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33 replies

Wet Aging Beef

N 2ndhandsmokeMember
quote:
Originally posted by cal:
The theory is that a primal cut will be a sterile muscle put into a sterile environment, so it can't have any bacteria growth. Now if you cut that up, you are taking a chance on introducing bacteria to the cuts and then amplifying the problem by putting it into a low oxygen situation(vacuum sealing) and as it is aging the frig will hit the danger zone every so often. VERY RISKY

Personally Vicki, I'd give that frig a try with your packer, put on bottom shelf so it doesn't have extremely cold air hitting it. I'd not open the door though if at all possible.

I totally agree Cal that's why I leave mine in the original cryovac to age it and take out the whole ribeyes and shoulder roasts after aging to cut up and repackage with the food savor just as lockers and grocery stores do. It then goes directly into the freezer for future use. This is how it is done at a meat locker except they do a lot of dry aging with halves of beef in cold storage.
FM Former Member
I think the point we're making is it's okay to do a large cut in the ORIGINAL cryovac. Once that package is cracked, then you have issues. A lot of us do it (search wet aging and you'll see lots of comments).

Open, cut and refreeze is fine, just don't leave open for a few days then freeze. For food safety, I would only freeze the day you cut it.

The clock on aging is one duration. So ANY time the beef is above 40, it cuts the total duration down. I learned about aging from a Master Butcher in KC who supplies meat in that town.

Example. If the food truck delivering the meat is warm or the case sits out on the counter above 40, all of that affects the duration.

It's about Food Safety. You can age, just need to be aware of the issues.

I would never age anything once it's been cut. Some people swear by the dry aging bags, but I'm not sold yet. Dry aging is a whole different animal.

As always YOU can experiment, but your individual results may vary. I don't tempt the Food Safety Police Big Grin
chef-boy-arniechef-boy-arnie"If you can't smoke it, you probably shouldn't eat it!"
quote:
Originally posted by Vicki B:
Thanks for the info guys. I guess i need to figure whats wrong with my fridge and get those twmps up.


Viki just a guess, but if I was a betting man I would bet either the circulation fan is bad or the timer is bad. Either one is an easy fix for an average do-it-yourselfer.
I wouldn’t trust the fridge until I fixed it cause the temp could go south rapidly without notice.
chef-boy-arniechef-boy-arnie"If you can't smoke it, you probably shouldn't eat it!"
If the fridge has an icemaker many times the timer is an intricate part of the icemaker. If not the timer is usually in the back bottom along with the motor, compressor, and other “stuff”.

The timer controls the defrost cycle depending on the fridge it will change the cycle every 1 – 2 hours.

During the defrost cycle the fridge shuts down for 10 – 15 minutes. The compressor and the circulation fan(s) do not run, and a heat tape under the freezer bottom cover heats up and melts the frost build up before it is allowed to become noticeable in the freezer compartment.

This is also why food freezer burns in your refrigerator freezer much faster than it does in your deep freeze.
M MK-chicagoMember

Okay, new here.    Will search threads, promise.   But I've got a decide-by-friday question I hope you all can help with.    

So I'm easing my way into the dry age community, learning and so forth.  I've figured out how to get prime primals from costco for under $9/lb.   And i've done well with them.  I'm happy anyway -- my wife and cardiologist may have other opinions.

Here's the thing.   I bought a foodsaver vacuum packer so I could take relatively huge full 103s or 107s, and  then cut them up into manageable portions.   Right now I've got a third of a tomahawk rib primal (same as a regular 103, but with longer frenched rib bones) that's I repackaged into a second smaller vac seal bag.   

My understanding was that a vac sealed cut (it's still 10 lbs) would do fine in a normal fridge "wet-aging" for a fairly long time.   But this thread is making me worried i'm about to poison my labor day guests.    

Nothing is discolored, I divided and re-vacced quickly, and froze two of the pieces immediately.   But I took one of them out a few days ago to gently defrost in the regular fridge.  Still looks fine.   but am I in a danger zone on this one?  

Thanks.

 

chef-boy-arniechef-boy-arnie"If you can't smoke it, you probably shouldn't eat it!"

While I have not repackaged any beef prior to attempting to wet age I have been wanting to try it out. I also have no experience with freezing prior to  wet aging, but I believe that would kill the enzymes needed for the wet aging process. That said If I'm understanding you correctly, you just defrosted one of your repackaged cuts (3 or 4 days ?) in the fridge and you're wondering if it is ok. Is that your question?

If so, I wouldn't be concerned about it. Wet aged beef has an earthy smell to it, not a foul or bad smell. Some recommendations suggest you should wash the wet aged meat thoroughly under cold running water after unpacking it. I used to, but I don't bother doing so any more.   

Bottom line, if it smells good cook it and serve it. If it has an off odor pitch it 

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