Tender beef----Thank you

[attie]

I must thank you chefs for sharing this trick with me.
I now buy my meat cuts in crivac bags and store them for around a month in the fridge before using them, it makes so much difference. I was scepticle at first but I have my fridge set at 3C and it works a treat. I cut a blade last night and usually they are not a good steak cut for us but it is just so tender
Thanks again guys

[Rods84]

Well, I must've missed that little piece of gold. Meat can stay fresh for an entire month in a refrigerator if Cry-O-Vac'd? I guess I'd be mighty skeptical too.

[Niftynorm]

My understanding is it actually sort of ages.

[sagehill]

How about sharing it with all of us?????

[Fincher]

I prefer dry aging, but thats trickier, you need a large piece of beef, but it actually loses moisture, which of course is flavorless water, so the beef gets a bit more intense in flavor, the enxymes work the same too, you get nice tender pieces of meat. There is quite a bit of trim loss, thus one of the factors in it being expensive. You need a walkin with a cool temp and high circulating air, a fan would work nicely

but for ease of use, wet aging is nice as well

[Rods84]

Oh, so you need a walk-in. Well, it was an enthusiastic thought while it lasted.

[Derek Cooks]

Attie, you got some 'splainin to do! 3c is 37f is way too warm in this ignoramouses opinion to hold meat for a month. So how did you do it? Sheesh, you're gonna make me do some more research, aren't you?
Okay, so it took a little digging to find a site that gave a good description of each method, but I found it: Wet and Dry Aging Explained
I'm still REAL curious, Attie, as to how you did this for a month. Tell! Tell!

[stephsherman323]

Interesting article, Derek. I've never heard of doing this. I also never see meats cryo-vac'd in my store, except pork tenderloin and that irritates me.

[garlichead]

Attie said:

I now buy my meat cuts in crivac bags and store them for around a month

This isn't dry aging....Fincher mentioned dry aging which is
a totally different thing.

A friend of mine owns Vienna Meats in the Toronto area
and I'll buy older meats that he'll cryovac for me and will keep
about 2 weeks in the fridge and if they are bagged really
fresh 3 to 4 weeks is normal fridge life.

[attie]

Attie, you got some 'splainin to do! 3c is 37f

Sorry for the delay Derek, I've been away on a staff re-union with 300 out of control party freaks.
0c is freezing point, my fridge temp is actually 1.5C but I said 3C allowing for the door use. 32F= freezing so 37F? [I'm a bit too hung over] I check all my fridge and freezer temps once a week, I reckon it's most important to do that.
Seriously, all's I did was buy the blade vacumn sealed and stored it in the fridge. I did check with my butcher when is was processed when I bought, it was packaged 28th Freburary in Tasmania, so, today is 1st May and I cut it about 27th April so that's 2 months in the chiller. I've now got it in a meat dish in the fridge and it's still fine. Just had a slab of it, I need something to restore the energy

[Fincher]

I'm still REAL curious, Attie, as to how you did this for a month. Tell! Tell

man I've dry-aged beef for 2 months, not sure about wet-aging, don't really care for it that much, if I've wet-aged beef its only because I wasn't moving through the merchandise quick enough, and don't open the cryovacs until I need them. So they technically could be considered wet-aged.
Gerry-- I'm not sure what you meant by your last post. and who were you talking to? Sorry I just can't seem to figure out what message your trying to relay, probably because its 2:30 am I've had two beers and I'm dead tired

[Derek Cooks]

bagged really fresh 3 to 4 weeks is normal fridge life

I can buy that. But now look what Attie just said!!! Two months! I'm amazed.

Attie, I went to some on-line Celsius to Fahrenheit calculator that said 3c was 37f. Could be wrong...it is the internet, don't ya know!

GH, I know we be talking about wet aging - the link I provided discussed both, as it is labeled. have another cold one and call me in the morning

[Fincher]

I'm not Attie!

[Fincher]

well after two months Derek the outside area of beef is rather inedible, you have to trim the whole outside. so not only do you lose weight in the dry ageing procedure, you also lose trim, so thats why it gets a bit expensive. Supposedly just three days makes a differance when dry-aging, but I really haven't been able to tell a notable distinction. Of course I haven't had side by side samples of fresh versus 3 day dryaged.

[Derek Cooks]

Whoa, Fincher, slow down son and take a breath! No, you are not Attie, that is darn toot'n true! I was responding to Atties:

today is 1st May and I cut it about 27th April so that's 2 months in the chiller.

And thanks for the instructional info on dry aging, but I know that. I'm just amazed at beef making it over 3, 4 weeks without turning to green goo, no matter how you age it.