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Trimming Dry Aged Ribeyes

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
What does everyone recommend? I've seen things recently on the site to not trim too much off? Only trim off the bacteria. What's the logic behind that? The dark dry pieces don't look appetizing. Or maybe I have all that wrong...

Thanks!
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Comments

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    I followed the lead of stike and only trim off any yucky looking parts in the fat side, but leave the dark brown on. I find that during the cook it mellows and becomes part of the seared "bark". Besides like Stike says - why cut off the best part that you spent the time to age? HTH
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    i don't lknow what everyone recommends, but i recommend not trimming off the very thing you worked so hard to obtain.

    there better not be any bacteria on it to trim off. if temps are right, there are no bacteria to speak of. if temps are wrong, trimming won't help.

    the dark stuff does look unappetizing. it is the best part, though, and much of the reason for aging.

    best thing to do is pay a lot of money for a real steak, aged by a butcher. 21 days minimum (or don't bother). take it as they give it to you, and cook it up.

    if you don't like it that way, there's no reason to age it yourself. trimming it would be sacrilege, and if not trimming it means it is unappetizing, then it's probably not for you.

    not everyone likes it. over trimming it, though, might mean you just prefer unaged steak to begin with. you shouldn't buy fresh beef, age it, trim off the aged stuff, and eat the small remnant that is least aged.

    don't refinish grand ma's chippendale
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    I don't quite understand the line of thinking. I'm paying for the dry aged steak in the middle, once you age a steak for 21 days the inside is dry aged. It's not like the outside is the only dry aged part and the inside is wet aged. I just don't want to eat the leathery part that you trim off.

    Where is stikes post on the topic?
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  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
    Stike was a Siamese twin and his brother Stripsteak also likes and understands the aging process. ;)
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    stripsteak is aka stike

    I assume you recall that you and I had an extensive dialogue that day you were sealing your sub-primal there in Manhattan. The ends of the meat may not look good to you, but the edges of the sliced steaks can't be that brown!
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Firetruck
    Firetruck Posts: 2,679
    Morgan, I just recently did a ribeye. I left a couple untrimmed just to see how they would be. The hard edge was about 1/8 inch thick. I didn't really care for the hard edge that much. Not that there was anything wrong with the flavor or anything, I just don't like hard "jerky" type meat. I did however trim the others as little as possible because there is more flavor near the edge than in the middle.
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    the entire thing is aged.

    trust me...

    if had to eat one part and throw out the rest, it'd be the middle that got tossed.

    the interior is not condensed from drying like the exterior.

    if you wet age, never take it out of the package, the meat will age, but the fat and beef flavort do not condense due to the drying. you get enzyme action from the aging, but no condensing of flavor by water loss.

    if you do not wish not eat the dry aged portion (the exterior), your best bet is to wet age. you will have higher yield (the meat will weigh at the end what it weighed when you started), and you will have flavor and tenderness from the enzymes.

    dry aging is similar, but adds the twist that you willfully get rid of about 20% of the water by drying. that condenses the fat and beef flavors, already enhanced by the enzymes.

    i'm telling you, if you don't want to eat the outer portion, you ought not dry age. wet age it.

    to cut off the exterior of a dry aged chunk of beef is to throw away the best part, in my opinion.

    there is no logical reason to dry age, and then trim it to the point where you have nothing but center. you will be eating wet aged beef. so skip dry aging and wet age from the get go...

    no shame in it. it is just as easy to do
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  • Morgan
    Morgan Posts: 2
    I like dry aged steak a lot, just don't want to eat the leather.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    since you feel/think it is leather you have already decided YOU won't like it. Too bad Too sad.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    the "leather" might be an 1/8th inch max.

    as rrp said, when it's cooked, it softens and is much like the fatty crust on a good steak. but if you don't like it, you don't like it.

    your original question didn't say how much you trim, and your last reply implied you cut off most of the exterior and leave nothing but a center portion. if that's the case, then you aren't eating very much dry aged stuff.

    not trying to be an ass... it's just that you aren't clear how much you are trimming.

    all i will say is that dry aging is one step more than wet aging. dry aging's purpose and aim is to create that darker brown exterior (beyond what wet aging achieves). if that part is thrown out, then what's dry-aged is thrown out, and wet-aged remains.

    it's like painting an easter egg.

    guy says "i prefer easter eggs, they are so much better tasting than the regular ones." peels off the colorful shell, tosses it on the trash, and east the center, which is the same as any other boiled egg.

    cutting off the dried part reveals wet-aged beef. if you don't like the condensed part, then you don't like dry aged beef.

    i've spent more time trying to answer your question than you have in asking it and replying... so i'ma call my night done. i really need to start not caring whether folks like it or not... ;)
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    Me too! Jeff. When a person acquires the taste of dry aged beef they will not be satisfied with the "other"
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    i don't understand his question frankly.

    sounds like he's asking if he should trim it. then says he trims it. then asks why he shouldn't trim it.

    i had a buddy who said he loved gin and tonics, but preferred it with vodka.

    if you don't like gin in your gin and tonic, then you don't like gin and tonic.

    if you don't like the dried and aged portion of dry aged beef, then you don't like dry aged beef. ain't like the center is dried just by virtue of being part of the same subprimal... it's aged, and a little less watered, but it ain't "dry-aged" per se.
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  • Morgan
    Morgan Posts: 2
    I have no idea how much I'm going to trim. I just have a huge primal in the fridge and didn't know if I should trim the outside or leave it be.


    This is the first time doing this at home, I've had plenty dry aged steak that was professionally done and the middle is dry aged as is the outside.
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  • RedBag
    RedBag Posts: 72
    I’ve read most(I think) of your posts regarding aging and this thread helped clarify it even more for me. Highlights the difference between wet and dry aging very well. I’ve never tried either, but I think your suggestion of buying a piece from the butcher first to even see if I like it is a great idea.

    Just didn’t want you to think you were typing for nothing.
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    thanks man.

    kinda sucks trying to help someone understand something, and spending the time to try to paint a word picture, then have the whole thing fall flat.

    good to know someone got something out of it. :laugh:
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