What is Dry Age Beef?

Dry Aging

Dry aging is a process that goes back thousands of years. 

Before the invention of refrigeration, dry aging (whether it was in a chamber, a cellar or a cave) was one of the only methods of keeping meat fresh, other than smoking, brining or pickling.

It is a time honoured technique that both enhances the flavour and tenderness of meat.

In essence, dry aging is when you take a piece of meat and put it into a controlled open-air environment to go through a flavour transformation.

When you Dry Age Beef, two things happen:

1. Moisture is pulled out of the meat. The fat portion retains more water than the lean portion, causing the lean muscle to shrink around the fat; the fat becomes more pronounced, thus giving the beef more flavour.

2. Bacteria formed in the aging process produces a robust flavour profile that is highly desirable. “It’s like cheese,” says Aaron. “It’s very rich and intense.” In fact, if you look at a rib of dry aged beef, you can see veins similar to those found in blue cheese working their way through. Both the mould, and the flavour profiles, are indeed similar.

How to cook Dry Age Beef at home:

To cook a dry aged steak at home, prepare it just like you would a regular steak, but with one difference: “With dry aged beef, you do run the risk of over-seasoning so don’t go as heavy on the salt as you would a normal steak,” says Aaron.

Let your steak get to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Once you start searing, don’t walk away from the pan. Dry aged steaks will cook faster because there is less moisture. Aaron adds: “I wouldn’t cook it any more than a medium.”

A true Labor of Love

Dry aged beef may come with a bigger price tag, but the payoff is a flavour that is unmistakable and a texture that is vastly superior to wet aged beef. The benefits far outweigh the costs.
Ultimately, dry aging is for those who are looking for a next level eating experience and that’s what it can really bring to the table.

The Kiwi Butcher Shop - Dry Age Beef

We cut from fresh carcass and Dry Age our Beef for 30 days instore. It relies upon strict, time, temperature and humidity factors to preserve and keep the meat while it undergoes the aging and moisture loss process. If you love incredibly tender meat with a strong pronounced beefy steak flavour, then treat yourself when our next batch is ready!

(Reference: Steak School by Stanbroke)