Liberty Carne Series: What is Dry-Ageing and Why do it?

Are you a barbecue lover? Steak aficionado? Already got yourself a grill but looking to level up your meat game? Why not give dry-ageing a go?

Dry-ageing might sound intimidating to some, but it’s really a simple process. While it’s uncomplicated, it does take some patience because you can’t have your steak immediately. Dry-ageing takes some planning – way in advance.

What is dry-ageing and how does it work?

You might have heard of the term “dry-ageing” or “meat-ageing” thrown around in conversations or in passing, especially if you run in circles of meat and grilling enthusiasts.

But what exactly does it mean?

Dry-ageing is a process where meat is aged in a controlled, open air environment, like a refrigerated room or appliance (like our meat ager!) for an extended period of time. The humidity, temperature, and air circulation of the room or appliance is controlled in order to keep the meat from going bad, while helping it to age well. This process is usually done with beef, but you can do it with other meats too, and even cheese, if you like.

When the meat is left in the meat ager for long enough, it will allow natural enzymes to break down muscle tissue, and in the process, lose moisture as well, making it more tender.

Why dry-age your meat at all?

There are two important things that dry-ageing does to your meat. It enhances the flavour and makes it more tender. How? As mentioned earlier, when you leave your meat in a meat ager, it allows natural enzymes to break down muscle fibres and connective tissues, making the meat more tender and easier to chew and digest. During this process, the meat is exposed to air and also loses moisture through evaporation, and this creates a richer and more intense concentration of the natural flavour in the meat.

There is also something known as the “dry-aged” flavour, which some might describe as nutty, beefy, earthy or even like cheese. When flavour compounds, like amino acids and sugars, come together during the breakdown of fats and proteins, you get this rich and interesting flavour.

How long should you dry age your meat for?

This really depends on the intensity of flavour and tenderness you would like your dry-aged meat to have. The longer it takes (could be a few weeks to a few months), the more flavourful and tender your meat will get. Fret not – even though you’re not cooking the meat straight away, the cold temperature, controlled humidity and airflow, help to keep the meat from developing bacteria, so it’s safe to eat even after being “exposed” for such a long time.

Is there anything I need to do to my meat before placing it in the dry-ager?

The first step is choosing a fresh cut or cuts of meat with a good amount of marbling and fat cover. This could be anything from ribeye, T-bone, picanha (rumpcap) or tomahawk steak. Some recipes might call for salting your meat a fair bit before dry ageing it. Make sure the meat is of a substantial size because the meat will lose moisture and shrink a little and you’ll also have to cut off the crust as it gets quite hard.

Set the temperature of your meat ager to between 0°C and 4°C (32°F and 39°F), with a humidity level of 80-85% and making sure there is proper airflow in the appliance. You can choose to either hang the meat on the hooks provided with the meat ager, or simply place it on one of the shelves. It is recommended to leave the meat in the ager for about 3 weeks to 1.5 months. Once the wait is over, it’s time to cook.

Is there a special way to cook a dry-aged steak?

You’ve prepped the meat and waited weeks for the day to finally cook it so you’d want to do it perfectly. Here’s how:

Take your steak out of the meat ager and let it thaw at room temperature. Then, pat it dry with a paper towel. Coat the steak with a little oil so that when you add salt and pepper over it, they’ll adhere well. Be generous with your seasoning. Before cooking, rest the steak for half an hour at room temperature.

 To sear the steak, we recommend using a grill. It’s ideal if you have a charcoal grill  because charcoal runs really hot and the smokey flavour that comes from using charcoal can’t be beat. Otherwise, a barbecue with an infrared burner works too (in fact, this is probably more convenient).

If you’re using a charcoal barbecue, you can lower the heat by making the vent holes smaller so that the fire dies down a little. During this time, you can begin the reverse sear. Grill your steak to your preferred doneness. Use a thermometer to check the inside temperature of your meat.

Remove at 50ºc for rare, 55ºc for medium rare, 60ºc for medium, 65ºc for medium-well and 70+ºc for well done. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. While resting, turn up the heat by opening your vents to allow more air into the grill and feed the fire. Put the steak back onto the grill and sear for about 45 seconds on each side. Remove and enjoy with a nice pairing of wine (more on this in our next article).

If you’re using a gas grill with an infrared burner, the process is basically the same. Grill to your desired doneness on the main grilling area, then finish it off by searing on the infrared burner. Et voila! A perfectly grilled, dry-aged steak.

Get your very own meat ager from Liberty starting from $2599.