Wanna see what 80 day aged beef looks like?

DoubleEgger

It's Day 80 of @bgebrent and my aged ribeye showdown and gentlemen's wager. The 100 day project will conclude on Sept 17 with a cutting ceremony and a little cookoff. 

bgebrent

Looking good Michael!  I'll post a pic later for comparison.

johnmitchell

Brent looking forward to the comparison pic of your meat !!!!

tarheelmatt

johnmitchell said:

Brent looking forward to the comparison pic of your meat !!!!

B-rent told me he's not used to taking pictures of big meat.  Said he is used to taking pictures of the half eaten lil smokey variety that one cannot see hardly.  That's why he's always asking me if I'll photoshop stuff or can I make "things" look bigger than what they are.  

jeffwit

DoubleEgger

80 Day not 80 Year @jeffwit

Darby_Crenshaw

is that liquid in the bottom corner?

bag doesn't look as closely adhered as i have seen in the photos posted here previously. maybe the bag doesn't need to be tight to the surface?

DoubleEgger

It was tighter to the surface when I started. It has shrunk a lot. The coloration is just the bag adhesion and lighting. I double checked it. 

DoubleEgger

This was Day 1 

bgebrent

The bag less 80 day version.



Bigger than any meat @tarheelmatt has dreamt of.

Darby_Crenshaw

DoubleEgger said:

It was tighter to the surface when I started. It has shrunk a lot. The coloration is just the bag adhesion and lighting. I double checked it. 

ah.  got it. from the day1 photo you can see that the corner is not liquid, just meat

looks good

MaC122

At what point are you, or anyone for that matter, going to get sick from aging beef? Is there a safe aging limit?

Wardster

Rut Ro....

SGH

MaC122 said:

Is there a safe aging limit?

Makes one stop and ponder for a moment doesn't it? But to answer your question, there is certainly a limit on wet aging. But on dry aging, the time frame that you can age is measured in years and decades, not days or weeks if you know what you are doing. In the realm of dry aging, 100 days is mere child's play. 
On that note, there is what most call a practical limit where you are changing the taste of something that you enjoy into something that you may no longer enjoy. That limit is different for everyone. However as far as "safe" to eat, if you do your part when dry aging, you probably will not live long enough to reach a unsafe point. 

SGH

@DoubleEgger @bgebrent
Standing by with envious eyes for the finale my friends. 

stv8r

Very cool thread!  Looking forward to the updates..

Darby_Crenshaw

MaC122 said:

At what point are you, or anyone for that matter, going to get sick from aging beef? Is there a safe aging limit?

you need to instead first ask: how would i get sick from beef (any beef) in the first place?


answer that question, and it will make clear why aging beef this way does not necessarily mean that you are making the beef less safe by aging it

consider that the USDA advises that chicken eggs, which have been recently (i.e., last twenty years or so) breached by virulent salmonella strains, are STILL safe after six to eight weeks in the fridge.

people will keep a dozen eggs in their fridge for a couple weeks easy without wondering whether they are bad.  but beef, which is 'safer' than chicken?  no way.  people wig out and panic. if they bought a roast and a dozen eggs on the same day, they'd throw out the beef well before the eggs.  but they couldn't explain why.

re beef: 

where does the bacteria come from that we care about? 

-during slaughter, the guy may be spilled and fecal bacteria may get on (not in) the muscle.

what allows it to grow? 

warm temps, and water (moist surfaces)

so.  wash the meat, pat dry, and and let the surface air dry quickly.  keep it cold (beef will not freeze even at 32 degrees), and you minimize the bacteria to begin with, as well as its growth.  don't push the bacteria into the beef (i.e. don't age ground beef, where the exterior is made internal).  if you leave it in cryo, the non-oxygen environment is on your side too

BYS1981

SGH said:

MaC122 said:

Is there a safe aging limit?

Makes one stop and ponder for a moment doesn't it? But to answer your question, there is certainly a limit on wet aging. But on dry aging, the time frame that you can age is measured in years and decades, not days or weeks if you know what you are doing. In the realm of dry aging, 100 days is mere child's play. 
On that note, there is what most call a practical limit where you are changing the taste of something that you enjoy into something that you may no longer enjoy. That limit is different for everyone. However as far as "safe" to eat, if you do your part when dry aging, you probably will not live long enough to reach a unsafe point. 

To touch more on this,  I forget who posted the youtube of it, but a guy tested dry aged steaks at TX restaurant and I think he found 180 to be about the limit. 

feef706

BYS1981 said:

SGH said:

MaC122 said:

Is there a safe aging limit?

Makes one stop and ponder for a moment doesn't it? But to answer your question, there is certainly a limit on wet aging. But on dry aging, the time frame that you can age is measured in years and decades, not days or weeks if you know what you are doing. In the realm of dry aging, 100 days is mere child's play. 
On that note, there is what most call a practical limit where you are changing the taste of something that you enjoy into something that you may no longer enjoy. That limit is different for everyone. However as far as "safe" to eat, if you do your part when dry aging, you probably will not live long enough to reach a unsafe point. 

To touch more on this,  I forget who posted the youtube of it, but a guy tested dry aged steaks at TX restaurant and I think he found 180 to be about the limit. 

I watched that video as it was posted here recently, it sounded as though that restaurant was inviting different bacteria to grow on the surface, the old ones were super gnarly looking, I think he sampled a 420 day old but it was overwhelmed by the flavor and it was tough 

http://www.eater.com/2016/7/29/12324720/how-long-dry-age-steak-meat-show-knife-john-tesar

tarheelmatt

Weak come back B-Rent.  Real weak.  

northGAcock

I am holding out for day 83.

blind99

this is EPIC

i can't wait to see the details off the cutting and cookoff.  

will you be trimming?  or eating the edges?

what is the drink of choice for this event?

bgebrent

tarheelmatt said:

Weak come back B-Rent.  Real weak.  

Says the boy with the small hands.  Tried to give you an out.  

bgebrent

blind99 said:

this is EPIC

i can't wait to see the details off the cutting and cookoff.  

will you be trimming?  or eating the edges?

what is the drink of choice for this event?

My friend, we'll be eating the jerky (edges), I plan no trimming just cuz I'm lazy.  Drink of choice I'll leave up to the others.  For me, I most look forward to the carpaccio.

theyolksonyou

blind99 said:

this is EPIC

i can't wait to see the details off the cutting and cookoff.  

will you be trimming?  or eating the edges?

what is the drink of choice for this event?

I'm just along for the ride. I'll eat whatever is put in front of me. Hope I can talk the wife into driving also I can drink all of Brent's beer and part of his bourbon. 

johnnyp

Looks awesome guys.  Waiting eagerly for the 100 day results

nolaegghead

260 or so days pork.

bgebrent

MaC122 said:

At what point are you, or anyone for that matter, going to get sick from aging beef? Is there a safe aging limit?

Brother MaC122, I haven't done anything @Darby_Crenshaw recommended.  He's crazy!  Counting on good luck.  Wish me luck brother.
Now you know I'm messing with you.  There is science behind all this.  I'm a scientist so forgive my bias.  Really don't know how this will turn out, other than you and I know mine will be way better than @DoubleEgger's . If it kills me, I'll let you know.

theyolksonyou

Just don't tell Amy we're  eating rotten steak!  Until we're finished. 

bgebrent

theyolksonyou said:

Just don't tell Amy we're  eating rotten steak!  Until we're finished. 

We'll need to get hers and the boys out of the center!  We'll have some unaged prime ribeye dialed in too brother.  No one hungry!

theyolksonyou

@bgebrent they'll all try almost anything. The boys eat raw oysters, fish, etc. escargot. Just might want some of that back up.