What happens during the aging process?
What
happens during the aging process is the connective tissue, a small fiber connecting
the cells, breaks down and makes the meat less tough. It takes between 14 and 21 days for
this break down to occur depending on the age and texture of the meat. Without any aging
the meat is extremely tough and has little flavor. Aging greatly enhances the flavor and
adds to the tenderness.
The aging process starts immediately after
the animal is butchered. Boxed beef is aging all the while it is in the box and the
cyrovac packaging is an ideal environment. When the meat is aging in the cyrovac it is
considered "wet aging" as it is not exposed to the air. Dry aging is a more
complex process, especially if it is done correctly.
To dry age meat the carcass should be split
into hind quarters and front quarters and allowed to hang in a humidity controlled cooler.
After approximately three to four weeks, mold will begin to grow on the surface of the
beef, which of course would be trimmed off when it is processed. This mold gives the meat
a "musty" taste and if you are not used to it you might think something was
wrong with the meat. You cannot properly dry age meat after it has been cut into the sub
primals as too much of the meat will be exposed to the air and will have to be trimmed off
at a considerable expense.
There are some restaurants and small
processors who have worked out a system for dry aging sub primals, however, it is a very
delicate process. If the cooler is not humidified the meat will shrink and dry out very
quickly. If there are any other products, such as onions or fish, put in the cooler with
the aging meat, the meat will absorb the odor. When comparing the two processes it makes
little or no sense to dry age and is used more as a marketing tool rather than an actual
quality enhancer.
