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10. Dry Ageing
How long should you dry age for?
There is no exact age you should aim for - when it comes to dry ageing meat,
the length of time comes down to a personal preference. However, the length
you age your meat will determine the outcome of your final cooked steak in
relation to changes in tenderness and flavour profile.
Age your meat for at least 14 days in order to notice any real changes. Anything
less is not long enough to allow the tougher tissues to break down or for the
flavour to change.
Between 14 to 28 days you will start to notice a difference in texture and
tenderness.
Past 28 days the flavour will start to dramatically improve. As you approach 45
days of ageing you will begin to notice an intensity of the beefy flavours and
nuttiness to the meat.
After 45 days your meat will begin to develop more pronounced funky smells
and flavours, kind of like a mild stinky cheese. At this age it starts to become a
personal preference. We recommend not ageing longer than 120 days.
Preparing and cooking the final product
You have aged your meat to your desired level, now what?
Firstly, prepare the meat for cooking by removing the rind - the dark hard outer
shell that forms during ageing, the cap of fat and the bone.
It is important to remove all the rind at this stage as it will not soften during the
cooking process and will reduce your dining pleasure. Removing the bone is also
important as it is difficult to increase the temperature at the centre of the bone
to a food safe level. Carefully remove any areas on the surface or internal air
pockets which have grown any mould.
When you sear a steak, the surface area comes into contact with high heat
which kills off any bacteria. The middle of the steak is safe to keep rare, as it’s
sterile, and has never been exposed to bacteria.
