Curing Meat

PhilOsh

We usually have venison for our winter meat but this year I didn't get enough deer during the hunt (my ancestors would label that as the basis for being a vegetarian) and we bought some free-range, grass fed, no hormones, no antibiotics, no grain fed, beef. I thought that the 8 day cure at the butcher would be enough because that's what I do with the venison and it is excellent. I put the venison on ice and keep it covered with ice for 8 days allowing the melt water to drain off through the coolers drain. What is a good method for curing beef (steaks) cut about 1" thick? Can I do it in the fridge at about 41 degrees? Do I have to keep them on ice at a colder temp? Should they be in an airtight container? Do I add spices during the cure or is that for afterwards? I was told the beef I bought was aged for 8 days before it was cut and frozen but it seems tough to me when I grill it to medium-rare. Thank you.
Phil
Oshkosh, WI

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

sounds like you mean "aging" rather than curing.

i wouldn't recommend dry aging steaks, there's way too much flesh exposed, and they'll dry too much. you can just let them wet age, kept wrapped. they'll still have the enzyme action of dry aging, and you won't ruin them by turning them into jerky.

whether aging or just keeping in storage, it should never see 41 degrees. at 40 or above you are in danger of allowing bacteria to multiply. it's not an exact cut-off, but generally the number is BELOW 40. meat won't freeze at 32, and most meat drawers in a standard home fridge are chilled directly from the freezer side and have a vent allowing the freezer air to enter the drawer. this helps keep things cold (low 30s). it's also why dry aging (unwrapped, exposed to the air) can be dicey in a home fridge. any odors in the fridge or freezer can comingle and affect the steak. as for how long? well, aging means that you are going to cruise well past any "sell by" or "use by date". you can't age AND stay on the other (safe) side of those dates. most age a minimum of 14 days. home aging might generally cut off at 21 to 28 days, and commercial agers (with more humid environments) can go 45 days or longer without over-drying the subprimals

just to back way up, though...
don't dry age steaks (unwrapped, in air). it doesn't do anything for you that wet aging a steak does just as well. only subprimals are suitable for dry aging for any length of time, say more than two weeks. two weeks is the minimum ante. if you let a steak go two weeks, you have something resembling a shoe insole.

aging and curing are two different things. if you truly want to cure, it's a different conversation.

PhilOsh

Thanks for your response. I probably mean aging rather than curing. My intent is to make the meat more tender. Safely. So.... what would your suggest?
Phil

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

well. it's pretty much all in that first response. dry age whole subprimals if possible. wet age smaller cuts (under plastic).

you can wet age whole primals too, just keep them in cryovac.

there's a ton of stuff on the forum about dry aging. check there first and if there are any inconsistencies, post them to the board and someone will jump in.

you can also age with "dry-age bags", a new product which is vacuum sealed on the primals. it's water-vapor permeable plastic, and allows the meat to air dry. i haven't used it, but my gut is that it may slow down drying a bit (versus the same fridge in open air), which might allow you to age longer than 28 days at home without too much drying.

if it's a steak, leave it wrapped in your fridge and let it go a couple weeks. it will turn brown. not a concern as long as temps are good (below 38)