What Is the Difference Between Wet & Dry Aged Beef?

Beef flavor is significantly affected by aging processes.

Beef takes on distinctly different flavors depending on the aging process it undergoes. Whether consumers prefer wet or dry aged beef is largely dependent on personal tastes, although those preferences are typically influenced by the familiarity and availability of options.

Dry Aging Process

Dry aged beef is hung in open-air meat lockers. As the aging progresses, enzymes, microbes and fungi grow on the meat surfaces and impart it with a unique smell, flavor and texture. The longer the aging, the more deep and distinct the tastes become.

Wet Aging Procedures

When beef is packaged in plastic shrink-wrap or in trays covered with plastic wrap right after butchering, the wet aging process begins. Since the beef is aged in its own blood and natural moisture, it absorbs the flavors in the liquids and takes on a rich, intense taste.

Aged Beef Choices

Most beef sold at major grocery retailers is wet aged. Consumers have become accustomed to and fond of the taste of wet aged beef, which is easier to process and package and consequently less expensive than aged beef. Private butchers and high-end restaurants usually offer dry aged beef that has been aged anywhere from two to in excess of five weeks.

References

• The Atlantic Magazine: What Is the Difference Between Wet & Dry Aged Beef?