Traveling with Dry Aged Roast

[LACRACHA]

I will be traveling by plane Nov 19 to another state for Thanksgiving. I am aging a 15 lb ribeye in my fridge. I will be taking it with me. I plan to pack it in a cooler with 5 lbs of dry ice. I expect the roast to be in the cooler about eight hours. It will have aged 28 days by my departure date. I was hoping to get a few more days of aging after my arrival. My questions are: Is this the correct way to transport? Should I trim and freeze the roast prior to putting in the cooler or can I leave in the drybag and continue the aging process? Please help. i don’t want to kill my family.

[LACRACHA]

Thanks for the advice. I was worried about the dry ice touching the meat. I had planned to double bag. i will also be taking an 8-10 lb frozen turkey breast. i’ll put that near the dry ice.

[Charlie]

If you use dry ice the meat will freeze in the cooler. I would trim and freeze to be safe. Dry ice will keep everything frozen until it is completely sublimates. 10-20 pounds required for 24 hours of travel time for a 40 qt. Cooler. Dry ice is -109.0 deg/f. Also dry ice will displace the oxygen in your car if you travel with the windows closed so be aware of that. If it were me I would leave the meat in my fridge until I got back from the trip. Or if you really want to bring it trim the day before the trip and use block ice. Also I’ve destroyed three coolers with dry ice. The bottoms all crack open unless you toss in some type of insulated barrier. Also I’m not sure what will happen if you double bag. That may create a problem but I am no expert. Lastly from what I’ve read you should leave the sub-primal untouched so that the bag is not disturbed. Enjoy you trip and leave it home, you can pick up a great piece of normal prime and bring that with you and when you return your aged beef will be waiting for you with a smile.

Charlie

[LACRACHA]

Thanks for your input. I can line my cooler. I won’t be driving. I’ll be traveling by plane. I can’t use block ice. If there is any liquid in the cooler, I can’t get thru security. The airlines will allow my cooler as a carry-on or I can check it as baggage. This is a very special day for my family and I don’t want to serve “normal” prime. I would like the meal to be as special as they are. By the way,
I am starting another ribeye before I leave to serve at Christmas at my house.

[Charlie]

Ok but you still need to get to the airport and on. In a car with the windows closed for more than ten minutes is a safety concern with dry ice. Also the airport may have limits on the amount of dry ice you can bring so you are going to need to purchase the ice as close to the departure time as convenient. Most airlines will not let you carry more than 2 kilograms or 4.4 pounds without special arrangements. Dry ice will also sublimate more quickly due to the lower pressure that the airline maintains during flight. It may only last a few hours if your lucky. Plan to get ice as soon as you get off the plane. Lastly I would be worried about continuing with the aging process after bringing the bag to subzero temps. It may loose it’s bond and also may split or crack. If you have to bring it then I would recommend trimming the night before your departure and storing your new 28 day aged beef.

Enjoy!

Charlie

[Charlie]

When traveling with your primal you might be better of with frozen gel packs since you cannot have wet ice. Check with your airline.

[LACRACHA]

Thanks for all the help. I will trim the night before leaving. I will make sure to have ice waiting upon arrival as the weight for dry ice is indeed limited by the airline. However, gel packs are prohibited.

[Author]

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