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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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04-17-2009, 11:23 AM | #1 |
Got Wood.
Join Date: 03-09-09
Location: San Francisco, CA, & Toronto, ON
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The Merits of Dry-Aged Beef
First new thread *gnawing on fingernails*
I'm wondering whether anyone uses dry-aged beef in competitions (e.g. brisket, steaks or other for "open" categories). How about at home? Would love to know why or why not. Now, I've learned that the world isn't so black & white - dry-aged vs. wet-aged is a huge oversimplification - but it costs a lot of extra $ to dry-age a whole carcass vs. just some primal cuts (e.g. rib or NY/KC). Also, I have definitely noticed that some rubs or sauces pair well with steaks or burgers from one farm better than they do from another. So as I start to learn BBQ vs. Grilling, I'd love to know if dry-aged beef, in general, is a plus or minus in BBQ.
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Some call me Beef Geek, others The Steak Lady, Steak Queen, Steak Whisperer, or Beef Sommelier. All make me proud. [URL]http://discoverbeef.blogspot.com[/URL] |
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04-17-2009, 12:09 PM | #2 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 04-23-07
Location: Modesto, CA
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I would love to use dry aged beef in comps, but the availablity and price keeps us back. I know some teams spend big bucks on the meats, ie Wagyu.
Now for home use, I'd love to get ahold of some dry aged ribeyes to cook up on my Egg. You need a person to give a review on some beef? ;) edit: BTW, welcome to our forum. Head over to the cattle call if you haven't yet!
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-Jason The Smokepranos Competition BBQ Team Custom 24" x 72" trailered offset Large Big Green Egg Stumps clone WSM Char-something Gasser Modesto, CA |
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04-17-2009, 12:35 PM | #3 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 08-13-03
Location: Clearwater, FL
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I agree with Jason.
Cost and availability are problems. 1. Brisket is not exactly a premium cut of beef. Dry aging brisket is, in the normal world, a monumental waste of time. Then it is slow cooked to "death". That's not to say that it wouldn't taste wonderful. 2. Steaks (all varieties), on the other hand, truly benefit from dry aging. We used to dry age prime rib and other cuts in the restaurant. This was mainly for the managers. 3. We have wet-aged brisket with some success and have been pleased with the results. We usually timed out the aging for 40-50 days.
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Dave Southern Brethren BBQ Competition Team "It's all about getting paid!" - Myron Mixon "I love being hated in my hometown!" - David Hair KingFisher Gator Rotisserie cooker (RIP), WSM (RIP), Stainless 5 burner with IR gas grill (RIP), Turkey Fryer, Weber JD Commemorative grill (RIP), Masterbuilt 40" insulated ELECTRIC smoker (new heating element), Pit Boss Tailgater pellet pooper. |
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04-17-2009, 12:41 PM | #4 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 04-02-07
Location: Warren, Vermont
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Great thread, of which I know nothing. I am all eyes.
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Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle |
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04-17-2009, 12:53 PM | #5 |
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Join Date: 03-17-09
Location: Louisville, KY
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Wouldn't you have to cut most if not all of the fat off of the brisket after dry aging it?
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04-17-2009, 02:47 PM | #6 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 04-02-07
Location: Warren, Vermont
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What is the difference between the taste of dry-aged and wet-aged beef? I have never even seen any aged beef, much less tasted it, to my knowledge.
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Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle |
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04-17-2009, 03:06 PM | #7 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 10-30-07
Location: Melbourne, FL
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I googled it and found a somewhat informative article.
http://www.goodcooking.com/steak/dry_aging.htm Can't vouch for the accuracy since I don't know much about the subject, but it sounds reasonable.
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Steve - Currently cooking on: WSM Weber 22.5" Kettle (2X) |
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04-17-2009, 03:23 PM | #8 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 03-14-07
Location: Culpeper, Virginia
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I think think wet aging is better and less waste!
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Certified Master Judge #5382 What is best in life? "To crush your BBQ opponents, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." |
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04-17-2009, 03:30 PM | #9 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 04-02-07
Location: Warren, Vermont
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You think it tastes better or that it is better because of some other reason?
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Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle |
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04-17-2009, 03:46 PM | #10 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 06-21-07
Location: Overland Park, KS
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I think dry aging beef for a contest would be a very bad idea. Not everyone likes the flavor of dry aged beef. It is concentrated and distinct. Out of 6 judges, I'd bet money that at least 2 of them don't care for the flavor of dry aged beef at all.
Wet aging brisket on the other hand is important because it takes time for the rigormortis to break down. I've not noticed a change in taste from wet aging, just a change in tenderness.
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Paul Ostrom The Pickled Pig Twitter - @ThePickledPig CBJ, WSM, UDS Cookers, Weber Gasser, Weber One Touch Gold Kettle, |
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04-17-2009, 03:48 PM | #11 |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: 04-08-04
Location: Marianna, FL
Name/Nickname : Tim
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Carrie,
I have never personally dry aged beef. To me, that process is obviously for the real pros. I have eaten dry aged Prime steaks and they are "To Die For". I / We wet age all of our briskets using the guidance by the legendary DRBBQ found here: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...hlight=brisket The smell and flavor when removed from the Cryo are just as he described---full beef flavor. Hope this helps. TIM
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"Flirtin' with Disaster" BBQ Team (RETIRED)
New Ninja Woodfired Grill for Christmas 2023 |
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04-17-2009, 06:28 PM | #12 |
Got Wood.
Join Date: 03-09-09
Location: San Francisco, CA, & Toronto, ON
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Wow, this is great information and feedback, thanks!
Livins - I think you would have to trim a lot off of a brisket if you aged it as an individual piece. If it's aged as a whole or half carcass, I'd expect the amount wasted to be lower, but I'll ask a really talented butcher what he thinks. I had some Charolais beef Dry-Aged by the half and then made burgers out of the front of the cattle, including the brisket. Looking back, it's a shame I didn't have the brisket reserved for a little taste test. Chad, 40-50 days, that beef must smell something awful when you take it out of the cryovak! But I bet it's really tender. HeSmellsLikeSmoke that's a great question, what's the difference. The Pickled Pig is right that the key benefit of aging (dry or wet) is to offset rigormortis and to frankly make the meat more tender, period. He's also right that flavors can get concentrated with dry-aging - the meat is literally shrinking, I think of it as similar to reducing sauces. I have learned in a few years of being a nerd and tasting different beefs side by side that in general, Dry-Aged beef tends to be more adventurous in flavor overall. You know how some wines or beers have more going on in them, you can taste layers of flavors and sometimes some really interesting "notes"? All that said, I've had some Wet-Aged beef that is to die for bursting with different flavors, so it's not so simple. That's what makes me curious about using Dry-Aged beef in slow cooking including BBQ. I'd expect it could go both ways, depending on how well the particular sauce or rub or woods used matched the flavors in the beef itself. I'll stop here, love to learn more.
__________________
Some call me Beef Geek, others The Steak Lady, Steak Queen, Steak Whisperer, or Beef Sommelier. All make me proud. [URL]http://discoverbeef.blogspot.com[/URL] |
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04-17-2009, 06:32 PM | #13 | |
Got Wood.
Join Date: 03-09-09
Location: San Francisco, CA, & Toronto, ON
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Quote:
__________________
Some call me Beef Geek, others The Steak Lady, Steak Queen, Steak Whisperer, or Beef Sommelier. All make me proud. [URL]http://discoverbeef.blogspot.com[/URL] |
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04-17-2009, 07:13 PM | #14 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 02-18-09
Location: western MA
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if i plan ahead, i will buy my steaks and put them in the spare fridge un-covered for a couple of days prior to cooking. placed on a round rack over a plate. this extra aging is spectacular and simple to help with taste and texture.
in my opinion it never hurts to amend the aging that is done prior to purchase of a steak. i have not however aged any larger piece such as a brisket. cheers, scott |
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04-18-2009, 12:32 AM | #15 | |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 03-14-07
Location: Culpeper, Virginia
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Quote:
I think it takes the moisture out of the meat more evenly producing a better tasting and better textured meat. By allowing wet aged meat to essentially sits in its own juices, the steak composition breaks down, the toughness goes away and the flavor seeps in.
__________________
Certified Master Judge #5382 What is best in life? "To crush your BBQ opponents, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." |
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Tags |
brisket, Competition, dry-aged beef, rubs, wet-aged beef |
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