Over the past few years, my wife and I have prepared and smoked many cuts of Beef and have prepared them in various methods and ways. One of the processes that is used is aging of Beef either through dry aging (Like meat butchers, is becoming a dying art…) or wet aging which is quickly becoming the industry standard.

So the question is, what is the difference between the two methods, and second which method produces the best results? To answer both of these questions we need to understand the difference between the two methods, how one accomplishes the technique and what type of end product you can expect from either of these methods.

Before starting let me start by saying DO NOT TRY AGING PORK!!!! The BEST pork is Fresh Pork PERIOD. This is the industry standard, if you don’t believe me, try aging some pork, the minute you open the cryovac or cut into the pork and start gagging you will know why we don’t age PORK!! THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THIS IS CURING which is a whole different subject entirely in and of itself……

For an excellent Beef eating experience, nothing is better then setting down to a properly aged cut of Beef! I’ve tried both wet aged and dry aged Beef and can promise you that you can tell a HUGE difference. Now let me explain the two.

WET AGING

Wet aging or aging-in-the-bag has quickly become the industry norm, 90% of aged beef is done this way. Why? Simple put, the same reason REAL Meat Butchers have become a rarity, it’s a lot less labor intensive and a lot more ERROR PROOF for a company of any type to do this with what they consider successful results.

Wet Aged beef is vacuum packed in plastic (Cryovac) and sits at temperatures of 34-38 degrees for 7-28 days. (I have heard, and know of some that go as far as 60 days!!) Inside plastic/Cryovac, the meat ages and becomes more tender yet what I have found with wet aging there is little or no flavor development since there is not a concentration of flavor occurring with loss of moisture. 

This method has become popular because it is cheaper and more profitable method in the minds of big industry meat producers. Compared to Wet Aging, Dry aging is more costly. On average, your looking at an 18% loss in shrinkage and also the extra trim required, (trimming of the dry age) time, storage, refrigerator space, and labor.

IF You decide to Wet Age or Dry Age your cut of beef, one of the most important things you MUST KNOW is the packing date of the beef you are purchasing. It doesn’t matter where you purchase your Beef, a pack date should be available. If you’re fortunate to get your Beef from a Real Butcher, He/She can give this information to you readily.

But to find the Packing Date, you will need to see the case or box the beef came in. You will be looking for a sticker or branding on the box similar to this:

 I know this is an old label, but the theory is the same and it’s a good example for you to know what you’re looking for! Remember this goes for Dry Aging as well, YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS DATE FOR SUCCESSFUL AGING!

For Wet Aging you will start your age time from the PACK DATE. The process is simple from this point. Place the sealed/cryovac package in the coldest part of your refrigerator.

Due to the airtight vacuum-seal, you should not have to worry about other odors or flavors (such as onions) being absorbed by the meat. Leave the sealed Beef in the refrigerator. When you are ready to smoke, grill or cook it, simply cut the meat out of the plastic add your rub or spices and begin cooking.

I have tried Wet Aged Beef before. It definitely has a better taste and texture then just out of the package beef. And it does have its advantages in convenience and less of a mess to deal with.

Dry Aging

Dry aging was once the industry norm until the less-costly boxed beef and vacuum packaging systems came into existence.  Today 99% of Supermarkets and “Club Membership Stores” sell boxed beef.  In the 80′s, dry aging enjoyed resurgence. Dry-aged Beef is aged in an open air controlled temperature environment between 34 F and 38 F with an ambient humidity level adjusted between 50% and 75%.  Dry-aged beef requires 7 to 14 days or longer to age properly depending on the pack date observed on the box.  Meat is muscle, and muscle is composed of protein structures that will break down with the aging process. 

This results is a tender cut of meat and more flavor. Air circulation is essential in dry aging and is perhaps the biggest reason why dry-aged beef costs substantially more, since significant shrinkage occurs. Typically shrinkage 10 to 15% is realized. In the industry if you’re buying dry-aged beef you can figure it usually will cost about 25% more than wet aged beef.

In a mass produced commercial industry we live in where all attention is given to the profit margin, dry aging is being done only for a few discriminating customers willing to pay for it bottom line.

We have two Dry Aging processes we have used with great results. Our first method would be termed the more traditional of the two.

We use, and I would encourage you also to use only USDA Prime or USDA Choice Beef if you can, they seem to have a thicker layer of fat on the outside to protect the meat from spoiling during the aging process.

 When you purchase your beef for dry aging buy whole rib-eye or loin strip. (You cannot age individual steaks.) Unwrap it, rinse it well with cold water, and allow it to drain; then pat it very dry with paper towels.

  If you are Dry Aging your Beef in your home refrigerator with other food, wrap the meat in clean, large, plain white cotton dish towels and place it on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. In most cases this will be the coldest spot. You will want to change the cloth towels each day, replacing the moisture-soiled towels. Continue to changing towels as needed for 10 days, to 2 weeks.

If you are fortunate enough to have a spare or second refrigerator that can be used which will have very little or no other use while the Beef is dry aging (The door remains closed, no other foods in the fridge) you can skip the step of placing cloth towels on the Beef and place it in a clean or disposable pan in the refrigerator for the period of time you have chosen to dry age the Beef.

 After the desired aging time, you’re ready to cut the beef into steaks or smoke, grill or cook the beef as desired.  If, after 21 days. If there is left over Beef that is not smoked, grilled or cooked, cut the remaining piece into steaks, place the Beef in Food Savor Bags or Zip Lock Freezer Bags and place in the freezer.

The Beef/ steaks will keep for several months (if you don’t eat them quicker). But in either case it would be wise to mark the packages with your own “pack date” to keep track of the amount of time they have been in the freezer.

• To clean your towels for re-use, soak the soiled towels, immediately upon removing them from the meat, in cold water overnight. Next, soak them in cold, salted water for 2-3 hours to remove any blood stains. Then wash them as usual. *

A second way of dry aging your Beef and speeding up the process a bit would be in using the Drybag Steak System. (www.drybagsteak.com)

The Drybag Steak system is pretty easy to use and gives EXCELLNT RESULTS! Especially for those not wanting to use there existing refrigerator and may not have the ability to use a secondary one.

The Drybag Steak System will remind many of you of a Food Savor type system. The difference being the way air is taken out of the bag process, and unlike a Food Savor, the Drybag Steak System does NOT have such a “tight” wrapping effect on the Beef as if it was vacuumed sealed.

Drybag Steaks calls the bag you use in aging a “Membrane”. It is a unique product in that it allows moisture to escape the bag, and at the same time blocks unwanted odors and flavors to enter through the Membrane.

SO if you use this product YOU HAVE to use the membrane bags from Drybag Steaks, You can’t use a Food Savor bag, even though they may look the same.

The process is as follows and was taken directly from the Drybagsteaks.com site.

1) Select your preferred type and grade of beef in any subprimal cut, generally, strip loin, rib eye, and top butt. Fold back the opening of the DrybagSteak material and slide the subprimal cut of beef inside. Smooth the DrybagSteak material carefully against the surface of the beef eliminating all air pockets. The critical factor for optimal dry aging results is the excellent bond that will form between the proteins coating the surface of the beef and the DrybagSteak material

2) Use a snorkel-type or chamber-type vacuum heat sealer to draw the air out of the bag. Seal the bag. Ensure that the seal is firm, no air pockets remain, and there is no leakage of air

3) Carefully place the newly DrybagSteak sealed subprimal onto an open wire rack in a well-ventilated cooler. Remember that the all-important bond will form over the first three to five days. The beef must have good airflow around it to bond and age properly. Generally begin aging fat side up to assist the formation of the best bond on the meat side

*Instructions and Photos from Drybagsteak.com*

Now, for the big question, which method does the Bossman prefer?? For me and my family and customers, it has to be DRY AGED!!  If I have enough advanced notice we will dry age cuts of Beef for our customers or to speed up the process a bit I will use the Drybag Steak System for assistance.

Between the two I prefer the wait, but the Drybag Steak system is very good and speeds up the process.

Either way I feel the choice is an easy one once you’ve tried both methods. The Dry Aged Beef has a much more Beefier, richer flavor and just melts in your mouth. Very rarely is a knife needed when eating a properly aged steak or slice of Dry Aged Beef.

To find out which you prefer, try the methods we have laid out and choose for yourself. In either case you and Your Family and Friends will Not Be disappointed with the results! Just plan ahead and, choose a great cut of Beef and let the aging do its magic!! Good Luck to you!! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us here at Bossman Bar-B-Que! Until next time Smoke On!!