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Showerthought: Dry-aging vs. wet-aging beef has me split down the middle
I run a small shop and I've been testing both methods. On one hand, dry-aging gives ribs a deep, rich taste that customers love. I had a guy drive an hour just for my dry-aged steaks. But wet-aging is so much faster and I lose less meat to trimming. Last month, I wet-aged a whole side and sold it all in three days with no waste. I see the value in both, but I can't pick a side for my regular stock. What do you all think is better for a busy butcher?
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iris_hall7mo ago
Stock both but lean into wet-aging for your regular supply. Keep a smaller dry-aged section for the fans who seek it out. That way you move product fast but still have that special draw.
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kim.reese7mo ago
Did you see that video where a chef compared the two methods side by side? They talked about how dry-aging builds flavor but also how much weight you lose from evaporation. It made me realize the choice might depend on what your regular customers expect to find in the case each week. Your fast sell-out with wet-aging shows it works, but those drive-for-it fans are proof dry-aged has its place. Maybe stocking both but in different amounts could keep your case full without missing out on either market.
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dakota_moore7mo ago
Try pleasing both steak camps with a mixed case. You'll have dry-aged fans sniffing around while wet-aged flies off the shelf. Maybe just let them fight it out in the parking lot.
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robin_morgan347mo ago
Actually the big weight loss happens when you trim off the crust... not just from evaporation.
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