Dry Age Poll

GalanteNate_OneEa

I am 14 days into the dry aging process, and I originally had planned to go 28 days total. I can already tell the process is working by not only the texture of the roast but the aroma it has. If this was just for me, I would say 28 days no matter what, but I'm not the only carnivore in the house, and have planned to enjoy with guests as well.  I am worried that 28 days may be too long for my wife and friends but would hate to stop short of greatness.

If you have any opinion and input as to preference or what can be expected as to the difference 21/28 days makes, please respond. 

Thanks much!

Darby_Crenshaw

most folks, myself included, don't notice much of a difference in store bought dry aged beef, because they usually only go 21 days max. 

i frankly bet they wouldn't notice a difference, rather than perceive a huge one.

some places (i had one near me, that converted me) go 45days, but they are few and far between.

i say, if you are interested, give it a shot.  might be better to treat a test as a roast, actually, because the dried surface will give you a great golden brown crust even without a sear (i don't sear).  that will surely be obvious to your friends.

and the cut when sliced will look like any rib roast they've had before.  so they will not be wigged out by appearances.

i doubt you'll perceive any aging at that length of time.  i am surprised you have an aroma actually.  mine always seem clean or non-smelling.  shouldn't be funky at all, except in an 'aged' way, which is hard to described.  take a deep sniff of prosciutto and you'll catch the whiff of aging.


best thing is to lop off a little at a time.  one every week, until you find your sweet spot.  you sacrifice some flesh to the exposed end cuts, but worth the price in my thinking to find out what you prefer

GalanteNate_OneEa

Darby_Crenshaw said:

most folks, myself included, don't notice much of a difference in store bought dry aged beef, because they usually only go 21 days max. 

i frankly bet they wouldn't notice a difference, rather than perceive a huge one.

some places (i had one near me, that converted me) go 45days, but they are few and far between.

i say, if you are interested, give it a shot.  might be better to treat a test as a roast, actually, because the dried surface will give you a great golden brown crust even without a sear (i don't sear).  that will surely be obvious to your friends.

and the cut when sliced will look like any rib roast they've had before.  so they will not be wigged out by appearances.

i doubt you'll perceive any aging at that length of time.  i am surprised you have an aroma actually.  mine always seem clean or non-smelling.  shouldn't be funky at all, except in an 'aged' way, which is hard to described.  take a deep sniff of prosciutto and you'll catch the whiff of aging.


best thing is to lop off a little at a time.  one every week, until you find your sweet spot.  you sacrifice some flesh to the exposed end cuts, but worth the price in my thinking to find out what you prefer

Thanks for all the great info and your speedy reply! First off, I definately should have done a test run with a cheaper roast. But I figured if you are gonna swing, try for the fence, so I bought the best quality available to me. The aroma in the fridge isn't over powering or really funky, but the beef smell is definately present, and it's only 1/2 way there, that's why I got nervous, I'd hate to over do it and be the only one who will enjoy it.  When I told my wife what I had spent, her only response was "Well just don't f*** it up" so I owe her at least that lol.

Thanks again @Darby_Crenshaw for your quick and extensive reply!

Darby_Crenshaw

i think a rib yeye is the best way to go too.  i wouldn't advocate aging a smaller roast (unless of course also a rib eye)

no eye-round roasts, for example.

good luck.

marysvilleegger

I went 28 days with my first one and my wife was extremely skeptical but said after it was the best ever.  This last one I went 43 and am trying them tonight.   I'm betting they're home runs as well!

RRP

Matter of personal taste I suppose, but I go 35 days for NY strip loins since they are thinner sub-primals and 45 days for rib eye and sirloin since they are so much thicker and more roundish in shape. 

GalanteNate_OneEa

Darby_Crenshaw said:

i think a rib yeye is the best way to go too.  i wouldn't advocate aging a smaller roast (unless of course also a rib eye)

no eye-round roasts, for example.

good luck.

Thanks Again!

GalanteNate_OneEa

marysvilleegger said:

I went 28 days with my first one and my wife was extremely skeptical but said after it was the best ever.  This last one I went 43 and am trying them tonight.   I'm betting they're home runs as well!

That is definately a good thing to hear! Thanks @marysvilleegger !!

GalanteNate_OneEa

RRP said:

Matter of personal taste I suppose, but I go 35 days for NY strip loins since they are thinner sub-primals and 45 days for rib eye and sirloin since they are so much thicker and more roundish in shape. 

Thank you @RRP I will keep that in mind!

Focker

Egghead buddy Adam learnt me on wet aging first before dry aging.  I have settled on two weeks in fridge, in cryo(unaware of packing date on the box the subprimal comes in), then 4 weeks dry in the fridge.  If you know the packing date, not the sell by date, you can go much longer on the wet age if preferred.   

Darby_Crenshaw

^^^ That is a good strategy too

i always try to emphasize that dry aging is actually two different things. Aging, plus drying

wet aging and then further dry aging is a good way to age for a long while without drying too much

GalanteNate_OneEa

Focker said:

Egghead buddy Adam learnt me on wet aging first before dry aging.  I have settled on two weeks in fridge, in cryo(unaware of packing date on the box the subprimal comes in), then 4 weeks dry in the fridge.  

Thanks much for the input @Focker

Focker

Darby_Crenshaw said:

^^^ That is a good strategy too

i always try to emphasize that dry aging is actually two different things. Aging, plus drying

wet aging and then further dry aging is a good way to age for a long while without drying too much

Or, the cheap a$$ yankees' less waste method isn't bad either. lol

Focker

GalanteNate_OneEa said:

Focker said:

Egghead buddy Adam learnt me on wet aging first before dry aging.  I have settled on two weeks in fridge, in cryo(unaware of packing date on the box the subprimal comes in), then 4 weeks dry in the fridge.  

Thanks much for the input @Focker

FWIW and future reference, tried to edit my post for better explanation.  If you know the packing date from the box, not sell by date on label, you can wet age much longer than two weeks.  

My next beef eggsperiment may be a full blown wet age for 6 weeks, then rinse, pat dry, and quickly air dry in fridge for comparison vs the dry age. Again, the cheap a$$ yankee shining through. 


Have fun dialing things in.

nolaegghead

I wet aged a pork belly for almost two months (forgot about it), then cured it, smoked it, and I still have some cured bacon in the fridge, three months after the cure.  It gets better and better - even after the cure - it is noticeably more tender.

Darby_Crenshaw

I am of the camp that packing dates can be ignored. 

I know a few folks that wet age 6-8 weeks, as long as 100 days 

no issues

fridge temps are important of course

Focker

Good to know, thanks.  I don't know if I could go that long. 
Do they prefer the wet over dry?

Darby_Crenshaw

Edit: they prefer wet AND dry

if i had all the time in the world, or forethought, i'd donit exactly your way

wet age longer, dry shorter

our fridges are too dry. Drier than commercial dry aging environments. So longer than 45  can be a problem

but it's aging that takes the time, right?

so leave it wet as long as you want and then dry maybe 21 days

GalanteNate_OneEa

Thus is all great info. Learning a lot. Thanks everyone!

GalanteNate_OneEa

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1193310/what-easter-means-to-the-north-east#latest

This is the thread where I was posting updates for my prime rib

Darby_Crenshaw

Looks great. Next time try it without the condom. Trust me. As good or better

Jai-Bo

I have a 19.7 lb boneless prime rib that's been sleeping in its Umai sleeping bag about 20 days so far...I plan to do 35 but will post pics and weights after I'm done!  My 1st attempt and it was hard to fork out the change on a big chunk of meat like that!

RRP

Jai-Bo said:

I have a 19.7 lb boneless prime rib that's been sleeping in its Umai sleeping bag about 20 days so far...I plan to do 35 but will post pics and weights after I'm done!  My 1st attempt and it was hard to fork out the change on a big chunk of meat like that!

I can understand the reluctance to plop down so much money to buy a sub-primal, but if you comparison shop I bet you will see how much cheaper it is to buy it that way. Otherwise there is the cost added to have someone steak it out, package it and then put it in the meat case and hope they sell it within the date frame they say is "best by". I think you'll see at least a $2 to $3 per pound savings.

GalanteNate_OneEa

RRP said:

Jai-Bo said:

I have a 19.7 lb boneless prime rib that's been sleeping in its Umai sleeping bag about 20 days so far...I plan to do 35 but will post pics and weights after I'm done!  My 1st attempt and it was hard to fork out the change on a big chunk of meat like that!

I can understand the reluctance to plop down so much money to buy a sub-primal, but if you comparison shop I bet you will see how much cheaper it is to buy it that way. Otherwise there is the cost added to have someone steak it out, package it and then put it in the meat case and hope they sell it within the date frame they say is "best by". I think you'll see at least a $2 to $3 per pound savings.

This is why the wife was ok with it, as long as I "don't f#€k it up" lol, fingers crossed!

Raymont

35-45 dry (haven't experimented with wet then dry), has been perfect in my opinion. Anything less than 30 I don't see much difference. (I understand that it looks different on the outside, but once you cut you won't notice much difference/taste). 

GalanteNate_OneEa

Raymont said:

35-45 dry (haven't experimented with wet then dry), has been perfect in my opinion. Anything less than 30 I don't see much difference. (I understand that it looks different on the outside, but once you cut you won't notice much difference/taste). 

I'm gonna have to grow some balls to get 45 lol

MelSharples

28 days should not be offensive to anyone who eats beef on a regular basis, IMO you don't get into the exotic flavors until you hit the 40+ day mark. As for wet aging in the cryo I've done 90 days wet then 35 days dry and there was no discernible difference to the flavor or texture as one dry aged with only 14 days of wet aging.  I usually decide when to start dry aging by a) what I have already in the fridge dry aging and 2) what I have on hand to dry age. Agree with Darby on the bags, but to each his own!