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Quality of Meat for Dry Aging

LFGEnergy
LFGEnergy Posts: 618
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
Am going to start a dry age this week with some time off. Local market has really pretty ribeye roasts for about $5 a pound, nice big cuts, with bone in, but not much marbling in body of steak. Looking at some of the photos, folks obviously are using prime or select meats.

Should I look for a better cut of meat, or will the aging overcome the lack of marbling? My gut sense is it wont.

Thanks to all.

Dave in Keller, TX
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Comments

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    personally I'd start with a better grade of beef. Ribeye typically is so tasty because of the fat, but you say these have little. You aging commando or with Drybags?
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • mkc
    mkc Posts: 544
    Dave,

    Since you're relatively close to where we are, try Costco (if you're a member). Their beef is choice or prime and MUCH better than what I've seen at Kroger or Albertsons, where I rarely see anything higher grade than select. I bought my prime ribeye at Costco. It was twice that price per pound, BUT it was a very well-marbled roast. That marbling is flavor and tenderness.

    Sam's Club is also a good source of meat according to some friends of ours. We actually haven't bought any meat there ourselves, though.

    You might also try Sprouts - sometimes they have prime beef.
    Egging in Crossville, TN
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    any meat can be aged. the better the grade, the better the return.

    two things are happening (mainly). enzyme action that breaks down the meat and adds extra flavor. this can happen with any grade meat.

    the other is condensing the fat (and meat). fat is flavor. if you can dry it enough that it loses 20% of weight, it will lose ALL of that by losing water. water is flavorless. so the more fat you have, the better the flavor.

    prime beef also generally has a better more contiguous fat layer around much of its exterior. that meters the drying, slows it down a bit, provides better protection to the muscle (from over drying). that allows you to age longer before dessicating the meat. longer aging equals more condensed beef flavor, more enzyme flavors added, and more condensed fat flavor.

    but you could age a cutter grade hunk of gristle and it'd be better than it was before you aged it
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  • LFGEnergy
    LFGEnergy Posts: 618
    Thanks to all. Will head over to Costco and see what they have, targeting something in the Select/Prime range. Also make look for something other than Ribeye. As good as they are, family complains of fat content.

    Planning on drying "comando" in the garage fridge (which is primarily my Beer Santuary).

    Thanks again to all that responded.

    Dave in Keller, TX
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  • mkc
    mkc Posts: 544
    LFGEnergy wrote:
    Thanks to all. Will head over to Costco and see what they have, targeting something in the Select/Prime range.

    Dave,

    The grades are Select then Choice then Prime. You want Choice/Prime.
    Egging in Crossville, TN
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    and of all of them, the ribeye benefits most.

    i do not care for a frsh (unaged) ribeye very much any more because they have little firmness and are often overly fatty, with wet, large, floppy ribbons of fat.\

    thing is, all of that goes away when aged. if your family doesn;t like rib eyes fresh, simply age them, and they will be their favorite steak.

    talking minimum 28 days though, before you get firm (but not tough) and lose that watery fat.
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    i see that "commando" has officially entered the aging lexicon.

    hahaha
    i have accomplished something, finally! :laugh:
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  • LFGEnergy
    LFGEnergy Posts: 618
    Read a few threads about drying too much in fridge. Are you doing 28 days in fridge, with no cover or drying bag?
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    rib eyes won't dry too much in 28 days.

    strip steaks might. just keep any eye on them.
    i go commando (wire rack over a cookie sheet, 34 degrees or so)
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  • LFGEnergy
    LFGEnergy Posts: 618
    Getting fridge thermo today to check temp. With this being my garage beer cooler, I think it will be fine, but want to check before I load a chunk o meat into it.
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    turn the thermo down as low it will go in the fridge side. even below 32, the meat won't truly freeze
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