Aging beef at home

[carnivore]

I've done a little web research and from what i can tell it's not really feasible to age steak (or any beef) at home. Seems there is no cheap way to control temperature and humidity conditions to the exacting standards they must be kept at...which would explain why aged steaks are so expensive.
Anyone have any more information on this?

thanks,

 

[kitchenelf]

Yes...I..like..aged..beef :P

 

[BubbaGourmet]

Actually you can SOMEWHAT dry-age beef in your fridge. Most fridges have a humidity control. First, set that to a low setting (mine is numbered 1-10...I use 3), then take your beef (I only do this with a standing rib roast and can't tell you about oother cuts) and place it in a pan on a rack. Coover with a large piece of foil with loots of holes in it and let sit for 3-4 days. Much improoved flavor and I get a weight loss of about 12%. Thus, excess water is removed and the flavor becomes concentrated. I had to figure out how to do this as (to me) any other grade of beef than prime has no flavor.

 

[carnivore]

i think i'll give that a shot, BubbaGourmet.
i've got a couple of cheap KC strips that are going to need all the help they can get.

 

[BubbaGourmet]

Carnivore, even if you paid 12 bucks a pound for them they would need help, the quality of beef these days is atrocious.

 

[carnivore]

hey BubbaGourmet, that raises another interesting question:
because of the quality of the beef i buy, i tend to use a lot of marinades to add some flavor and help tenderize. following your procedure, would i then still be ok to marinate the beef for, say another day or so (in a closed container or baggie)?

 

[BubbaGourmet]

Absolutely...but you will find that you may have less need to do so. By drying the beef you are going to concentrate the flavor. The flavor becomes much more like the beef of my childhood. So the first time I would try it au naturel (other than a lot of black pepper...gotta have it!) then if you feel like it, next time marinade it.