Drybagging in a mini fridge?

Ottawa_egger · January 2010

I finally got some Drybags up here in Canada from the vendor in Minnesota, and my Favorite shopping spot has Canada grade AAA ribeye's on sale for $7/lb (half price). I'm looking to purchase a footlong chunk or so and drybag it, but am fearful of the earful I risk getting from the wife if I do it in the main fridge.

Would anyone recommend drybagging in a mini fridge? My skill sets do not make me an subject matter expert in the field of refrigeration, so I'm extending out to people wiser than myself.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker · January 2010

issue in a small fridge is air circulation around the piece. someone showed a pic of a subprimal crammed in to a mini fridge. that didn't allow much air.

you want thew surface to dry quickly for quality's sake (and in some sense w/r/t bacteria).

i don't know how well a mini holds temps. might want to give it some thermal inertia by putting some bottles of water, beer cans, whatever, in order to create some thermal mass to even out any swings.

also not familiar with how humid (or not) they are. most fridges are very dry...

by the way, is it just me, or does the phrase "dry bagging in a mini fridge" conjure images of "colonel tom thumb's wedding night" for anyone else?

Frank from Houma · January 2010

Jeff,

Now I guess I may be a little concerned. I'm on day 8 in a fridge drawer - no bag, going native. The fridge drawer is holding constant at 33*F. I tried to raise it a little but it seems like there is a step function. The temp adjustment is simply two buttons "warmer" and "cooler". When I hit the warmer button once it stabilizes at 39*F. Choosing between 33 and 39, I went with 33.

I have no idea about circulation but to keep the temp constant at 33, there must be some circulation.

Humidity? No idea.

Couple pics

Day 1

Day 4

I liked the idea of the bottom drawer because:

1 - It's in there by it's lonesome
2 - I don't have to ever open the drawer - temp check is on top drawer
3 - I have only opened to check it out every other day - see if it's there :S

Any comments would be welcome

Would putting a few containers of water in the drawer help (hurt?) with humiditiy?

RRP · January 2010

Cory,

I had asked Thea at DrybagSteak basically the same question and she replied in the same general terms that Jeff just did. Those compact refrigerators aren't all that great since you need air circulation for proper aging.

Ron

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker · January 2010

a meat drawer is ideal if you can get air circulation.

is the surface waxy (cold, dry, firm)?

should be fine, but is usually looking a little drier on day 4. it'll brown up pretty soon

meat drawers (i believe) are more humid. and cooler.
should be fine

Frank from Houma · January 2010

Thanks Jeff - it's all of the above

Waxy, Cold, Dry, and Firm - the roast that is

Looking forward to Jan 25 - Burns night - birthday of Robert Burns, Scottish Poet Laureate. Substituting 21 day dry aged steak for haggis, a good wine, followed by a nice whiskey.

Drybagging in a mini fridge?

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