Dry aging beef?

[jonumberone]

Originally Posted by nutcracker

Dom - do you have to use their special bags, or would sous vide vacuum bags work?

Traditional vacuum bags wont work, Neil. They won't allow the moisture to escape, so the meat won't dry out.
You can do this without using any bag at all, like my first attempt.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Moses, what cuts of steak have you tried this on?
I was planning to do it on a couple of 2 inch thick Porterhouses before I read in the link you posted to use thin cuts like Flank, or Skirt steak.
Would it work on a thicker cut? Or am I better off sticking to the recommendations in the article?

I have done it on 1.5" rib eyes, two 2-3 lb eye roasts, and am going to try on a 3-4 lb piece of short ribs I bought yesterday. In Framingham where I live; primal cuts and butchers are everywhere with all Brazilians that live here. Literally all my neighbors have smokers on their property.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Traditional vacuum bags wont work, Neil. They won't allow the moisture to escape, so the meat won't dry out.
You can do this without using any bag at all, like my first attempt.

I like to use a bag, you want moisture to escape, but not as fast as the fridge does on its own. I'll put meat on a plate with a paper towel under it, put meat/plate in a blown up plastic bag and either put some holes in the bag or leave the bag slightly open. The idea is control moisture. Dry aging rooms like David Burke uses are just cold with high humidity than a fridge. Home dry aging devices are just fancy boxes in a fridge that control humidity loss...

Normal fridge will dry out your meat before it gets a chance to dry age. You'll end up trimming away a lot more meat than they pros would. Your dog will disagree and say to keep it the way it is for his scraps.

[jonumberone]

Coated the both of the 2 inch thick Porterhouses with Koji rice this morning.
Planning on cooking them for them for Saturday dinner.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Coated the both of the 2 inch thick Porterhouses with Koji rice this morning.
Planning on cooking them for them for Saturday dinner.

How'd they come out?

I did the Koji on a 4 rib single cut short rib piece and another 2.5 lb eye roast. Both came out great. You'll notice that Koji and 30-60 day in fridge do come out different, but I think the Koji is worth the time difference and loss savings to the meat.

[jonumberone]

I cooked them up Saturday as planned, and I thought they were really delicious.
The rice definitely added a layer of flavor. The meat had a nuttiness to it.
For me, it didn't have any of the intensified beef flavors I get from dry aging and it also had a different texture and wasn't as tender.
I didn't get any of the miso type sweetness they spoke about in the article.
I had the steaks coated for 55hrs, rinsed off, then cooked sous vide @ 132° for 2hrs, and finished on a gas grill.
When I cut open the sous vide bag, the steaks smelled just like boiled rice. Thankfully they didn't taste that way.
In the end, I would definitely do it again. I don't think it would replace dry aging for me.

Started 9am Thursday





Finished 4pm Saturday

[mosesbotbol]

You cooked them up fabulously!

They look like they could've gone a little longer with the rice. You are right, they are not the same exact as real dry aging, but is what you get for the time put into it worth it? I think so. Also, you can do this to individual steaks where traditional dry aging is more difficult.

We are looking to buy a new fridge, so if that happens our current fridge will move the cellar and I'll look to buy a dry aging chamber for the fridge. That fridge will be full of beer and aging meat and sausage...

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

We are looking to buy a new fridge, so if that happens our current fridge will move the cellar and I'll look to buy a dry aging chamber for the fridge. That fridge will be full of beer and aging meat and sausage...

Look at the Aubers TH-210 controller. That's the one I use for my dry curing fridge. Controls both temp/humidity (with a ultrasonic humidifier in side the fridge).

[T.G]

I tried the Koji rice on a few NY strips (about 1" thick, 48 hour and 72 hour respectively) and a rack of BBRs (about 24 hours) over the weekend.

Different. Not bad. But, not even close to dry aging IMO. I did get the sweetness on the beef.

Not sure how much effect it had on the ribs, that rack seemed like it might be more tender and fell apart easier than the other rack cooked along side it in the pit barrel cooker, but I can't say if it tasted any different.

I was mistaken earlier about this being solely a fermentation process, it is an enzymatic process, but a much longer and different list of enzymes than than that found naturally in beef which is responsible for the changes in dry aging. Some of these different enzymes are responsible for the sweetness.

I think maybe in the right circumstances this process might be of use to me, but I hardly see it replacing dry aged.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

Look at the Aubers TH-210 controller. That's the one I use for my dry curing fridge. Controls both temp/humidity (with a ultrasonic humidifier in side the fridge).

That's pretty cool. I am looking for a self contained box that goes into the fridge, so I can use the rest of the fridge as normal. I am not ready to convert the whole fridge (36" wide) into a meat locker. I am supposed to be cutting down on red meat!

[Chainsaw13]

Yea, I get ya. I'd love to use this fridge for more than hanging meat. 3 months into a proscuitto. Only ~15 more to go.

[jonumberone]

I just had the Koji rubbed leftovers as steak and eggs. It was terrible. Tasted just like boiled rice.
I am almost amazed at how stark the difference is from Saturday.

[stearns]

For the dry age bags, any idea of a maximum amount of time they can be kept in there? I've had a 90 day aged steak at a restaurant before that was amazing, but I didn't know if the bags had any limitations. I would like to have some steaks ready to be eaten the first week in August, I might toss them in during the coming week or two and let them sit if they will continue to improve

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by stearns

For the dry age bags, any idea of a maximum amount of time they can be kept in there? I've had a 90 day aged steak at a restaurant before that was amazing, but I didn't know if the bags had any limitations. I would like to have some steaks ready to be eaten the first week in August, I might toss them in during the coming week or two and let them sit if they will continue to improve

if you are going 90 days, you better have the right environment set up and a large cut of meat or you'll end up with expensive dog treats.

[jonumberone]

I don't think the bags have any limitations since the bags can also be used for charcuterie that requires months of aging.
I'm with Moses. I think any limitations are going to come from the size of the piece of meat.
My attempts were all in the 15 - 18 lb range. If I was going to try 90 days I'd want something in the 20 - 24lb range.

[jonumberone]

I just sealed up a 19lb bone in rib roast.
Hoping to make it to or past day 75 this time.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

I just sealed up a 19lb bone in rib roast.
Hoping to make it to or past day 75 this time.

Taking pictures to chronicle?

[jonumberone]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Taking pictures to chronicle?

I'll post some finished pics.

[mosesbotbol]

I am making Spanish Chorizo this weekend with about 10 lbs of pork from a pig I had grown for me. Using all the scrap cuts and maybe another piece too. I hoping not to have to break up a roast for additional weight. Basement is in the 50's F, so should be fine to dry. Have one flat pancetta drying now and will hang two more soon.

[BigAsh]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

I just sealed up a 19lb bone in rib roast.
Hoping to make it to or past day 75 this time.

March 10 is a Saturday, and a good 78 days from 12/23...and, I think I happen to be free that day....