Aging meat at home?

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Aging meat at home?

by Jorge
(Baja, Mexico)

Hi, Chef Todd, I wonder if you can age meat at home I've been told that taste a lot better than a fresh meat. but I've encountered a lot of info in the internet in which some say that you can't age meat at home and some say that you can. Can you tell me how to age meat.

Regards
Jorge Nunez

Aging meat can be a dangerous process. I don't recommend trying to do this at home. The meat needs to be kept at a very specific temperature for an extended period of time under precisely controlled environmental conditions to allow for the enzymatic action that ages the meat.

If you don't have a specific refrigerator or meat locker in your house, aging of the meat will probably result in bacteria growth and ultimately causing yourself foodborne illness.

Buy the best cut of meat you can from your LOCAL farm that provides steak. They may be aging them also. But I wouldn't recommend trying to age a cut of beef at home. It can be dangerous.

Chef Todd.

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Aging meat at home?

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Dec 21, 2011
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Aging beef NEW
by: Dan

I can only say that buying a nice rib roast from the supermarket and roasting it in the oven the next day will leave you disappointed. I have never shot for these pie in the sky optimum levels of aging but in 25 years no one has ever gotten sick from the method we use. Clean and dry the beef. Rub the roast with kosher salt, place it on a rack over a plate in the refrigerator's meat drawer. Let it stand at least 5 days. Anyone that says that such a short period of time does not contribute to palatability and tenderness is crazy. There is no comparison. The salt also acts as an antibacterial agent. I have left them for up to 10 days and have never been disappointed. I know that this can be argued like anything can. I'm just saying it has stood the test of time at our house and would not be advisable for thinner cuts. It just plain works. I'd never, as the owner of a website, advocate anyone doing this as the skill and common sense level of people vary greatly and there could be liability issues. On the other hand, people have been eating spoiled or borderline spoiled meat for centuries. They hang pheasants, with the guts in, until the head falls off before they cook and eat them. Talk about gross.

Jul 16, 2011
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Chef Todd is right
by: Anonymous

You guys are just asking for some sort of illness. You're on the verge of E-Coli or at worst Botulism if you're really stupid. And he wasn't saying that cutting off the tough parts sounds bad - but the fact that your "aged" meat has a tough, dry exterior. Keep this up and you'll end up sending your family to the ER.

Aug 17, 2010
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dry-aging
by: Anonymous

"Cutting off the tough part" doesn't sound right to you? I would have to debate your qualifications as a chef...that or perhaps your'e a vegan chef. Ive been dry-aging steak in my fridge for the last year or so, and its delicious. usually 1-2 weeks, but I'm working on a 3-week strip loin at the moment. good stuff...the instructions posted above are the real deal.

ps...trim off the tough outer parts

Feb 16, 2010
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Dried meat
by: Anonymous

I understand that the chef would not recommend it for possible legal or liability reasons. However, it can be done safely. Today ice boxes have humidity and temperature control. 1) Just get a good and fatty quality meat, 2) clean w/ cold water and pad it dry. 3) Wrap with cloth, 4) place it at bottom of refrigerator (where it is coldest, about 35F), 5) change cloth every 3 days. 6) Use meat after 1 or 2 weeks, but do not go beyond 21 days and don't forget to trim off any hard or dried up parts, but keep most of the fat as you can - Flavor.

Suggestion: Smoke it for 3 to 5 hours at 250F, making sure internal temp reaches about 125F. I got a smoker at home. I use keawe charcoal (I absolutely hate briquettes) and hickory chips.

Jan 29, 2010
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Good Advice
by: Anonymous

Sorry, Anonymous but I strongly disagree and can't recommend aging meats at home to my viewers.

If you're aging meat in your home refrigerator you've got people opening and closing the door, the light going on and off, the fridge going through defrost cycle at night, and the problems of potential cross-contamination that having raw meat in there for a week.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but not recommended. If you accomplish it and are confident, that's great. But "cut off the tough part" of the steak doesn't sound right.

Chef Todd.

Jan 28, 2010
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bad advice
by: Anonymous

Aging meat at home can be done. I do it all the time. If you have a passion to cook then you should try aging your own meat for sure. I dont know why this chef would tell you not to do it. maybe he doesny know how.
Make sure you buy a very good quality of beef, take it out of its original wrapping and dry it off, wrap it in cheesecloth and set in your fridge. Make sure your fridge is clean and free from odours (the meat will absorb whatever its around). Make the temperature in around 30-35. Let it sit for a couple of days, then take it out, unwrap, then rewrap with the same cheese cloth (so cheesecloth doesnt stick). Place it back in fridge for a couple more days. when it ready, unwrap, cut off tought outside layer, and you are left with a tasty peice of meat to cook.

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Aging meat at home?

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Aging meat at home?