Thread: Dry aging beef?
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Old 01-04-2011, 07:44 PM   #28
T.G
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Default Re: Dry aging beef?

At 32% RH for 60 days, I think you might have a lot of shrinkage, and in a home refrigerator, which are known for temperature cycling, you run a possibility of spoilage.

Take a read of these docs:
http://www.beefresearch.org/CMDocs/B...0of%20Beef.pdf
http://www.beefusa.org/uDocs/dryagin...yofbeef164.pdf

A max of 14-21 days should be sufficient. I can't tell you if 14-21 is even safe in a home refrigerator though. You might not even need that much for a simple standing rib roast.

Something to keep in mind, the restaurants and high end butchers that age beef for the seemingly insanely long periods are 1) using a commercial walk in that does not cycle in temperature or waver in humidity, 2) sometimes have huge blocks of salt in the corners of the cold rooms 3) are aging entire half carcases that still have the natural membrane &/or hide on them which reduces moisture transfer.

Remember, Alton Brown really does tend to run things through the science before offering them up as cooking advice. If he says 4 days, you probably don't need 60. Maybe 7-14, if you feel that he is erring on the side of safety. In a refrigerator that gets opened a lot, I'd even be worried about 14 and spoilage.

Be careful bro.


Last edited by T.G; 01-04-2011 at 07:52 PM.
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