Beef Aging Process Info...

[Geor!]

Beef has a shelf life of about 7 weeks from slaughter to spoil (when kept within safe temp range). Bet you didn't know that did yous?

Hines may not know the exact date every time, but when I picked up my primals he was able to give me the slaughter date (it's not marked on the package, so if you do buy from him, ask). At the very least he can get you within a couple days of it.

If you didn't want to mess with wet or dry aging, you could let it age in the cryovac for up to six weeks from slaughter/pack date, then wash thoroughly, trim, and slice. It's important to check it every couple days to make sure a seal hasn't busted, or that it's not leaking. Usually not an issue, but it can happen. Then you can slice and cook, or freeze. Highly recommend vacuum sealing f you freeze, so it doesn't get freezer burn.

You HAVE to wash thoroughly though. Also, if you do let it go six weeks, you WILL get a bit of a smell when you open it. It's perfectly normal, no reason to worry. The whole process of aging is about the enzymes breaking down the fatty tissue.

To delve a little deeper -

Dry aging is when you unwrap and hang the primal in a temp and humidity controlled climate. Can be done in a fridge. But not one you open several times a day. You lose moisture, and about 20% weight loss when you dry age. As you lose moisture it concentrates the flavor. That's why dry aged steaks (Al Biernat's, for instance) has a more intense flavor. In the old days, dry aging wasn't even refrigerated. Every butcher had a dark corner they would put their primals in. Then after how ever many days, they would trim the bacteria and mold off, then slice in to steaks.

There are a couple ways to wet age, but most common is to just keep in cryovac in fridge for however long you want to. It's called wet aging, because you don't lose moisture. The flavor isn't as intense though. 95% of steakhouses wet age. Chain restaurants (not fine dining) usually don't age. It takes up a ton of refrigerated storage to do it,

Didn't know that. I was actually thinking wet aging was soaking them in a brine and dry aging was coating them in salt as a curing process or something.

[Hines57]

This is refrigerated right? not frozen

Yes but not like a fridge at home . Humidity and temp is very closely watched

[mstng86]

If you didn't want to mess with wet or dry aging, you could let it age in the cryovac for up to six weeks from slaughter/pack date, then wash thoroughly, trim, and slice. It's important to check it every couple days to make sure a seal hasn't busted, or that it's not leaking. Usually not an issue, but it can happen. Then you can slice and cook, or freeze. Highly recommend vacuum sealing f you freeze, so it doesn't get freezer burn.

This is refrigerated right? not frozen

[Hines57]

Thanks bcoop I don't have time to type that much. I will do everyone a favor and write the slaughter date on all peices. I can get you normally within 2 days of slaughter date even if I don't write it down due to I know what dates are on hand.

[bcoop]

That shit don't rot??

Beef has a shelf life of about 7 weeks from slaughter to spoil (when kept within safe temp range). Bet you didn't know that did yous?

Hines may not know the exact date every time, but when I picked up my primals he was able to give me the slaughter date (it's not marked on the package, so if you do buy from him, ask). At the very least he can get you within a couple days of it.

If you didn't want to mess with wet or dry aging, you could let it age in the cryovac for up to six weeks from slaughter/pack date, then wash thoroughly, trim, and slice. It's important to check it every couple days to make sure a seal hasn't busted, or that it's not leaking. Usually not an issue, but it can happen. Then you can slice and cook, or freeze. Highly recommend vacuum sealing f you freeze, so it doesn't get freezer burn.

You HAVE to wash thoroughly though. Also, if you do let it go six weeks, you WILL get a bit of a smell when you open it. It's perfectly normal, no reason to worry. The whole process of aging is about the enzymes breaking down the fatty tissue.

To delve a little deeper -

Dry aging is when you unwrap and hang the primal in a temp and humidity controlled climate. Can be done in a fridge. But not one you open several times a day. You lose moisture, and about 20% weight loss when you dry age. As you lose moisture it concentrates the flavor. That's why dry aged steaks (Al Biernat's, for instance) has a more intense flavor. In the old days, dry aging wasn't even refrigerated. Every butcher had a dark corner they would put their primals in. Then after how ever many days, they would trim the bacteria and mold off, then slice in to steaks.

There are a couple ways to wet age, but most common is to just keep in cryovac in fridge for however long you want to. It's called wet aging, because you don't lose moisture. The flavor isn't as intense though. 95% of steakhouses wet age. Chain restaurants (not fine dining) usually don't age. It takes up a ton of refrigerated storage to do it,

[Hines57]

29 degrees is frozen.

I guess I should reword that. The room is kept at 29 degrees

[Geor!]

Yes if you left it out it would. The meat here is cryovac sealed and kept about 29 degrees all the time . It is never frozen

29 degrees is frozen.

[Hines57]

Actually try this link it will explain a little better

http://bbq.about.com/cs/beef/a/aa030301a.htm

[Hines57]

Maybe this will help. There is just to many different ways for me to get into great detail about this and typing it up in my phone. Soooo

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=How+to+properly+age+beef+#seen

[Hines57]

That shit don't rot??

Yes if you left it out it would. The meat here is cryovac sealed and kept about 29 degrees all the time . It is never frozen

[Hines57]

Ok, so what you let it sit on your counter for 21days? I have no idea about this aging thing.... and Im wanting to buy some of hines' meat so I'll need to know what to do.

Thanks

No you would need to leave it at a perfect temp without freezing it . You can cut these now of you like you don't have to age them . When you buy them at Walmart they are roughly 10 days old . It's really hard for me to tell you the best way because I don't know the space or equipment you have. You
Can find a ton of valuable resources online about different ways of aging .

[Geor!]

That's a loaded question. When you pick them up they will be refrigerated (not frozen), and cryovac'd. At the very least, you need to let it age in the cryovac for a MINIMUM of 21 days.

Beyond that, there is two ways to age. Wet age, and dry age, and they are two different processes to do so. This is to be done in addition to aging in the cryovac. I'll post up some good links on the processes later. Most will find it difficult to wet or dry age properly at home, but for the nuts like me, you'll find a way to make it work.

That shit don't rot??

[Randy]

Ok, so what you let it sit on your counter for 21days? I have no idea about this aging thing.... and Im wanting to buy some of hines' meat so I'll need to know what to do.

Thanks

[Hines57]

That's a loaded question. When you pick them up they will be refrigerated (not frozen), and cryovac'd. At the very least, you need to let it age in the cryovac for a MINIMUM of 21 days.

Beyond that, there is two ways to age. Wet age, and dry age, and they are two different processes to do so. This is to be done in addition to aging in the cryovac. I'll post up some good links on the processes later. Most will find it difficult to wet or dry age properly at home, but for the nuts like me, you'll find a way to make it work.

I couldn't have said that better.

[bcoop]

Can I just cut these up and freeze them, or do I need to age them? Meat noobie.LOL

That's a loaded question. When you pick them up they will be refrigerated (not frozen), and cryovac'd. At the very least, you need to let it age in the cryovac for a MINIMUM of 21 days.

Beyond that, there is two ways to age. Wet age, and dry age, and they are two different processes to do so. This is to be done in addition to aging in the cryovac. I'll post up some good links on the processes later. Most will find it difficult to wet or dry age properly at home, but for the nuts like me, you'll find a way to make it work.