Dry Aged Brisket

KamadoDragon

I have a question, locally there is an "old world butcher" that sells dry aged beef. I was thinking of getting a brisket from them but was wondering if anyone has any experience with this type of beef and can provide some insight. Specifically:
1) Is it worth the cost?
    * I assume the brisket will cost significantly more, do the results justify the cost?
2) Any cooking tips?
    * I know the dry aging process causes moisture loss, so would sop(ing?) or crutching be called for? 

Thanks in advance.

Oh yea, here is the url for the butcher shop http://rudolphsmeatmarket.com/ (Dallas, Texas)

fishlessman

i like fatty cuts dry aged, brisket wet aged but never tried dry. would never justify the cost

Eggscuses

I don't think I would dry age it due to moisture loss.  I would wet age 35-40 days from the kill date. Ask the butcher when killed, leave in cryovac. 

Darby_Crenshaw

too thin to dry age for any significant length of time.

i know a few guys that wet aged for many weeks.  some have done dry aging, but you have to ask yourself: what do you want?

wet aging gives the additional flavors of 'aging' that dry aging does.  it also adds  some tenderness

but drying condenses the beef.  that's not bad, necessarily. would be great for brisket.  the problem is that aging takes a lot of time, and so larger rounder chunks fof meat are best because they don't dry out too soon.  thinner cuts dry too quickly before they age.

it's why you can dry age a rib eye roast, but not a rib eye steak.

wet age for a while if you want, then maybe dry age for a week or two max?  you will have less yield, and a thinner brisket, in the end.


i think a few guys have done it, i don't know for how long.

for flavor's sake, i'd wet age.  4, 5, 6 weeks easily. and skip dry aging

and there's no reason to pay him the premium to do any of this.

it is literally nothing more than forgetting about it in your fridge for as long as you want (or for some, until their wife tells them to stop)

KamadoDragon

I guess I was not clear...
The aging is done by the butcher, they only sell dry aged beef. I have not asked but I assume the whole side is hung and aged, so I would not be dry aging the brisket myself.
(Well if I buy the brisket on Thursday and cook it on Sunday does that count?)

nolaegghead

A nice big fatty point would probably be nice dry aged.  Like Stike said, the flat is too thin and would dry out.

KamadoDragon

nolaegghead said:

A nice big fatty point would probably be nice dry aged.  Like Stike said, the flat is too thin and would dry out.

Burnt Ends anyone?

acmoser76

What if the brisket doesn't come cryovac'ed? I sometimes get brisket from a local butcher that gets all their meat fresh from local farms. Is there any way to wet-age in that situation?

Darby_Crenshaw

KamadoDragon said:

I guess I was not clear...
The aging is done by the butcher, they only sell dry aged beef. I have not asked but I assume the whole side is hung and aged, so I would not be dry aging the brisket myself.
(Well if I buy the brisket on Thursday and cook it on Sunday does that count?)

you were clear.  i just took it to the logical conclusion.  why pay extra for something you can do yourself.

don't assume they are aging the whole carcass.  they may be, but even when they age the carcass, it's usually only a couple weeks after slaughter.  pretty much all commercial beef is hung for a couple weeks, even the stuff you get in the grocery store.

it's doubtful they hang the carcass for a further, what 45 days(?), and THEN break it down.  i'd bet they break it down and then age. 

which means your brisket would age solo.  as nola suggests, maybe (maybe) the whole brisket would be ok.  but when i age, it's 45 days.  28 days is effectively a waste of time, though i am sure the butcher doesn't think so. if they age only 21-28 days, you deserve better. 

but 45 day brisket is going to be thin.  heck, a 45 day sirloin strip is awful thin. 

there's a reason people aren't doing it in droves.  it's not ideal for the process.

"wet" aging is to buy a brisket in cryo and toss it in the bottom of the firdge (coldest part) for 6 to 7 weeks.  you get all the additional flavor, maintain the yield (no weight loss), extra tenderness.  you just don't get the condensed beef flavor. but if you dry aged it, you'd risk making shoeleather

and of course if you are one for trimming (as some seem to be), well, you'll have nothing left after trimming off the best part.

Darby_Crenshaw

acmoser76 said:

What if the brisket doesn't come cryovac'ed? I sometimes get brisket from a local butcher that gets all their meat fresh from local farms. Is there any way to wet-age in that situation?

not really.  i mean, technically, might be possible.

you'd have to vacuum pack it to wet age (not lose water)

KamadoDragon

Darby_Crenshaw said:

... why pay extra for something you can do yourself.

Umm... Lazy?

Darby_Crenshaw said:

...

pretty much all commercial beef is hung for a couple weeks, even the stuff you get in the grocery store.

 

I did talk to the butcher and he said that he had some nice briskets that were aged by them for 3 weeks, that would make it 21 days, which (if I understand you correctly) is about what most beef is aged anyway.

So essentially what I'm buying is a Prime brisket, nei?  

Darby_Crenshaw said:

and of course if you are one for trimming (as some seem to be), well, you'll have nothing left after trimming off the best part.

Trimming is for Christmas Trees!

Thanks for the great info, I may forgo the "Old World Dry Aged" brisket this go around and instead go back later and get a nice standing rib roast (which is next on my bucket list).

Darby_Crenshaw

your butcher's meat is likely aged twice.

the steer is slaughtered and hung two weeks usually.

then broken down

THEN your guy wet ages them three weeks (or 21 days).

no one really counts the two weeks of hanging time as aging really, because that is the standard