We all love meat, but it can be a challenge to store it properly. Meat that is not properly dried will have a shorter shelf life, and it may become moldy. But if you can get the hang of this skill, you’ll be able to preserve your meat for months or even years. It can also help to cook your meat more evenly, so you’ll have more consistent results. Here’s how to dry your meat in the best way.
Can We Really Age Meat?
I have previously talked about salting meat to improve its taste. But is aging meat really an effective way to improve its taste and/or texture? If you follow the methods below, you can age meat using very few resources.
How to Dry Age Your Meat
For dry aging, you don’t have to stick it in your basement. All you need is a cooler and some patience. For best results, it is recommended that your meat is between 7-10 days old. You can have it at the optimal temperature for your choice of cut at two to three degrees below your refrigerated meat storage. The following are some tips for dry aging:
– Before you dry age, pat your meat dry with a paper towel. To allow for air to circulate in the process, dry age your meat at room temperature for 4-5 hours.
– Dry aging helps reduce the amount of bacteria by allowing air to circulate in the package. This prevents mold growth and helps your meat stay safe for longer.
– Be sure to check on your meat every few hours. This will help to prevent mold and bacteria growth. Also, make sure that your meat is covered with a dry towel for the first 5 days.
– If you find that your meat seems too dry, you can moisten it by adding ½ cup of water to the package. If you add water and still don’t see any moisture, you can put your package back into the refrigerator.
– Some people place their packages in the fridge for the first 7 days, but this is not recommended. Dry aging takes time to be effective and can also affect the flavor of the meat. This is why you should allow it to dry out at room temperature.
The Basic Theory of Meat Aging
Because meat is susceptible to spoilage, you need to dry it, and then age it, or dry it and freeze it, to make sure it doesn’t go bad. Drying meat means drying out the surface of the meat, in order to give it an airtight seal. When you dry meat, you remove the water from the meat. This makes the meat have more of a salty taste, which is why you usually need to add salt to dry-aged meat. The salt draws out moisture from the meat. Salting the meat helps the salt get to the meat’s center, where it needs to be. Salt is also an antiseptic, which can help preserve the meat. The older the meat, the more salt it needs. The reason for this is that as the meat ages, the bacteria in it increases. It’s important to age meat correctly. If you put meat on a tray and just put it in a refrigerator, the meat will be exposed to heat and humidity, which could cause it to spoil. You need to put the meat in the coldest part of the refrigerator, where it will stay dry and safe. When you age meat properly, it can be enjoyed for months or even years.
More Antioxidant Rich
The color in this beef is beautiful, and I love how the meat is less chewier and slightly more tender. I’m learning that there is a different texture to how we cut the meat, since the folks I used to buy the meat from at the grocery store used to cut it about 6 inches from the end of the roast. This way there was not a whole lot of meat left on it, and I have a better texture in my roast. I like to cover the meat in baking powder/soda (1 Tbsp. baking powder + 1 tsp. baking soda) and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes or until the baking powder/soda and a few drops of water coat the surface of the meat. Then, take the meat out of the pan and allow it to sit a bit longer until the air is completely expelled and then rinse it under cold water. Once the meat has cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. This is a great way to dry out your beef (or pork, lamb, or other meats) because it creates a more even distribution of moisture throughout the meat.
Benefits of Dry Aged Meat
As most people know, wet aging is the standard method for aging meat. However, that method also has some drawbacks. It can be very time consuming and there is often a lot of work involved in preparing the meat. In recent years, dry aging has become more popular. Dry aging involves hanging the meat in a room without humidity, usually around 55-70% humidity. When dry aging meat, meat is hung in a controlled environment, and an air flow helps to keep the meat at the proper temperature. Dry aging also has some advantages, including that you don’t have to worry about spoilage, as the meat is usually hung for a relatively long period of time.
I’m Brian Danny Max, a chef and a writer at cookingtom.com. I’m here to talk about food and cooking, and to share some of my favorite recipes with you all! I’ve been interested in food and cooking since I was a child. My parents are both great cooks, and they taught me a lot about the kitchen. I’ve been cooking professionally for about 10 years now, and I’ve loved every minute of it! I specialize in healthy, flavorful recipes that are easy to make at home. I believe that anyone can cook a delicious meal, no matter their skill level. I’m here to help you learn how to cook, and to show you that it’s not as difficult as you might think! I hope you’ll check out my blog and my recipes, and I look forward to hearing from you!