The first step is to remove the beef from its packaging for dry age beef. The easiest way to do this is to put the beef in a large freezer bag and then tie off the opening of the bag with a rubber band.
If you want, you can also place the beef in a plastic container with holes in it, but I find that this doesn’t work as well.
The next step is to place your beef in the refrigerator and wait 6-12 weeks. This will allow time for the Maillard reactions (which give cooked meat its flavor) to occur within your package of meat.
The Maillard reaction is actually a reaction between amino acids and sugars, and it occurs when certain foods are heated.
The Maillard reaction is what gives dry-aged beef its deep, complex flavors. When you dry-age beef, the Maillard reaction occurs in your package of meat as it sits in your refrigerator.
In fact, some people use a technique called “cold smoking” to speed up the Maillard reaction. Cold smoking involves putting the meat in a smoker at low temperatures for many hours.
The next step is to remove your package of beef from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for about an hour.
This allows enzymes inside your muscle tissue to start breaking down proteins within your meat so that they can be used as fuel by cells instead of being stored as fat. The longer that this process takes, the more intense the flavors will be in your final product.
Why Does Dry Age Beef Taste Good?
Dry-aging beef has a significant impact on the taste of your final product.
The Maillard reaction occurs when amino acids within your muscle tissue react with sugars, creating hundreds of new compounds that can be used by cells as fuel. In addition to developing complex flavors, dry-aged beef also develops a deeper color and more complex structure.
The Maillard reaction occurs in the muscle tissue as it sits in your refrigerator. Therefore, if you were to simply dry age beef at home, it would take months for the Maillard reaction to occur within your package of meat.
Benefits Of Dry Age Beef
Dry-aged beef has a complex, layered flavor profile that works well with the flavors in foods like red wine, butter, and garlic.
Dry aging beef is also an excellent choice for those who enjoy eating a lot of different types of food and want to discover how the flavors in their favorite foods work together. Dry-aging beef allows you to experience the differences between different types of meat.
The most important thing to remember about dry-aging is that it takes time! It will take several months for your package of beef to develop deep, complex flavors because it takes time for enzymes inside your muscle tissue to break down proteins so that they can use as fuel by cells instead of being stored as fat.
FAQs
Q: How much time does it take for my beef to dry age?
A: Your package of beef will dry age for several months. It may take two months for your package of beef to develop deep.
Q: How much time does it take to dry-age my beef?
A: Dry aging takes approximately two months for a pound of meat.
Q: What are the main benefits of dry-aging beef?
A: Dry-aging beef gives you a more complex flavor profile and deeper coloration, which makes your final product look and taste better.