Aged Beef

[RamFan503]

Yes the Coolbot is what I was referring to. Lots of hunters use them. I wouldn’t want to run one year round though. I imagine they are not energy efficient.

If you compare them to a standard walk in cooling unit, they are extremely inexpensive to install and actually not too bad on efficiency. The real problem seems to be longevity. There were lots of brewpubs and tap houses using them. The problem seems to be that you have to replace the AC unit every couple years. Ours was still running after 4 years when we sold the place. You have to figure that you're running the unit beyond what it's designed for so it makes sense that they'd burn out quicker.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Anyone else see the topic… “Aged Beef”… started by @Loyal …and think this must be a post about old dicks?

 

[RamFan503]

Anyone else see the topic… “Aged Beef”… started by @Loyal …and think this must be a post about old dicks?

No. No I didn't.

Of course you never know with @Loyal

 

[BonifayRam]

What I can add to this discussion goes back to the very late 60's & early 70's working in a grocery store for first 10 yrs as a worker in the meat department. One of my major work duties assignments was receiving the meat shipments into the meat department. I was used as a MULE due to me being a large tall youngster.

I would receive the quarters of beef utilizing the steel rails. HD metal sharpened hooks (short hooks for the rounds & long hooks for chucks) going from the receiving dock thru the doors into the large meat coolers. The quarters would be lifted off (unhooked) & rehooked on the wall's cooler hooks.

In those days all beef was delivered in large semi-trucks trailers with shipments originating from the killing coolers @ USDA graded facilities like Hormel/ Oscar Mayer/ John Morrell/ Armour from "The West". Beef grades ......prime/ choice/ good......every once in a while the graders would mess up & Prime grade beef would get shipped in with the Choice quarters.

You get a very good close encounter when unhooking western grain-fed beef quarters & placing quarters on the walls. You can see up close the marbling of the meat. I would always eyeball all incoming quarters for this heavy marbling so I could identify the best quarters to be placed far back & underneath the other quarters so to preserve & age this selected quarter as long as possible in the meat cooler for my access to get the cuts of meats I wanted from it.......to summarize here these selected quarters could NEVER be aged long enough.

Side Note : always remember that almost all ground beef in stores has been frozen at least once before it is placed on the shelf. When you bring home that already frozen hamburger & place the package in your freezer you are freezing that beef for at least a second time. This breaks down the meat in a very negative way major loss of flavor & the breakdown of the meat fluids when grilling/smoking or frying.

The smaller private meat markets can still get fresh beef quarters. This is where you can get the fresh beef cuts for your aging or top flavor beef burgers .....by just picking out a fresh large round or chuck roast & have the attendant grind the beef for you ......now your ready to get the charcoal grill with some water-soaked wood chips ( Alder/ Hickory/ Mesquite/ Apple/ Cherry) & enjoy great burgers. The burgers should come off the grill mostly deep RED in coloring & never in the washed-out grey color!

 

[Dodgersrf]

Great thread.

I have started researching on how to do this in a home fridge.
Some are just placing the meat on a rack with course sea salt or pink salt in the pan.

I've seen others wrap the meat in cheese cloth. They pull it away and reset it occasionally, to keep it from sticking to the meat.

I've also seen "dry aging" bags. They are actually collagen bags.
They are suppose to allow moisture to evaporate, but block odors away from the meat.

Has anyone tried any of these methods?

 

[BonifayRam]

Great thread.

I have started researching on how to do this in a home fridge.
Some are just placing the meat on a rack with course sea salt or pink salt in the pan.

I've seen others wrap the meat in cheese cloth. They pull it away and reset it occasionally, to keep it from sticking to the meat.

I've also seen "dry aging" bags. They are actually collagen bags.
They are suppose to allow moisture to evaporate, but block odors away from the meat.

Has anyone tried any of these methods?

All beef quarters were shipped all wrapped in cheesecloth back in the days......you could not handle the beef quarters any other way they would slip out of your arms to the floor!

You can not get that quarter beef off the floor without some serious help. Usually, all-beef quarters are a bloody greasy exterior. Once they get a little warm unloading in central Florida in the summertime..... you are now in serious trouble trying to hold onto them.

 

[JustMe]

Steak-ums are still the best cut of beef.

 

[snackdaddy]

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[ottoman89]

Steak? What's that? I'm a burger man through and through. Give me a good burger over a good steak.

With that said, we got some damn good tbones and sirloin from the locker here and they were damn good

 

[RamFan503]

Steak? What's that? I'm a burger man through and through. Give me a good burger over a good steak.

So wrong.

 

[RamFan503]

I've also seen "dry aging" bags. They are actually collagen bags.
They are suppose to allow moisture to evaporate, but block odors away from the meat.

I've thought of trying those. They have some on Amazon that come to a little less than $5 per bag. I may just pull the trigger and do it. I don't have enough room in my fridge to do them right now so this seems like it maybe worth a try. Now I have to look for some deals on whole cuts and maybe a couple Porterhouses. I think I will also do a couple tri-tips.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I've thought of trying those. They have some on Amazon that come to a little less than $5 per bag. I may just pull the trigger and do it. I don't have enough room in my fridge to do them right now so this seems like it maybe worth a try. Now I have to look for some deals on whole cuts and maybe a couple Porterhouses. I think I will also do a couple tri-tips.

From what I've read, whole cuts are the way to go. Steaks don't work as well, because of the amount of trimming that has to be done after the aging.

I'm seriously thinking about it as well.
Ill probably try it on a couple tri tips or a whole sirloin.
Maybe even start with just a top round, just in case something goes wrong.

 

[RamFan503]

From what I've read, whole cuts are the way to go. Steaks don't work as well, because of the amount of trimming that has to be done after the aging.

I'm seriously thinking about it as well.
Ill probably try it on a couple tri tips or a whole sirloin.
Maybe even start with just a top round, just in case something goes wrong.

I'm going to try it with just maybe a tri-tip or individual steak at first to see how well it works. I'd hate to waste a whole ribeye or something if it doesn't actually work.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I'm going to try it with just maybe a tri-tip or individual steak at first to see how well it works. I'd hate to waste a whole ribeye or something if it doesn't actually work.

Same here.
That's why I was thinking about starting with top round roasts.

I'd hate to ruin a rib roast

 

[RamFan503]

Same here.
That's why I was thinking about starting with top round roasts.

I'd hate to ruin a rib roast

Biggest bags I saw were 12x24. Think you're going to have to go a little smaller. Of course it's been quite a while since I bought a whole top round. They say it will hold up to an 18lb strip or ribeye. I'm doubting that. I guess we'll see. I just ordered two different sizes.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Biggest bags I saw were 12x24. Think you're going to have to go a little smaller. Of course it's been quite a while since I bought a whole top round. They say it will hold up to an 18lb strip or ribeye. I'm doubting that. I guess we'll see. I just ordered two different sizes.

I just ordered the collagen sheets from the Sausage Maker. They come with tube netting as well.

View: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9MHCHA?psc=1&smid=A269KOXSF2O10&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

 

[RamFan503]

I just ordered the collagen sheets from the Sausage Maker. They come with tube netting as well.

View: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9MHCHA?psc=1&smid=A269KOXSF2O10&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

Cool. We'll have to compare notes.

 

[RamFan503]

These are the bags I bought:

 

[Dodgersrf]

These are the bags I bought:
View attachment 53536

I was looking at those and the Umai bags, too.

 

[RamFan503]

I was looking at those and the Umai bags, too.

I'll try to remember to post when I start something in them. Not sure when that will be. I have to clear out some condiments, salsas, and sauces from my fridge.