Wet Age VS. Dry

What does it mean when the label says dry aged beef?

Before refrigeration was available, meats were kept in cool dry areas of the home hung by a hook, uncovered and left to naturally age. The process allowed the natural bacteria in the muscle of the meat to break down the fiber's to insure optimum tenderness.

Then and now, proper dry aging can also add a unique flavor to meat. In my shop when I know someone is buying dry aged beef for the first time, I tell them to smell the aroma. If it's truly dry aged at a minimum of 14 days, there should be a hint of a nutty aroma. The nutty aroma also adds to the unique flavor to dry aged beef.

If you do not smell this aroma, then most likely it hasn't been dry aged long enough or not at all. Dry aged beef has a premium price tag. So be careful if your paying a higher price. Ask to smell the steak or roast before it's wrapped. This will tell you if it has aged enough. Or better yet, tell the butcher you know what you are talking about.

Wet aging is the norm these days. This means the meat left in its vacuum sealed bag from the packer to age in its own juices. The meat still ages in the package but much slower. Many old timers swear unless it dry aged it's not aged. Wet aging takes about 3 times as long and the flavor profile doesn't come anywhere near the rich flavor of dry aged meat.

I've had a lot of experience with dry aging. My research comes from years of asking questions and observing different methods. Recently after several tours of dry aging rooms in commercial meat companies in the Baltimore - Washington area, I find the methods are all the same. Whole loins are positioned on stainless steel racks, each loin not touching the next, the temperature slightly humid to encourage bacterial growth to break down the muscle (red part) of the loin. There is also dimmed lighting to dark most of the time. There's also a musky odor
in the room.

The meat is soft to the touch. Dry age times vary mostly to what the customer requests are. Chewier meats like sirloin requires longer dry aging, with four to five weeks minimum. More tender cuts like prime rib fourteen to twenty one day should enough.

Wet aging takes longer for sirloins like five to seven weeks, prime rib four to five weeks minimum. There's a lot more information on aging out there. Google Colorado State University/ Dry Age, and you'll find more technical information.

Once your beef is dry aged, you need to trim the loin, taking off all the outer surfaces an minimum of 1/4 inch. You lose about 20% of the weight by aging the whole loin, then you lose another 5% to 10% in trim. This is why dry aged meat is much more expensive than wet aged beef.

Our Roseda dry aged beef from is from Monkton, MD. It is dry aged on the hoof, meaning the whole side of beef is hung for 21 to 28 days. This process only looses 7% in its drying process since it has less outer surfaces to trim away. Many of the whole loins are internal to the carcus.

Come in my shop, and I'll let you smell the difference.

Happy Holidays from all of us at My Butcher and More!
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