Dry aging temp question??

KyEgg

So I've read you need sub 40 temps to dry age. I've been monitoring the temps of my garage fridge and much to my dismay it is around 42 at the moment. The garage temp is 27 and the fridge is set on it's coldest temp.

Are my dreams of dry aging over????

Thanks in advance.

Firetruck

It really needs to be in the 34-38 degree range for any real aging. :( Safely that is

Fidel

believe it or not, in a cold environment your fridge is working harder than it does in a warmer environment. Raise the setting of the fridge and check it again in a day or two.

Otherwise you will not safely age meat at over 40*, your risks of contamination and bacterial growth are too high.

RRP

Just a question here for sake of clarity - when you say your garage frig I assume you mean an older refrigerator that you have located in the garage. That's opposite of a refrigerator that is expressly sold for an unheated or uncooled environment such as a garage. If the former is correct (being an older unit) and you have it set at it's coldest but it is only achieving 42° I'd say you have a problem. It may be with the cooling fluid or with the compressor, but I'm not sure I would trust aging some meat until I had it professionally checked.

Little Chef

KyEgg, What setting do you have the freezer on, and what temp is your freezer maintaining? Often, if you turn the freezer temp warmer, it will divert more cold air to the fridge. But make sure the freezer is running at zero before the change so you don't lose what is in the freezer. The freezer will always win the 'cold air first' battle. Check the freezer temp, and turn it warmer by one notch. (I am assuming you have both set on the coldest setting), which will almost always deprive the fridge in an older unit. And I totally agree with the others, temps above 40* for dry aging is not good... 32-36 would be ideal, and I would not proceed if it's any higher. My two cents!

thirdeye

Whoa, finally a subject where I'm a real expert!

No not dry aging, or thermodynamics.... I'm talking beer fridges in cold climates. Heck I've had one in various garages in Wyoming for 35 years. Heheee, hehee.

Here is the deal, a garage fridge (or beer fridge like I call them), in a place where the air temperature gets cold, does funny things to the thermostat. (it is designed to work in the home at 70°F). So, the beer fridge thermostat does not sense a rise in temp and never turns the compressor on. Because the compressor does not come on, cold air is never produced in the freezer and moved down into the fridge. In fact, I would check your freezer temp, you might really get a shock.

They do make a "garage refrigerator kit" which is basically a little heating pad that tricks your fridge's thermostat. I think Sears has them.

Your best bet for a garage fridge or freezer is to buy an old one..... they are insulated better. Next is to install it in the garage next to an inside wall or at least an insulated wall. Some old timers here will run a light bulb into their fridge on nights when it really gets cold.... like -20°F.

KyEgg

Thanks for the help. I will try raising the temp in the freezer and see if that helps. Otherwise, no aging for me. And yes, it is an old kitchen fridge that was moved to the garage.

Ricklesss

thirdeye wrote:

Whoa, finally a subject where I'm a real expert!

Some old timers here will run a light bulb into their fridge on nights when it really gets cold.... like -20°F.

Wow! There is a trick I'd wager most folks have never heard of!! Who knew?

nuynai

I did one in a small fridge my son had for his basement bar. Only problem was, there was no air circulation. I got it set to 36, no problem. Another thing is the humidity should be controlled for proper drying. Check out the Food Network. Guy Fieri has a good show on it. Good luck.

stike

you don't need to control humidity, so much as understand what effect high, normal, or low humidity (low in a fridge, typical) will have. and our fridges are perfectly capable of operating within an acceptable range of humidity

no need for humidity controls or towels. it's a lot simpler than what folks make it out to be.

stike

i once went a week or so before discovering my fridge temps were up around 45. it was a beer freidge, and i hadn't cranked the temp back down for aging.

aging should take place around 30-36. too cold and it will just dry without aging. to warm, and it will age too quickly and (more importantly) bacteria can/will grow.

the meat was slimy, which is what made me double check temps. that sliminess was bacterial, and into the trash it went.

aim for 34, down the bottom of the fridge, and no towels, no towels, no towels. no trimming either, otherwise you are wasting time and money.

fishlessman

thers a few tricks you can try. put an extension light behind the fridge near the compressor with a 100 watt bulb, if that doesnt work, by pass the door switch that turns the light off in the fridge when the door is closed, ive seen fridges with a built in switch for switching over to cold weather use but havent seen one in a long time, the switch keeps the light on. my fridge drops in temps when the kitchen gets below 50, ice jugs in the freezer helps but at 27 degrees i dont think it will