Found out most beef aging claims are fake. Checked my supplier.

Was reading a report from some food science blog last night. Said 90% of "aged" beef at restaurants is just wet-aged in a bag for a week. Called my main supplier today. Asked how long they hang their primals. Guy said 3 days. Called it "aged." Made me mad. You guys run into this with your distributors?

3 comments

3 Comments

david_reed2221d ago

Three days is a joke, that's basically just letting it rest after the slaughter. You're right to be ticked off, the whole "aged" label gets thrown around way too loosely.

daniel_cooper3421d ago

Is three days really that different from thirty if the meat is handled properly from the start? @david_reed22 I get where you're coming from, but most of what people call "aged" in supermarkets is just wet aged in a bag for a week and it makes a big difference in flavor compared to fresh cut. The enzymes breaking down the muscle tissue start working in just a few days, so even that short rest gives you a more tender bite. Three days of dry aging in a controlled environment actually tightens up the outside and concentrates the beef taste way more than people give it credit for. I've had some amazing steaks that were only hung for a week and they were better than anything from a box store that sat in plastic for two months.

kimw5721d ago

You said "three days of dry aging in a controlled environment actually tightens up the outside," but that's not quite how it works. If the meat is truly dry aging, you need airflow and low humidity for the surface to dry out and form a crust, and three days isn't long enough for that to happen in a meaningful way. What you're probably feeling is just the meat firming up a bit from being cold and exposed, not the actual enzymatic breakdown that makes aged beef taste different. I'd still take a properly handled fresh steak over most "aged" grocery store stuff any day though, no argument there.