Dry Aging Beef at Home - the topic

[howard88]

I usually refrigerator age beef for one to four days. I have done this with rib roasts, boneless rib eye and other boneless roasts and am thinking I get a more intense beef flavor with a good amount of moisture removed. I cook low and slow and usually pan fry at high heat for a carmelized surface. I guess the ultimate test would be to age one and not age a similar roast to compare for taste. Maybe I will give it a try as a new years resolution.

[tommy]

Comparing dry aged meat from Lobels and wet aged meat from Food Emporium is ridiculous. The quality of the meat is different from the start which makes the dry aging vs. wet aging debate worthless. Throw in freshness, cryovac, butchering, etc. and there are so many other variables involved.

oddly, the writer found both good. although it is a silly test indeed.

[ejebud]

Ok folks, I have a cooking event on Feb 15th and I'm thinking of doing a quintessential NY steakhouse menu. I wanted to do Dry aged beef and was considering doing it at home using a whole ribeye. From what I 've read, Prime is the optimum grade choice, but you can also use the top of the Choice grade which is what Costco sells. I'm looking for any hands on experience from fellow gulleteers. I'm a bit concerned because after all what is dry aging but controlled rotting of meat. I don't want to mess it up and have to throw the meat away or even worse, get someone sick.

If it is recommended that I don't try it, do you know where I may be able to buy dry aged beef for 30 people for a decent price? I have a budget of $500 for the food portion of this event and the ingredeints for the side dishes(creamed spinach etc..) are not expensive so I can blow alot of the budget on the main attraction--the steak.

[Rosie]

Call Marty Powers from Wayne Meat. He sells dry aged beef and will be able to answer your questions. 973-835-0211

[fiftydollars]

Just put your roast on a rack over a sheet pan to catch any dripping and refrigerate for 3 days. These are the basics of the method. However, I put said rack and drip pan in a large plastic container that is profusely perforated to allow for ample circulation. The plastic container keeps me from looking at the thing every time I go into the fridge, but the roast is still just basically hanging out, exposed, in the refrigerator. After three or so days the meat has an ugly skin that needs to be trimmed off to expose the beautiful roast.

I got the method from Alton Brown in an episode on standing rib roast (prime rib-less the prime grade on the beef).

The idea of it, from what I gather, is not exactly about rotting, but mainly about water evaporation and to some extent about enzymes breaking down the tissues as the meat ages.

My results have ranged from great to spectacular.

Edited January 27, 2005 by fiftydollars (log)

[rooftop1000]

I did this for our christmas roast...I put a rack on a plate, meat on the rack, big bowl over it all not touching plate meat or bottom of fridge left it for a week. Much much better especially since it was on sale Shoprite meat

T

[Taboni]

Most of the dry aged beef I have come across in good butchers is in the $20+ per lb range, which might be a little too much for your budget. I don't know where you are located but you can try John's market in Scotch Plains as well (908) 322-7126.

I think it is a little tough to do it yourself for such a large number of guests as since there is significant product loss due to the drying process you have to start with pretty big primal cuts and expect to lose 10% or so (don't qote me on this number) due to the drying process, hence the increased price. Trying to dry age individual steaks is not the best way to go about it. Me, I would call a butcher.

[planojim]

I saw Elton Brown on the Food Network talk about it once. I've never tried it, but here's how he described doing it

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...6_17372,00.html

Remove any plastic wrapping or butcher's paper from the roast. Place the standing rib roast upright onto a half sheet pan fitted with a rack. The rack is essential for drainage. Place dry towels loosely on top of the roast. This will help to draw moisture away from the meat. Place into a refrigerator at approximately 50 to 60 percent humidity and between 34 and 38 degrees F. You can measure both with a refrigerator thermometer. Change the towels daily for 3 days.

[scarlet knight]

You can buy prime aged beef at Lobel's or Agata and Valentina on Upper East Side in NYC. Both sell beef that is better than we have had in 9 out of 10 restaurants.

[Taboni]

You can buy prime aged beef at Lobel's or Agata and Valentina on Upper East Side in NYC.  Both sell beef that is better than we have had in 9 out of 10 restaurants.

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Unfortunately I think the idea was to SAVE money and while Lobel's has better meat than most restaurants I doubt if it is the most thrifty solution to the problem.

[ejebud]

UPDATE:::

While I did come across this informative website,

Ask the meatman.com

I decided not to risk it with the amount of meat I need for the upcoming event (30 people). I met a guy at the Millburn Farmers Market over the summer who owns Greenwood Farm in washington, NJ. He also does Black Angus Beef. He's going to shoot me a price and dry age it just for me. We have a $500 food budget and I really could spend a good portion of that on the meat because the side dishes are made with pretty inexpensive ingredients.

[AlisonA]

UPDATE:::

While I did come across this informative website,

Ask the meatman.com

I decided not to risk it with the amount of meat I need for the upcoming event (30 people).  I met a guy at the Millburn Farmers Market over the summer who owns Greenwood Farm in washington, NJ.  He also does Black Angus Beef. He's going to shoot me a price and dry age it just for me.  We have a $500 food budget and I really could spend a good portion of that on the meat because the side dishes are made with pretty inexpensive ingredients.

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So, how did it go?????

AlisonA

[ejebud]

UPDATE:::

While I did come across this informative website,

Ask the meatman.com

I decided not to risk it with the amount of meat I need for the upcoming event (30 people).  I met a guy at the Millburn Farmers Market over the summer who owns Greenwood Farm in washington, NJ.  He also does Black Angus Beef. He's going to shoot me a price and dry age it just for me.  We have a $500 food budget and I really could spend a good portion of that on the meat because the side dishes are made with pretty inexpensive ingredients.

←

So, how did it go?????

AlisonA

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The event was a HUGE success!! Thanks for asking. I paid $9.99/pound and the meat was phenominal. Here's some Camera phone pics:

Incredible marbling:

It was well worth the effort to travel and get this meat.

I will definatley call on Greenwood farms again, and I can't wait 'till farmers market season to get here already!!!!

[mnebergall]

That is a well marbled piece of meat. In your initial post, you state that Costco sells top of the choice range. The ribeyes at Costco come from either Iowa Beef Processors or Exel (I think) and are run of the mill choice. I procured some wet aged tenderloins from a local restaurateur for Christmas dinner that were phenomenal.

[waves2ya]

It was well worth the effort to travel and get this meat.

I will definatley call on Greenwood farms again, and I can't wait 'till farmers market season to get here already!!!!

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Hi...

I'm interested in your beef buy from Greenwood Farms; can you drop a line in this thread when your butcher buddy is back at the market w/ the goods...?

Many thanks.

[viaChgo]

I'm making a standing rib roast this weekend & would like to try Alton Brown's method for dry aging at home. Has anyone tried this? Is it worthwhile? I'll probably pick up the beef on Tursday & age til Saturday.

[Angela Alaimo]

I'm making a standing rib roast this weekend & would like to try Alton Brown's method for dry aging at home. Has anyone tried this? Is it worthwhile? I'll probably pick up the beef on Tursday & age til Saturday.

←

Yes and yes. One of the best things about doing this is your refrigerator smells like meat for the time it's in there. <Yay!>

[rich]

I haven't tried it, but a good friend has and swears it works quite well. He complained about the oder, but baking soda cured that.

I've tried some of his home dried meats and there is a noticeable difference - it does have a positive affect.

[Mallet]

Link to the method

[ScorchedPalate]

We've done it a few times. it works like a charm, but you're a little behind schedule if you're planning to cook it this weekend.

Edited to add: OK, maybe not behind schedule. Although the method we used -- which I *thought* was Alton Brown's -- involved a plastic box with lots of holes drilled into it, and about a week of aging.

Edited December 14, 2005 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[Jmahl]

I've aged a standing rib roast - on a rack, in a tray then in a paper bag for as I remember, five days. Great results. Aldon generally knows from where he speaks. Don't you agree?

[viaChgo]

We've done it a few times. it works like a charm, but you're a little behind schedule if you're planning to cook it this weekend.

Edited to add: OK, maybe not behind schedule. Although the method we used -- which I *thought* was Alton Brown's -- involved a plastic box with lots of holes drilled into it, and about a week of aging.

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Yep, I am a little behind schedule. In the episode he does use the plastic box w/holes drilled on the sides. I think he did for 72 hours on the show but he also said that 36-48 hours would have an impact as well. So that's what I'm shooting for.

[Msk]

I have done this as well and it works great. In fact I have my steaks cut 2 inches thick by my butcher and dry age my steaks this way too. As long as you keep the steak thick, it seems to work pretty well. I have alot of pics I hope to get around to posting.

Msk

[woodburner]

I've often wondered in any benifit from using a jaccard before aging? It lessens meat juice loss during cooking as far as I'm concerned.

woocburner

[jsolomon]

I would be concerned about introducing surface contamination into the meat via the jaccard method. Granted, there wouldn't be great growth conditions, but you would contaminate into the meat.

I would suggest trying and reporting, though. Don't hold the meat at temperature for more than 2 hours before service. Sous vide would also be out on jaccarded meat.