# Any of you guys dry age beef at home?



## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

I have a spare mini fridge and a 10 lb NY strip, would love to try ageing it but I don't know much about the process. Anyone tried it with a cut that small?


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

Rick, dry aging beef and deer are similar. They are both hung in a fridge for at least 7 days. That's where beef and venison differ. Deer don't have the fat to dry age over 10 days or so, plus it's too lean to have necessary marbling. Absolutely important to maintain a 36* temp and not higher. I always hang my deer for 7 to 10 days. With deer you lose a lot due to no fat cover and the trimming that's necessary. The best cuts of beef claims a 20% loss due to trimming, but the moisture is drawn into the meat making it so tender. The investment in coolers, inventory, not to mention the loss due to trimming, is why you don't find it in the grocery stores. Wet aging/vac sealed is the norm and much quicker turn over wise, therefore cheaper. That's why only high end restaurants carry a dry aged piece of meat. Let us know.


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## ironman172 (Nov 2, 2013)

the only drying I do is when going to the coast and jerky is being made to share....this past trip was almost all deer, but in past years very little of that and all beef, being able to hang deer for a week before processing is always a preferred way for me
.


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## Eattheflounder (Apr 24, 2011)

WNCRick you are really into the meat experiments this year. Thanks for sharing all of your current projects here. I have intentionally dry aged venison for as much as 21 days. You will loose some and you might even have a little mold or fungus to trim from the outside of the meat. The 21 day aged was the best venison that I have ever eaten. The flavor and texture were completely different than other venison. I agree with WD, You must keep it cold. I trimmed off the outside surface before preparing the meat . The mold came off with the dry parts that I trimmed. My old hunting buddy would wrap his in muslin to prevent ruining as much meat to drying out. I agree with WD that aged beef is better but the longer the meat ages (without going bad) the more it breaks down the "sweeter" and more tender it becomes. I would not be afraid to do a home experiment with beef but it is difficult to know the date that the animal was slaughtered and that is an important part of knowing how long to allow it to hang. For my tastes, aged is good. 

ETF


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I have never had dry aged meat that I know of. I now have to try this. What part of a deer do I need to use to dry age? A whole ham or will a back strap work?
I have hung deer hams in a pump house by meat hooks for several days. We used to hang our deer for a couple of days before cutting them up if the weather was going to cooperate. We don't get that much colder weather anymore. I have never let them hang for more than a few days.

So I just need a fridge that stays at 36 or just below? Hang it in there for 20 days? Trim the dry moldy parts off and cook and eat?

Darin


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

I think tomorrow will mark the minimum 7 days WD. It is beginning to look as you describe. I sharpened the old hickory's today, so i'll prolly trim it up and steak it out tomorrow. I left all the fat cap on to leave extra trimming room. I took a couple slices off before hand to do a comparison with. ETF, i'm glad you are enjoying them, most of my expiriments are to save cash and enjoy something I can't afford. I have a few more upcoming one's on the agenda: Buck board bacon and country ham are both on the short list. I'll let you guys know how this ends up.

Rick


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

Darin, i'm sure someone that knows can tell you more than I can, but I would think hanging the entire deer in a cooler would be the preferred method. 30 years ago the WRC in NC used to give a procedure for doin it in the rulebook they gave you when you bought your hunting license, i'm not sure if they still do that. From what I've read and been told, with beef a primal cut and a dedicated fridge is about the best you can do at home.

Rick


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I actually have access to a walk in cooler. Should I skin the deer first or just gut it and hang it in there for 20 days?

Darin


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## akhan (Mar 17, 2011)

I have seen it done both ways, personally prefer to take skin off the animal after the kill since the flesh is warm and the skin comes off quickly and easily.


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

Any deer hung in our walk-in is always skinned, because we yank the hide off with an ATV with the guts still in it, then cut both hind quarters off, the loin, and the last thing is the neck roast. The rest goes down the road to the gut pile for the yotes. Body heat is not a factor when you skin it first, as long as you can hang in a cooler. Otherwise, a fridge will work fine if you have wire racks and hang it. I don't like to lay a hind quarter or a loin down since air can't circulate all around it. The loin I fixed tonight had hung for 12/14 days and I had around a 50% loss. Main reason was no fat cover and being as lean as deer is, it simply don't have any marble to it. But, it was the primest of prime meat. You have to trim the hell outta a loin to get prime. And the shoulders go with the hide and guts.


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

Update on the test run, I only let it go for 7 days, thought i'd wade into the process and flavor. While trimming, the better half woke up and saw what I was doing. She insisted I should throw it away since it looked like leather for the most part. I didn't have to trim far into the meat at all to get to juicy red meat and white fat. I didn't really lose a lot from trimming that I wouldn't have lost anyway since I left the fat cap on. I know there are better ways than what I did, but I was truly surprised how good you can make a 3.99 chunk of beef in just a week. I can't imagine steaking out another one without aging it again, it's really worth trying IMO. NY Strips are not my favorite steaks since they are usually lean and dry out easily. These literally tore apart while slicing, and for a 3.99 primal that's not bad. I just gotta try a whole rib eye next,can't imagine one fire grilled after aging.

Gotta claim success on this one

Rick


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

<---dunno if that'll work...


plenty fat left on steaks looks like to me


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

wdbrand said:


> Any deer hung in our walk-in is always skinned, because we yank the hide off with an ATV with the guts still in it, then cut both hind quarters off, the loin, and the last thing is the neck roast. The rest goes down the road to the gut pile for the yotes. Body heat is not a factor when you skin it first, as long as you can hang in a cooler. Otherwise, a fridge will work fine if you have wire racks and hang it. I don't like to lay a hind quarter or a loin down since air can't circulate all around it. The loin I fixed tonight had hung for 12/14 days and I had around a 50% loss. Main reason was no fat cover and being as lean as deer is, it simply don't have any marble to it. But, it was the primest of prime meat. You have to trim the hell outta a loin to get prime. And the shoulders go with the hide and guts.


just throw the main part of the shoulder on a grill or smoker ... or bologna meat ... I usually give them to a neighbor


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## Vinnx (Nov 11, 2012)

Any time you want to try something new, always check with Alton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4aI_O8kcN8

Dude knows his stuff and always get's it done without super pricy equipment. The whole point to dry aging is to draw out the water and leave the beef flavor. BTW beef fat is some tasty stuff! If I'm cooking anything else with my steak that day I'll use a little beef fat as cooking oil and stir fry the veggies with it, gives it a real beefy taste. OR If I'm searing the steak in my skillet once again I'll use the beef fast instead of oil.. that's where all the flavor is after all


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