Trimming

[Francis Monastero]

My first attempt at dry aging will be complete in about a week. Everything is looking good so far. My question is, how much of the fat, etc do I trim off?

Thanks!

[Daniel lara]

Well that’s kinda a debate, some like some of the age on it me and what I’ve researched trim all of the age off here are some pics

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[Ron Pratt]

fmon56 wrote:

quote :

My first attempt at dry aging will be complete in about a week. Everything is looking good so far. My question is, how much of the fat, etc do I trim off?

Thanks!

First of all – Welcome aboard, Francis!

As for trimming I’ll try not to get too far up on my soap box, but every time I see or hear someone trim clear back to “grocery store red” as I call it I blurt out “why did you even bother to age it if all you are doing is cutting it off!” In those cases the waste is such they should have stuck to wet aging.

Granted I do trim the hard fat back to it being white, but for the meat itself I trim lightly and only take say the outermost 1/8″ or 1/4″ layer off of the two end caps and about the same on the outside rind. I happen to like the dried portion after it is cooked and seasoned with a favorite rub or sometimes just kosher salt is enough! That dried rind mellows as does the fat and is quite tasty.

All that said it’s still a personal taste and since it is your meat do it the way you like it – but just once as a challenge would you try some of it?

BTW trimming has been discussed here in several threads – you might want to change the time frame from Month to Year and look at the previous topics.

[Francis Monastero]

Thanks, the photos and suggestions are very heplful!

[Daniel lara]

Rrp have u researched dry aging cause sometimes I feel you think that dry aging is only on the out side cause its all about the enzymes and the outside is just a protective shell that protects the meat……. What happens on the inside of that shell is what aging is all about…….

[Ron Pratt]

Dan,

Yes, I’m aware. I’m just saying that over zealous trimming is a waste IMHO. If someone hates the appearance of a dry aged piece then I wonder if they might not prefer wet aging instead. You get the same tenderizing, but not the more concentrated beefy taste that the water removal insures via dry aging. To each his own.

Ron

[John l davis]

Really excited!! Just received my starter kit in the mail, had great success sealing my first 11lb Costco strip loin. I’m hoping to hold out for 21 days before I crack it open and fire a couple on the grill!! The question I have is I see a couple of threads regarding how to handle the trimmed rind? Save? Cook? Eat? Can anyone direct me on proper preparation of the rind?
Thanks..

[Ron Pratt]

MdemRare wrote:

quote :

Really excited!! Just received my starter kit in the mail, had great success sealing my first 11lb Costco strip loin. I’m hoping to hold out for 21 days before I crack it open and fire a couple on the grill!! The question I have is I see a couple of threads regarding how to handle the trimmed rind? Save? Cook? Eat? Can anyone direct me on proper preparation of the rind?
Thanks..

First of all welcome to our board, John! As for the trimmed hard rind you will get mixed reactions and most people just discard it or dole out some to Fido for a tasty treat. OTOH I’m in the lesser camp whereby I leave most of the rind on and that includes until after the cook. Where I enjoy the taste the most is not when eating the steak, but saving that rind until the next day and after. If you like jerky then the cold, cooked rind has that same texture and unique taste. I should add once again – it is an acquired taste.

Be sure to let us know your outcome in 21 days!

[John l davis]

Thanks for the heads up on the trimming! One other question is I read a thread the mentioned small air pockets after a couple of days, how much is acceptable? I did notice on one of my loins small air pockets on the end but the bag looks well sealed?

[Ron Pratt]

MdemRare wrote:

quote :

Thanks for the heads up on the trimming! One other question is I read a thread the mentioned small air pockets after a couple of days, how much is acceptable? I did notice on one of my loins small air pockets on the end but the bag looks well sealed?

John,

Small air pockets are nothing to worry about and as your boneless sub-primal continues to age it will shrink somewhat and especially in the “valleys” where the bones were removed. It helps to keep in mind the the Drybag material actually was designed to breathe meaning it allows moisture to escape, but at the same time it allows air to come in! You don’t want to have a perfect vacuum the full time! It’s best though to handle the bag as little as possible during the aging process so as to not disturb the bond between the bag and the meat. Personally I make it a practice to not even touch the aging beef from the time I place it in the refrig until time to take it out.

Ron

[Chad Hayden]

Saturday, I put a Prime Strip and Prime Sirloin in the fridge with the new Johnson Controls thermostat control doo-hickie. The controller has kept the fridge at a CONSTANT 36 f. If it weren’t for having a second thermostat in there, I’d thought it was broke !.. I am shooting for 35 days, which will put me on the July 4th weekend. This will work out great, since I have things planned up until then, I won’t be tempted to cut into it early.

I like the pantyhose trick. For the reasons you said above Ron, I like having the PH on there for a few days just to insure I’m getting a good adhieson around the meat.

[Jeff S]

Has anyone ever considered saving the trimmings, mixing them with a little ground chuck, and making some delicious burgers?

When you take the “rind” off after aging, it is tough, chewy, etc but still has great flavor. If you grind it up into ground beef, it maintains that amazing flavor, but the texture becomes much softer, much better.

A lot of the famous steakhouses use their trimmings to create dryaged burgers. One of the best I had was in Chicago at a place called David Burke’s Primehouse. They use trimmings from their 45 day ribeyes, their sirloins, their strips, and some dry-aged chuck, grind it all up, mix it together, and put together one heck of a burger.

I’ve never tried doing this at home though.

Has anyone else tried using the trimmings for burgers? If so, did you have good results?

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