Did I make a huge mistake!?

[Misha]

This is my first time trying to dry age beef, and I need some guidance. I’m in the process of aging a 6lbs rib eye, I’m at day 25, aiming for 35 total days. About 2 weeks ago, my refrigerator broke and had to get a new one. I was able to use a neighbor’s fridge while my new one was delivered, so there were no problems there. When I got the new fridge, I set the temperature to the same setting as my old one and went to bed. When I woke up everything was frozen (apparently this new fridge is a little stronger on the cooling). The meat was frozen for maybe 6-8 hours, not sure if it froze completely through. I reset the temperature and everything has been fine since.

Fast forward to today. I went to check on the meat, and as I turned it over I noticed that the bottom hasn’t formed a bark on it, it still looked like raw meat the day I bought it. Even the texture felt like raw meat when I touched it. I’ve had it on a cooling rack the entire time, but this was the first time I rotated it since the freezing incident. Did I completely screw this up by freezing it for 6-8 hours and then essentially thawing it out? Please help!!!

[Ron Pratt]

i really doubt the freezing was the issue, but I’m wondering about the other things and times that you didn’t describe more. Here’s what I mean.

Was both your old refrigerator as well as this new one, modern frost free units and not those small “dormitory” units?

How long was your old frig bad before you noticed it? Could the meat have gotten warm for a period?

You said you set the temp on the new one and went to bed, but was the new one at least cold before you put the meat in and went to bed?

I’m not sure about that bottom being soft as it really should not be this far into the aging. Have you done a nose test?
Ron

[Misha]

Thank you for the reply!

No, this was not a dorm or small fridge, both units were\are frost free units.

No, thankfully my wife noticed right away, everything was still cold.

Yes, the new fridge was cooled down enough that we felt it was safe to put food in.

I have done a nose test and it doesn’t smell. I’m hoping that’s a good sign.

Here is an image of what it looks like now. Could this be an air flow issue? Like I said, it was on a cooling rack, but maybe the meat was too heavy for it and the bottom was touching the shelf in the fridge?

View post on imgur.com

[Ron Pratt]

To me that picture does reveal the width of that rack caused excessive pooling of moisture which probably lead to the meat being mushy. Had you turned it over earlier that may not have been an issue or at least not as noticeable since the fat cap would have intervened.

I think you still may be ok if your nose agrees!
Ron

[Author]

Posts