Wet aging prime rib question

[iceman]

A friend of mine just called me at work. He picked up a 7 rib prime rib and wants to wet age it in the fridge. Anybody recall how long after it's all wrapped air tight it can age and when should he season it? I told him to hold off on the seasoning until I talked to you folks first.
Thanks

[Tenpoint5]

Pat here is what Our Newsletter Butcher Steve Graves has to say about that .

Wet Aging Beef

This is my preferred way of aging beef, 1) it is relatively easy and 2) I do not care for the heavy 'beefy' and sometimes musty flavor of dry aged beef.

Purchase a whole NY Strip Loin, Rib Eye, Tenderloin (Filet Mignon) or Top Sirloin and make sure the cryovac is still tight. These can be bought at Sam's Club, Costco, BJ's or even your local butcher, if you should be so lucky to have one. Ask the meat department for the "packing date" on the box that it came in. This is VERY important! You don't want to know the date on the price sticker or the date they got it in....you want the packing date on the box that it came in. If the date can't be determined, then find another place to get the meat or wait until their next order and ask them to save the packing box. Once you know the packing date you can put the meat in your extra refrigerator at approximately 35-36° and leave it alone until it has aged a total of six weeks. Not six weeks from when you bought it, but six weeks from the packing date. Check it every few days to make sure the wrapping is still intact and no air or liquid loss. It's a good idea to place the meat on an upper shelf, that way there will be an even air flow all around.

If you notice liquid leaking or the cryovac is starting to get puffy, you have a leak and you will have to cut the meat up immediately and freeze or use.

At the end or your determined aging time, place the meat in a sink and open, being careful not to slice across the meat with your knife. More than likely, an odor will greet your nose. This is normal, as the enzymes I mentioned earlier are reacting with bacteria inside the cryovac. Rinse the meat off with COLD water and pat dry. All, most or part of the odor will be gone. A short time, 30 minutes, of 'air' drying back in the refrigerator should also help to dissipate the odor. You may, or may not, still have a slight odor, but don't worry about it. Dry aged beef has a 'musty' odor that's hard to get rid of also.

Cut your steaks and enjoy! Remember.....ONLY whole primal cuts can be aged, NOT individual steaks. Trying to age a steak will end with an old steak.

[iceman]

Thanks Chris. Unfortunatly the meat came wrapped in butcher paper. I guess what he is really asking is how to keep it for awhile in the fridge. I know true wet aging starts from the supplier and is not really possible in the fridge.

[wkahler]

I would say he can vacuum seal it to make it last longer then just a zip lock bag.  I tent to vacuum seal it to try and keep it for the longest amount of time.  My wife gets me because i vacuum seal everything!!

Thanks Chris. Unfortunatly the meat came wrapped in butcher paper. I guess what he is really asking is how to keep it for awhile in the fridge. I know true wet aging starts from the supplier and is not really possible in the fridge.

[BuyLowSellHigh]

How long does he want to keep it before cooking it ?

If it's more than 3 days I would suggest freezing it.  If it's within 3 days, keep it in the butcher wrap in the fridge, and it should be fine. Since it has been "out and about", what you want to avoid at this point is anaerobic packaging (e.g. vac packaging) under refrigeration.  It's okay in a freezer, but shouldn't be used for prolonged refrigeration storage once exposed and handled.

The wet aging opportunity was lost when it came out of a cryopac.  However, if aging is the interest it can be dry aged up to 7 days using the Alton Brown technique, as shown here.  After aging there will be a bit of loss for trimming, but it will be slight.