Dry Aged Beef

[BamaProud]

MY Kids got me a 5 pound bone in prime rib for Fathers Day. I'd been wanting to try to dry age beef for a while now. This was my chance.

There is so much conflicting information on Dry Aging beef out there. I'm just winging it, following whatever seems to be the common procedures I found on line.

After 7 day it lost about 5 ounces in weight(6% of its original weight) Its a lot darker. I pretty much followed Alton Browns cooking Method (although aged a week) and without the Terracotta. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/dry-aged-standing-rib-roast-with-sage-jus-recipe.html

There was no noticeable mold so I didn't trim anything...including the driest edges. So there ended up being some "jerky-ish" bits on the edges. I didn't see how that should effect what's below say 1/8 inch deep.

I used my blackberry wine to make an au-jus.

The Best Prime Rib I have ever eaten was actually the first Prime Rib I ever tried. I was about 18 years old and got it at a Yacht Club on Dauphin Island, AL. Since then none have ever been quite as good. There isn't any doubt in my mind now that it was dry aged.

As I suspected, the ends(or sides) were nearly inedible. If I were serving it in a restaurant they wouldn't go on a plate but they are fine for snacking. That same "crust" that made the end pieces tough was fantastic in small bits surrounding the sliced steaks.

*As a side note I think they knew I wouldn't be able to eat 5 pounds of beef by myself.

 

[Chadwick]

Wonderful choices for sides. Best beef I've ever had come from a 5 star steakhouse I ate at once with the misses for Valentines day. They apparently age all their beef in house. It was amazing.

The experience got me thinking about the difference between good beef and better beef. Aging has a significant impact on the taste of red meats. I started aging my venison if the weather allowed it afterwards. Instead of simply cutting everything up right away. I would do a very good field dressing and skinning and then hang the deer in a cold dark place for 4-5 days before cutting it up. I kept temps. between freezing and 45F.

The difference was night and day. The meat was fork tender and melted in your mouth regardless of which cut it was. The tenderloins would fall apart on the grill if I didn't take care to keep them together.

Dry aging is key to a fine piece of red meat. Now I get really sad when the weather is warm during hunting season. If I can't properly age what I'm harvesting I feel like I'm getting cheated.

 

[BamaProud]

I too started dry aging some deer meat this past year. It does make a difference.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Bama, that is some of the tastiest looking prime rib I've ever seen; and possibly drooled over. AWESOME!
Regards, GF.

 

[paulthenurse]

So if you do it again would you trim off the outer dried parts? How deep would you trim?

 

[pointcity-homebrew]

I was about to head on up to Tennessee after seeing that prime rib.

 

[BamaProud]

So if you do it again would you trim off the outer dried parts? How deep would you trim?

Probably not, it was easy enough to trim after it was cooked. Just about a tenth of an inch needed to be trimmed...maybe a little more in spots.

 

[Picker]

I also age my venison and home grown beef, usually for about a week, in a cooler of course. Last seasons 8 point buck is tender and delicious, most who try it think it must be a young doe.

 

[Chadwick]

Ageing the meat really is the difference between eating meat and eating like a king. The texture, the flavor, everything is better. I know many people that have told me they don't like venison while complimenting the venison I'm feeding them. lol. Then I tell them what they are eating and they look so surprised.

 

[niquejim]

Here is a good read
http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/...ide-to-dry-aging-beef-at-home.html?ref=search