Newbie Question

[Albert Brizendine]

Hello,
I just ordered the starter kit and I am excited to get started.

I have read a couple posts hint that the dry aging is defeated if the crust is removed down to red meat. If that is true, then it follows that the dry aging only affects the outer layer of the cut of meat.

I was under the impression that dry aging is a method for meat to decompose slowly without spoiling. If this is true, then all of the meat is affected, not just the outer layer.

Please help me understand.

I don’t intend to leave the crust on, since I have never went to a top star restaurant that serve a steak with a “crust”.

Thank you,

Doc

[Ron Pratt]

Welcome aboard Albert! I’m the one who likes the taste of the aged meat and I often challenge people to at least give one steak a try – that’s all! I have never suggested not trimming, but I certainly don’t get over zealous when trimming either! Your assessment of aging is generally correct, but it also involves the concentration of taste by the reduction of the tasteless water in the meat. You say you’ve never been served anything but well trimmed aged meat then so be it! I’m sure you’ll enjoy your well trimmed DrybagSteak results!

[Charlie]

doctor dun, I will be trimming my first primal in the morning and will post pics. From what I’ve seen of other posts there is more marbling in the cuts than you normally see from the butcher. I believe I read something about how the fat kind of turns to butter when cooking aged beef. I will update my experience after lunch tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Charlie

[Albert Brizendine]

I can’t wait for your results. Thanks.

Clam Digger wrote:

quote :

doctor dun, I will be trimming my first primal in the morning and will post pics. From what I’ve seen of other posts there is more marbling in the cuts than you normally see from the butcher. I believe I read something about how the fat kind of turns to butter when cooking aged beef. I will update my experience after lunch tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Charlie

[Ron Pratt]

doctordun,

not to beat a dead horse but one last thought…do you like beef jerky? If so then you will find that the aged portion of the meat when cooked is very much like jerky in both taste and texture. I am not talking out the outer most of the dried meat, but rather that layer between the hard outer shell which is trimmed off and the point where you see the red meat.

Ron

[Charlie]

Ron, will it be obvious where the jerked beef begins and the outer shell ends.

You were right about photo bucket. They make it easy to resize pics to less than 150 kb

Thank you

Charlie

[Ron Pratt]

Charlie,

The outer skin will have a tough hide appearance and texture to it and look rather waxy.

Here are some NY strips I cut without trimming first:

and then individually trimmed:

and:

This took me more effort, but for this sub-primal the exterior fat layer was obviously varied so I decided to do this way.

Ron

[Albert Brizendine]

Do you taste a difference?

I just got a ribeye roast USDA Prime.

When I get my kit, I am going to age half and freeze half. When the aging is done, I will have both to compare from the same roast. Or at least that’s my plan. My wife has me using part of it tomorrow on the grill…………

[Charlie]

Ron thats what I’ll do. Looks great! I’m with you on the jerky! I also have an electric smoker and make it all the time.
Doctor dun, had to work today will try to report tonight or for sure tomorrow. I’m optimistic that it will be awesome from all the reviews ive read. Since we are going to loose a little do to trim I fill the biggest bag I can get in my fridge therefore expect less loss due to trimming. Also I’m sure that when it’s ready it won’t last long. I like to party!

[Ron Pratt]

doctordun wrote:

quote :

Do you taste a difference?

I just got a ribeye roast USDA Prime.

When I get my kit, I am going to age half and freeze half. When the aging is done, I will have both to compare from the same roast. Or at least that’s my plan. My wife has me using part of it tomorrow on the grill…………

taste a difference? Youbetcha!!! I will qualify that response though in that you have to give the aging some time. For instance my general rule of thumb of minimums are: 21 days for a New York sub-primal and 28 days for a rib eye. OTOH I much prefer 35 for NY and 45 for rib eyes.

As for the rib-eye roast that you plan to cut in half I hope it is a large one. Trying to age a small 2 or 3 pounds MAY give you mixed results as you really need bulk. The smallest rib-eye I’ve ever aged was 9.6 pounds and normally I choose ones in the 13 to 16 pound range.

[Albert Brizendine]

Ok, here is another one:

Since there is big dollar a pound difference between prime, choice and select ribeye, would I gain that much dry aging a prime versus another grade?

Assuming the aging process will tenderize while it adds flavor, my thinking is that a lesser grade would yield a great product also.

What are your experiences?

Since we are talking several weeks for me to find out for myself, I would like to take some of the experimenting out of the mix.

Thanks…

[Charlie]

I started with the prime. I know it cost more, but I figure if it is going to be taking up space in my fridge for a long time and I am going to want to have the best steak possible, then I better start on the right note. I bought both of mine from Costco. Rib eye prime about 15 lb in now 46 days and new York strip 15 lb in now almost three weeks. Next time I plan on trying an angus ribeye prime from restaurant depot if they have them.

[Ron Pratt]

doctordun wrote:

quote :

Ok, here is another one:

Since there is big dollar a pound difference between prime, choice and select ribeye, would I gain that much dry aging a prime versus another grade?

…

Albert,

Where I live I can not buy prime sub-primals so the best I can do is choice. If I had the option like you do I’d start with prime!

I am convinced though that the rating of a whole carcass is subjective at best and considering volume and time the rater is more likely to be influenced by the “lot” of beef being slaughtered vs. individual carcasses. In fact I believe the beef designed to be graded prime are raised that way and are segregated in the slaughterhouse.

OTOH the best I can do is to shop at SAM’S when they routinely have 18 to 24 choice sub-primals to sort through. I carefully inspect each one for the tell-tale marbling revealed on the ends. This method – though tedious – works for me!

Ron

[Anonymous]

For my taste and that of my partner, I’ve decided to fully trim all of the outer hard dried crust of the aged meat off. We’ve tried cooking the steaks untrimmed and partially trimmed, and neither of us care for the flavor of that dried outer layer. The weight reduction resulting from full trimming doesn’t bother us. The taste and texture of the aged beef makes it well worth it. And even so, it’s still cheaper than buying prime aged beef from the butchers and high-end grocery meat markets that age and sell it sliced to order.

My routine now is to buy meat according to my planned use. For meat that I want to serve as steaks, I only buy prime grade beef from a local butcher. He lets me inspect and pick the subprimal I want. I generally buy rib eye or a strip subprimal.

For meat that I plan to use for shish kabobs or carne asada or fajitas or steak sandwiches, or for any dish where the meat will be marinated, I buy the best ribeye, strip, or sirloin I can find at Costco. A choice grade whole top sirloin aged 28 days is my favorite for these purposes.

My Costco very seldom has prime grade ribeye or strip, so I can only buy choice most of the time. The choice grade from Costco is typically about half the price per pound that I pay for prime grade beef from the local butcher shop. The result after dry aging a choice grade subprimal is significantly improved texture and beef flavor, especially with sirloin, but even the choice ribeye or strip isn’t tender enough, for my taste, to be used as a straight up grilled steak.

[Charlie]

There was no time to trim all weekend. I worked. I know it don’t take long to trim but I want throw some steaks on the grill at that time and hope to enjoy them soon. I promise I will post here with pics. Christmas is coming so get your new dry bags started. A little off base I have to say that daylight savings time is a joke. I’d rather not change my clock and have an extra hour of light in the evening so I choose not to. I’m on island time. lol
Enjoy!
Charlie

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