First try at dry aging - Sunday will be payday for the wait (I hope it is good!)

Sea2Ski · July 2015

Prime ribeye started on 6/28, so that will mean it aged 29 days. A few pics below showing progress. I also have one steak from the same piece of meat frozen, and will do a side by side taste test, as this will be cut into 1 3/4" - 2" steaks.

After seeing this hunk of meat every time I open the fridge, I am not sure what to expect here, but am excited. I understand that it will cook a bit quicker. I am not sure if I should trim at all. If so, from reading other posts, it will be minimal. Last week I would not have trimmed at all as the color was beautiful mahogany. Now it is more like a dark plum color to black on the ends. Anything else I should do, look for, or expect?

Usually, I cook at 225 indirect, with salt and pepper and a tiny bit of cow lick to about 105-108 then pull and rest, then sear to 122-125 on a small grate resting right on the coals.

@RRP @SGH any thoughts or tips to make the most out of this long wait?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/7d/y226vlftdy5i.jpg

SGH · July 2015

Sea2Ski said:
@RRP @SGH any thoughts or tips to make the most out of this long wait?

I like your cooking plan. It's actually real close to how I cook my steaks. Real low temp indirect for some smoke followed by a high temp sear to finish. As far as how you trim, this is where we all have different thoughts and opinions. Some folks do not care for the real pronounced flavor of dry aged beef (shocking isn't it) but I do. With that said, I tend to keep trimming to a minimum. But again, not everyone enjoys heavily aged beef. You will need to try it and see how you like like it and adjust your trimming from there in the future. Above you said it's been aging for 29 days. This is not a excessively long time in the aging process so I think that a minimal trim will suffice. Good luck and standing by for the finale and your thoughts.

RRP · July 2015

Interesting that you will be able to do the side by side of the same piece of meat. Will it be a blind test by more than yourself? Unless you get trim-happy and cut off all signs of aging then unless SWMBO is open minded she might be prone to saying it smells funny or something because she has had 29 days to get it fixed in her mind that the meat will taste bad. Get my point?

BTW besides cooking faster aged beef does take on an earthy smell, but the taste of the concentrated "beefiness" due to the elimination of the tasteless water in the cells will make you a believer. BTW may I suggest not going whack-happy on at least one steak that you cut so that you can cook it your way and then taste the darker part of the meat - NOT the hard exterior, but all the goodness right under that layer by an artful skimming of it. Also if you do decide you like the dry aged taste then may I suggest letting your next one age to at least 35 days or 40? A ribeye is thick and can benefit from the longer aging period.

Please post the results of your taste test!

Sea2Ski · July 2015

Thank you to the both of you. I only had dry aged beef once I think - that is why I am going a bit short on this first one. I figure if I like it, I will ease into a longer drying time the next time around and go 40 days as @RRP suggested. Sound like a good plan? Will I notice a difference at 29 days? Or do you think I should wait another week? I do not want to go too long, because I want to make sure I like it if it tastes that much different from a "fresh" steak.

For or what it worth, I am starting to age a "premium reserve" pork roast this weekend. I anticipate liking this dry-aging thing...

Sea2Ski · July 2015

Fyi- that pork is usually super marbled, so I think it is a good candidate. He is a picture of a previous piece.

MrCookingNurse · July 2015

Sea2Ski said:

Fyi- that pork is usually super marbled, so I think it is a good candidate. He is a picture of a previous piece.

Dude that looks great

DoubleEgger · July 2015

Whatever you do just don't trim it. I took @RRP 's advice and the outer crust is AMAZING

Sea2Ski · July 2015

MrCookingNurse said:
Dude that looks great

Thanks. This is the best pork I have ever had anywhere. Anyone ever dry age pork? Do you do it for the same amount of time? Should I aim for 40 days? Longer? Shorter?

Sea2Ski · July 2015

DoubleEgger said:

Whatever you do just don't trim it. I took @RRP 's advice and the outer crust is AMAZING

Okay got it. No trimming on this one.

Sea2Ski · July 2015

Well the pork has been set aside for aging. The marbleing is on par or better than the pic I posted.

Does anyone know if pork benifit as much as beef? Do I want to aim for 40 days? Longer? Shorter?
@dmw I think you had dry aged pork once. At least I think I remember reading you did. I could be wrong.

Getting back to the beef, do you think that 29 days is long enough? Or is it not long enough to notice the benifit of dry aging? I am sure longer is better, but I want to ease into it (why I do not know - just seems to be something I should do. )
thoughts and opinions welcome.

RRP · July 2015

Sea2Ski said:

Well the pork has been set aside for aging. The marbleing is on par or better than the pic I posted.

Does anyone know if pork benifit as much as beef? Do I want to aim for 40 days? Longer? Shorter?
@dmw I think you had dry aged pork once. At least I think I remember reading you did. I could be wrong.

Getting back to the beef, do you think that 29 days is long enough? Or is it not long enough to notice the benifit of dry aging? I am sure longer is better, but I want to ease into it (why I do not know - just seems to be something I should do. )
thoughts and opinions welcome.

Personally I have never aged pork as I don't see the need.

As for 29 days for the beef - it depends on the sub-primal you are aging. Thick ones like rib eyes and sirloin can take and be enhanced by 45 days or even longer IF you have tried it and like it. OTOH thinner sub-primals like strip loins are better at 28 to 35 days IMO. There comes a balance between the trimming loss and how much you want to enjoy the benefit of aged beef by NOT trimming back to "grocery store red!" I mean if you hate the browning from aging then why did you even bother?

DMW · July 2015

Sea2Ski said:

Well the pork has been set aside for aging. The marbleing is on par or better than the pic I posted.

Does anyone know if pork benifit as much as beef? Do I want to aim for 40 days? Longer? Shorter?
@dmw I think you had dry aged pork once. At least I think I remember reading you did. I could be wrong.

Getting back to the beef, do you think that 29 days is long enough? Or is it not long enough to notice the benifit of dry aging? I am sure longer is better, but I want to ease into it (why I do not know - just seems to be something I should do. )
thoughts and opinions welcome.

@20stone brought some 50 day dry aged pork chops to the Salado after party that were absolutely nuts. I think I remember they were berkshire, not sure. @nolaegghead do you remember?

Sea2Ski · July 2015

Thanks @RRP, I plan to trim this very very little and if possible, not at all. I do not know if I really like dry aged steak, because I only had it once. So to "ease" into it to see if I do like it, I am hoping that at 29 days, I will be about 3/4 to what it really could get to. So to make an analogy to wings. I am hoping to try the mild or medium to see if I like them, before I of all in and get the hot.

Thanks agai, and stay tuned for the cook coming up this afternoon.

RRP · July 2015

Sea2Ski said:

Thanks @RRP, I plan to trim this very very little and if possible, not at all. I do not know if I really like dry aged steak, because I only had it once. So to "ease" into it to see if I do like it, I am hoping that at 29 days, I will be about 3/4 to what it really could get to. So to make an analogy to wings. I am hoping to try the mild or medium to see if I like them, before I of all in and get the hot.

Thanks agai, and stay tuned for the cook coming up this afternoon.

You are welcome - now so you don't think you have shoe leather on your plate remember that dry aged beef cooks faster so be sure to cook to temperature and not to time! Also you really will want to trim off the very HARD exterior surface skin, just don't go deep. We are all anxiously awaiting your report!

Sea2Ski · July 2015

It is starting. Egg is at temp 225 with a touch of oak smoke. Steaks are cut. I took off just a see through shaving off the end cut to remove the really tough leathery meat like @RRP instructed. These are the before pictures of that trimming. For comparison, you can see which one is the end cut. Then, end cut, middle cut and frozen non-dry aged.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/ak/2oga4a2ey1w0.jpg

RRP · July 2015

Nice marbling and that aged fat will melt in your mouth!

DMW · July 2015

Is that third steak for me? You really aren't that far, I could call a cab...

Cookbook_Chip · July 2015

Can't wait!

Sweet100s · July 2015

@Sea2Ski , thanks for all the great pictures and narrative.

I thought dry aging meant that the meat had to be open in the fridge to air, not in a wrapping.

Where is all that weight loss going? Evaporating through the plastic wrap?

Sea2Ski · July 2015

I can't wait!!

RRP · July 2015

Sweet100s said:

I thought dry aging meant that the meat had to be open in the fridge to air, not in a wrapping.

Where is all that weight loss going? Evaporating through the plastic wrap?

@Sea2Ski used a product called UMAi Dry® Bag. It is not your conventional plastic material as it permits the moisture to pass through as it is released from the meat cells. Yes, meat can be dry aged commando style and when done commercially in large quantities then that is done in large rooms with controlled temperature and humidity. Even then mold can grow on the raw beef sitting on shelves. The UMAi can be used in your kitchen refrig and if nothing else will many times pacify SWMBO or HWMBO rather than having her/him have a hissy-fit about a chunk of raw beef sitting in the refrig for several weeks while aging.

bgebrent · July 2015

Salivating right now!!!

pescadorzih · July 2015

Did ya eat yet? Awaiting results and pics.

RRP · July 2015

wheeeeew - I can't hold my breath anymore! Any report you care to share? Good, bad or indifferent...B)

GlennM · July 2015

Must be at the hospital?

RRP · July 2015

GlennM said:

Must be at the hospital?

LOL - I kinda doubt it! If eating aged beef would hurt people I'd been dead years ago!

GlennM · July 2015

I see your just like the rest of us. Sitting up all night staring at the screen waiting for a photo finish!

RRP · July 2015

GlennM said:

I see your just like the rest of us. Sitting up all night staring at the screen waiting for a photo finish!

I wish! Unfortunately I have neuropathy in my feet which drive me nuts and keeps me from sleeping so I've been here since 3:20 AM this morning. Good thing I'm a retired stiff!

Sea2Ski · July 2015

Ha ha ha. I love this forum (for the most part!)
I am happy to report I am alive! Protein coma occurred before I could post the results. Pictures taken - will start a write up now. Time to completion is directly proportional to how many people bug me here at work!

Sea2Ski · July 2015

Here is apparently an anticipated write up. I had no idea so many people were actually waiting for the results, so I appologize for the delay! I hope I proactively answer all questions and meet the standards set forth here by all you great folks!

So here we go...

Right after the meat went on the egg, I had a little appetizer.

Here we have the steaks cooking at 225 with a touch of oak. Took about 35 mins when they were pulled to rest at about 108 for mine and 123 for my wife's.

While they rested, we had a fresh tomato salad with basil and mozzarella cheese with nothing but salt and pepper added. You have to love fresh tomatoes!

We we each had a dry aged steak and 1/2 of the frozen non aged for comparison. Here they are being seared

Here are my wife's sitting on her plate as mine was searing.

And the money shot:

on on the left was the non dry aged and on the right, the dry aged:

We we did blind taste tests from the cap, and the main portion ( not sure what it is called)

Results were a tie for the both of us. The non-aged was juicer, and the fat was smooth on the tongue. The aged was much more heavier and flavorful - as people say "nutty" and beefy - so it depends what you like better. Both were excellent. I really would not turn either down, and have no preference to one over the other. There is definitely a difference though. When tested, even blindly, it was immediately apparent which one was in your mouth. Each had good strong points and no weak points.

So thank you @RRP and @SGH for your tips and advise. I really, really appreciate it.

Oh yeah, for dessert we had Vienna mocha chunk with added chocolate kisses.

It was all delicious!!!!

RRP · July 2015

Beautiful! Thanks for the write up and evaluations.

First try at dry aging - Sunday will be payday for the wait (I hope it is good!)

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