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Reply to "Dry Aged Prime Rib cooked Souse Vide via Cookshack Amerique"

Dakota, Soleman and AndyJ, thank you.

Let me elaborate a bit. First, I do not consider myself an expert on the subject although I have dry aged at home every year or two for fifteen years or so. I, also served dry aged, salt-crusted prime rib steaks at a restaurant I once worked. The roast at the restaurant was not aged as long as I would have preferred (two weeks) due to the lack of refrigeration space, but the customers were pleased.

Andy, if you have room to age in bags, you have room to do an actual dry age. Contrary to popular belief, dry aging is relatively simple and accomplished with minimum equipment. There are two basic elements needed, a means to cool the meat and good air circulation. It’s my opinion that the use of bags is a cross between wet and dry aging and hinders air circulation around the meat not allowing it to dry properly. To dry properly a crust is needed to deter further evaporation, which allows flavor development. Bags simply delay the whole process. There are those who may have a different opinion and that is fine, but I will not argue the subject. Ultra-high-end steak houses do not use them, therefore, I do not either.

Equipment necessary as mentioned, refrigeration, this can be done with the use of a commercial cooler such as I use, kitchen refrigerator, or even a mini-refrigerator as long as there is good air movement. In the case of a mini not having a fan in it, a small fan placed inside will work just fine as long as it does not produce more heat than the mini can handle. You want to maintain a temperature of ± 34°-36°. Natural temperature swings will be fine.

Precise humidity is not a necessity either no humidifiers or salt blocks are required. Normal refrigerator humidity is fine.

I, do keep a digital thermometer/hygrometer along with an analog thermometer placed in a bottle of water with the meat, but neither is needed.

Hopefully, this helps. If you or anyone else would like to give dry aging a try, I would be happy to help.

Tom
Last edited by mrt 2
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