Dry Aging Smells!

[Ivan Remigio]

So I 5 Days, 6 Hours ago. I Started my voyage into dry aging. Here I have a Wagu Rib Roast that sat in the dry bag until now! It was an individually cut steak, yes I know very bad to do this. I saw a post about some people leaving the rind on, so I thought what the hey? lets keep the steak in the fridge for a week and see what happens. Looks like a pretty nice beef jerky outside, and deep red center. I don’t think any tenderizing has occurred but there has definitely been some dehydration. The meat smells like meat, but the smell is so strong, doesn’t smell bad, just fills up the room.

[Ron Pratt]

Ivan – yes dry aged beef does have an earthy – nutty smell to it. OTOH that is NOT the same smell as an “off smell” like something rotted. Your meat pictured here is still good, and the “rind” that I more, than others here seem to enjoy should be fine without trimming. OTOH seeing that these were individually cut steaks before you placed them in a Drybag than I HOPE you are cooking those tonight!

I’m not being a smart aleck here, but I HOPE your brief attempt at your first aging as we discussed before won’t be a bust! Aging beef needs anywhere from 21 to 60 days using a full, uncut 12 to 18 pound sub-primal and not starting out with individually cut steaks.

Ron

[Ivan Remigio]

The steak came out great! The rind tasted fine although I can see how some may not like it if it gets pretty thick. I’m definitely going to do this properly on the next round with a sub-primal cut. Also sorry I keep referring to my week-in-the-fridge steaks as “aged.” I just find it very novel. 🙂

[Ron Pratt]

A fellow egger recently posted this comparison about smell – which may be of value to a newcomer who wonders about the smell of aged beef.

I quote stike:
…unwrapping this prosciutto i smelled the same smell. i took a deep sniff after slicing. you know what the smell is, the one you smell in aged beef? it’s frikkin prosciutto. yep. prosciutto is probably the only aged meat we all have had at one time or another. we all know the taste, smell. so for future reference, think ‘prosciutto’ if you smell something in the dry aged beef you are making. that smell is similar across the few aged meats i have done. it’s of course more pronounced the longer you age, but a tinge of it WILL be apparent. next time you have prosciutto, take a deep sniff

Ron

[Ivan Remigio]

It was prosciutto! Light bulb just went off in my head. Thanks Ron!

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