Aging beef

[HCT]

I read on the other site about Olds aging beef. I have a couple of thick Angus rib eye steaks that I was thinking of aging. Has anyone else ever done this? Is all you do to it is wipe it down and vacuum seal it and let it sit for a month? Thanks,
Mike

[SKSmoker]

try these. They were good for when we did our beef:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/DJ5968.html
http://bbq.about.com/cs/beef/a/aa030301a.htm
http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=21&id=352

[HCT]

Thanks SKS, very helpful.

[manxman]

My understanding is that it is a lot easier (and safer) to wet age meat in a domestic refridgerator than dry age meat where a flow of air over the meat is needed so must be done in a professional refridgerator with air intake / output.

I always go for dry aged meat where possible but that's personnal preference, I have been known to "visit" the carcass of beef in my local butcher to keep an eye on it as it matures!!  ;) :D

Certainly for dry aging the length of time depends on a number of things including the fat content of the original carcass.

Wet aging may be the safest bet for your rib eyes HCT, any idea how long they had been aged prior to you getting them? That will affect how long you need to give them.  :)

[SKSmoker]

We hung our beef for 28 days and the taste is really great. When we get beef in the fall again, I will make sure to get it hung again for at least that time. The butcher called one day and said that if we let it hang anymore, there won't be anything left to butcher :P

[Smudge]

I read on the other site about Olds aging beef. I have a couple of thick Angus rib eye steaks that I was thinking of aging. Has anyone else ever done this? Is all you do to it is wipe it down and vacuum seal it and let it sit for a month? Thanks,
Mike

Just to clear up any misconceptions: Once the meat has been cut, as in your example of the two steaks, aging is no longer an option. Aging is done only on large, uncut pieces such as a whole loin. Your steaks will quickly lose their bloom and turn brown from bacteria, which is not aging in any sense.

[HCT]

Thanks Smudge, I kinda figured that out when reading the websites SKS posted.