Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Question on "dry aging"...

Options
55drum
55drum Posts: 162
edited December 2011 in EggHead Forum
once the meat has aged (20-30 days) is it necessary to trim the outside of the meat (the hardened layer)...many websites say to remove this layer...I don't see why....
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited December 2011
    Options
    No. Don't trim. It is completely illogical.

    Those who trim the dry aged part after dry aging do it because they have been sold bright red pretty steaks for years and think pretty is preferrable, maybe.

    A trimmed dry-aged steak is merely a wet-aged steak which used the outer portion of meat as a very expensive wrapper. If a person prefers trimming, they really ought to consider wet aging, where the flavors and tenderizing from enzymes is identical to that of dry-aged beef. Wet aging prevents any drying, and that exterior which is trimmed by some is what has been dried. So simply wet age if the drying gives you the heebie jeebies

    On occasion, you'll get some very dark fat maybe an 1/8" or less. You can trim that, sure. Or any 'tag' of beef that hangs off abd which has become jerky. It's all safe to eat, but those small semi-detached pieces are just too dried generally not what you want




    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited December 2011
    Options
    ...and if you're following the ubiquitous 'internet aging method', please get rid of the towels. They do nothing, except provide an opportunity for the surface to remain wet, and encourage bacterial growth
    Unwrap, rinse, pat dry, on a rack over a cookie sheet (even the cookie sheet is overkill). Normals fridge temps are fine

    There are no other issues to fret over. Humidity (whether high or low) is not a significant factor for the period of time most people age their meat. And mold is cosmetic. If it happens, wash it off
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tfoutch
    tfoutch Posts: 76
    Options

    Hey Stike

    How long would you recommend aging?  We have a standing rib roast we are planning to do for Christmas. 

    TFOUTCH Algood, Tennessee
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited December 2011
    Options
    you're too late.

    hahaha

    i go 45 days.  have done as short as 21, as long as 100.

    45 days is where the sweet spot is.
    start now and you will be good.  i did one for only about three weeks last year, for christmas.

    this is it.  looks brand new.  about 21 days, maybe 28.  don't recall.
    image

    i wouldn't do it if you have never had one though.  you may not feel comfortable with it, or may be unsure whether what you are tasting is 'right' or not.  maybe don't wana experiment with the family christmas roast.

    find a butcher near you, pay the premium for a steak, and look at it, take a whiff, then of course cook it.  that will give you a good comfort level.  you may have had aged beef as a steak in a restaurant, but it  is usually aged only 14-21 days.  and they didn't show it to you raw...  hahaha

    here's a chunk from the same rib-eye, aged further, to 60 days
    image

    the exterior is where the love is.  don't trim it. dense, beautifully crusty, beefy...  damn.  good stuff.

    here's the bad boy after 100 days dry-aging.  too dry for most.  i lobe the flavor, but the texture is a little dessicated
    image
    that free end is the only trimming i do.  but even from that i make carpaccio... yes.  raw.

    image
    45 to 60 days will give you a metallic tingle to the sides of your tongue.  at 100, it's like licking a 9-volt battery. hahaha

    no, not that much.  but it does tingle sometimes. fishlessman thinks maybe it is the bone that does that. dunno.

    i now age about 60 days in the cryo (wet age) and take it 45 further as dry-aging.  mark my words, you saw it here first. ;)

    image

    tried tying it to keep it round, as it tends to flatten out. 

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • David1010
    David1010 Posts: 15
    Options

    Stike,

    Are these day counts in addition to the time aged prior to you taking possession (in my experience 7-28 days)?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Options
    time in my fridge
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Options
    "i now age about 60 days in the cryo (wet age) and take it 45 further as dry-aging. "

    This is just ridiculous - in a good way.  I think I love you.  Send me a steak for Christmas.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Options
    re: "I think I love you"

    hmmm.
    >backing away slowly<
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Options
    This is a family forum! Take your love affair elsewhere

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    Options
    Newbie question; I have a small PR started 3 days ago, the exterior feels as hard as a brick ... is that mormal? It looks great and no smell as yet....
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Options
    Normal. You ARE trying to dry it out

    Waxen surface is what you are after

    And to pre-empt our cut-n-paster tweev: If i tend to repeat myself, it's usually because the same questions get asked over and over
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories