How to Age Beef in a Refrigerator
Dry-aging beef provides it with a tender complex flavor. If you have a refrigerator, try to dry-age your own beef over a couple days to a couple of weeks. Exposing the beef to air in a refrigerator helps dehydrate the meat, providing it with stronger flavor. If you are trying to dry-age a large amount of beef though, it can become expensive because the process shrinks the meat by about 20 to 25 percent, so you end up with a smaller amount. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Cooking rack
- Baking sheet or tray
- Cheesecloth
- Scissors
- Knife
- Paper towels
- Sink
Instructions
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1
Purchase the highest quality meat you can get, focusing on a prime boneless loin or rib roast. Freeze it a week before you plan to start the dry-aging process.
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2
Set your refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit a day or two before you want to start the dry-aging process.
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3
Unwrap the meat and rinse it well under room temperature water. Pat the meat dry with clean paper towels. Set the meat onto a cheesecloth and wrap it two to three times. You do not have to wrap the meat tightly as you want air to circulate around the meat.
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4
Set the cheesecloth-wrapped piece of meat on a metal rack, like a baking rack. Place this rack on top of a deep baking tray or sheet to catch any juices.
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5
Slide the tray into the refrigerator out of your way. After one day in the refrigerator, remove it and unwrap the cheesecloth. Re-wrap it again loosely (this is so the meat doesn't stick to the cheesecloth).
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6
Put the tray back into the refrigerator and keep it there for at least four days, but it can stay in there for up to three weeks. The longer it is left in the refrigerator, the more aged it will become (resulting in a better flavor).
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7
Remove the tray when you desire and unwrap the meat from the cheesecloth. Use a sharp knife to trim off the hardened fat and outside meat that has hardened as well. Roast, grill or cook as desired.
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