Your meat needs to be elevated on a rack. I tried aging a piece of meat on a plate and right on the bottom of the fridge. Bad idea. The part that came in contact with the slab was not properly dehydrated and eventually rotted. Aging on a wire shelf or directly on the wire shelf of a refrigerator is the way to go. Time. Patience, little grasshopper. Your patience will be rewarded with the steak of your dreams.
But what about moisture? I’ve heard that humidity needs to be kept high [or low, or medium, or nonexistent, or et cetera]? Where should it be and how can I control it?
The three different refrigerators I’ve aged meat in all had different moisture levels. The mini-fridge was constantly high – about 80% throughout the aging process (I kept it there by leaving a small bowl of water in the back). A piece was left in the office fridge, which was periodically opened and closed throughout the process. Its humidity ranged from 30 to 80% without regularity. Finally, my fridge at home had a lower humidity level, closer to 50% at all times (similar to ambient room humidity).
Guess what? All three produced excellent aged beef.
And it makes sense. As my tests above show, the outer layers of the beef become almost impervious to moisture after the first few weeks. It really doesn’t make much of a difference how humid or dry the environment is; the inner flesh is protected. That’s good news for home dry agers!
Timed coordination
OK, I’m almost convinced. How long should I let my meat mature?
I had tasters taste steaks that had been aged for different periods. To ensure all steaks were fairly ranked and to minimize differences in actual cooking, I cooked them in a sous vide water bath to 127°F before finishing them with a cast iron skillet and burner combo. Steaks were tasted completely blind.
Results indicated that aging time was largely a matter of personal preference, but here’s a rough guide to what happens over the course of 60 days:
14 days or less: Not much point. No change in taste; very little detectable change in tenderness. Very few people preferred this steak.
Not much point. No change in taste; very little detectable change in tenderness. Very few people preferred this steak. 14 to 28 days: Especially at the higher end of this scale, the steak begins to become noticeably more tender. Still, no major taste changes. That’s about the age of a steak at your average high-end steakhouse.
Especially at the higher end of this scale, the steak becomes noticeably more tender. Still, no major taste changes. That’s about the age of a steak at your average high-end steakhouse. 28 to 45 days: Some real funkiness is beginning to manifest. At 45 days, there are distinct notes of blue or cheddar cheese, and the flesh is noticeably juicier and juicier. Most tasters preferred 45-day aged steak to all others.
Some real funkiness is starting to manifest. At 45 days, there are distinct notes of blue or cheddar cheese, and the flesh is noticeably juicier and juicier. Most tasters preferred 45-day aged steak to all others. 45 to 60 days: Extremely intense aromas develop. A handful of tasters enjoyed the richness of this highly aged meat, although some found it too much for more than a bite or two. Ed Levine said of the 60-day steak, “I may have reached my aging threshold.” Rarely does one find a restaurant that serves such a well-aged steak.*
*I only know of two in New York: Minetta Tavern, which has an 80-day steak, and Eleven Madison Park, which serves 120-day aged steaks as part of its tasting menu.
I still have some questions!
What about wet aging? What is it and does it work?
Wet aging is easy: put your beef in a Cryovac bag and let it sit on the shelf (or more likely on refrigerated trucks if shipping across the country) for a few weeks. Tell your customers it’s aged; sell it at a premium.
The problem is that wet aging has nothing to do with dry aging.
First of all, there is no fat oxidation in wet aging, which means no unusual flavors are developed. Minimal flavor change will occur from enzymatic reactions, but they are, well, minimal. In addition, wet aging prevents excess serum and meat juices from running off. Tasters often report that wet-aged meat tastes “sour” or “serumy.”
Wet-aging can offer the same softening and moisture-retaining benefits as dry-aging, but that’s about it. In reality, wet aging is a product of laziness and greed. It’s easy to let the retailer’s cryopreserved bag of beef sit around for a week before the bag is opened so that it can be labeled ‘cured’ and sold for a higher price. i don’t buy it If you’re selling “aged” meat, be sure to ask if it’s dry-aged or wet-aged. If they don’t know the answer or aren’t willing to share it, it’s best to assume the worst.
The other disadvantage of wet aging: it cannot be carried out for as long as dry aging. It seems counterintuitive considering that a wet aged cut of meat is largely protected by the outside environment. But if even a hint of harmful anaerobic bacteria gets into that bag, the flesh in its casing will rot and give no indication that this has happened until you open it.
My sincere apologies to everyone who was in the office the day I opened this packet of rotten wet-aged beef. As Robyn described it, it smelled like “rotten excrement that makes a poo.”
Yes, it was that bad.
What about those fancy “dry aging bags” I’ve read so much about?
Like me, you must have seen those dry aging bag videos floating around the internet. The idea is that you seal a cut of beef in some sort of special bag that allows you to safely age it at home. Supposedly it helps with aging by letting moisture out but not letting air in.
I ordered a few kits to test this out myself. Before I even started aging, there were problems. I went through an entire $25.50 set of three pouches, none of which were able to form a tight seal with my standard FoodSaver vacuum sealer (and yes I followed the directions to a T) . After ordering another kit (and spending a total of $51 on them), I finally got a single bag to seal, only to find the next day that it was in fact not sealed properly and had leaked:
I decided to let it go anyway, squeezing out as much air as possible and trying to ensure good contact between the bag and the surface of the meat as the instructions recommended.
After aging it for several weeks, I unpacked the roast and found the following:
Not the most promising sight, but I dutifully removed the mildew, trimmed the roast and cut steaks from it. The taste tests I ran showed no significant difference between steak aged in one of these pouches and steak aged outdoors. Where I felt a difference was in my wallet, which was now $51 lighter than when I started.
I’ll pass on the special equipment.
Note: For more thoughts on the UMAi Dry Bag, check out this informative post from Go Lb. Salt Blog. If the analysis here is correct, it’s probably a good thing that the pouch didn’t perform as advertised and instead allowed air to come into contact with my flesh. I mean don’t we want the fat to oxidize?
Fast and dirty
Okay, just give me the tl;dr version. How do I age my steak?
Step 1: Buy a prime rib. Make sure it’s bone-in, preferably with the dorsal bone still attached and the fat cap fully intact. If you buy from the butcher, ask him not to cut it at all. A decent butcher will not charge you full price as they make money selling you the extra fat and bones.
Make sure it’s bone-in, preferably with the dorsal bone still attached and the fat cap fully intact. If you buy from the butcher, ask him not to cut it at all. A decent butcher will not charge you full price as they make money selling you the extra fat and bones. Step 2: Place the meat on a wire rack in a refrigerator. Preferably a dedicated mini fridge that you put a table fan set too low in, with a small notch in the door panel to allow the cord to come out. Set the temperature to 36 to 40°F.
Preferably a dedicated mini fridge that you put a table fan set too low in, with a small notch in the door panel to allow the cord to come out. Set the temperature to 36 to 40°F. Step 3: Wait. Wait between four and eight weeks, turning the meat occasionally to encourage even maturation. It will start smelling. That is normal.
Wait between four and eight weeks, turning the meat occasionally to encourage even maturation. It will start smelling. That is normal. Step 4: Trim. For a step-by-step slideshow of the process, see the slideshow above.
For a step-by-step slideshow of the process, see the slideshow above. Step 5: Cooking. (See above or below for some recipe links.)
(See above or below for some recipe links.) Step 6: ???
Step 7: Profit.
did you all get it? In, say, 60 days, there will be a pop quiz.
And you want to know how best to prepare those amazing steaks that you have produced? Please!
Continue reading
Edit: A lot of people have asked for photos of the drying setup. I don’t have photos when the meat was in, unfortunately, but here’s a photo showing the fan placement and basic layout. It’s damn easy.
Himalayan Salt Fridge
Our beef has been matured in an authentic Himalayan salt chamber built from salt bricks, which intensely concentrates the flavor of the meat and gives it a special tenderness.
The result is an exceptional and unparalleled sensory steak experience.
Here at Cornucopia we farm the steaks to offer you the finest quality steaks. Our Himalayan salt wall refrigerator reduces excess moisture from the meat through the chamber’s salty atmosphere. This lowers the humidity and the meat in turn releases its moisture into the air.
The dry environment our chamber creates encourages the desired chemical reactions to take place in the meat and tenderizes the meat for increased levels of juiciness.
The Himalayan salt wall in our chamber creates a natural antimicrobial environment that prevents bad bacterial growth.
Combine all of these and we are able to deliver a truly exquisite taste that can only be obtained through this process!
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