tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post4184712816704943622..comments2024-03-28T15:41:58.971-04:00Comments on Food Wishes Video Recipes: Dry-Aging Steaks at Home – This is Only a TestChef Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15030125427840815038noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-13128330318760859612012-05-29T15:03:55.531-04:002012-05-29T15:03:55.531-04:00My hubby and I have been dry aging ribeyes for thr...My hubby and I have been dry aging ribeyes for three years now. We've also done a combo of wet/dry aging for filet mignons. We have a dedicated refrigerator and use cotton cloths, changing the cloths once per day. For those not used to the taste of dry-aged beef, they may not be happy with the end result. We are used to it, having had a butcher in New Jersey who provided us with wonderful dry-aged beef for years. My hubby has learned how to butcher the meat so well, we hardly have any waste. The finished steaks (and burgers from scraps) are frozen, but they don't last long. They are sooooooo good. Here's more info: http://judyskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/09/dry-aging-of-filet-mignon.html.Judyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-78345178963652517032010-04-13T08:51:57.843-04:002010-04-13T08:51:57.843-04:00BTW, I am Frank's wife Linda who entered the a...BTW, I am Frank's wife Linda who entered the above post.<br /><br />Linda Baldwin<br />Powhatan, VACaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17168765634578525182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-75003814332880190792010-04-13T08:50:15.098-04:002010-04-13T08:50:15.098-04:00John, I put my first drybagged hunk o' ribeye ...John, I put my first drybagged hunk o' ribeye in an empty frost free fridge 4 days ago. I've been using a laser surface temp thermometer, and the temp of the surfaces of the fridge vary by more than 5 deg at any given time. Therefore I decided that measuring the surface temp of the meat every day would be more reliable. This morning the meat's temp varied from 35º-38º at various locations, just what the instructions say. The seal looks exactly as it did when I originally vacuumed it. <br /><br />For those interested, beef prices are low right now, and I got a whole PRIME ribeye for $7.49/lb at Costco last Thurs. Of course I got the biggest one they had which was 14.5 lb, and when I got home with it and compared it to the size of the large drybag, I was afraid I'd have to cut it in half and vacuum in two bags. Turns out that after I put it in the bag and shoved it down with my foot (just kidding), there was 4" of bag material left for sealing, perfect! I'll be careful next time to make sure the meat weighs no more than 14 lb. The next issue was the small size of the fridge, but as it turned out, the meat fit perfectly when laid diagonally.<br /><br />A tip for those of you who have a totally empty fridge available...though I have only my own anecdotal experience to back this up, it seems that the lower (warmer) you set the freezer compartment the lower the fridge temp at any given setting. So by setting the freezer as warm as possible and adjusting the fridge setting until you attain the desired temperature, there may be some saving in electricity. Oh, and I also removed all the drawers in the bottom of the fridge for maximum circulation. Turns out this increased the cost of my dry aged beef to the tune of a new glass top for one of the drawers. The original fell off and shattered all over the floor.<br /><br />I have decided to let the meat age for 24-28 days. I have some prime ribeye steaks ($8.99/lb) in my main freezer that I bought the same day as the whole ribeye, and I wrapped each in plastic wrap, froze overnight, then vacuumed with the Foodsaver. For our test, we will grill a non-aged steak along with an aged steak for a tasting. Maybe this would be a good excuse to haul out a '90 Latour. Will report probably the first week in May.<br /><br />Thanks so much for testing this method. Without your endorsement I don't think I would have attempted it.Caphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17168765634578525182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-20749756644157896062009-09-22T02:04:21.574-04:002009-09-22T02:04:21.574-04:00I tried the Drybags and was amazed that there is n...I tried the Drybags and was amazed that there is no dripping, no clothes to change, no funny colors--just a nice shiny clean deep red surface after I peel back the bag after a couple of weeks in the fridge. The whole clothes and paper towels thing was kind of gross, and left the fridge smelling funny. With the Drybags, (though the sealer was a bit tricky to figure out--Chef John made it look so easy!!) the process was so clean and easy. I looked around on the web and found that Kansas State University had done research with this material back in 2006 and found it safe and comparable to traditional open air aging.kaminokura@me.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-68870406773200692622009-09-05T13:46:31.149-04:002009-09-05T13:46:31.149-04:00FYI my fridge temp was 43 for the whole time it ag...FYI my fridge temp was 43 for the whole time it aged.Chef Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15030125427840815038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-46392940255972222962009-09-02T09:26:02.698-04:002009-09-02T09:26:02.698-04:00I have tried this product before. The problem I h...I have tried this product before. The problem I had was that I could not use the vacuum sealer I aleady own. The only one that works is the one that they sell. I had to pull the meat out early because todays frost free refrigerators do not hold a steady low enough temperature and I was afraid the meat was going to spoil. My growing family does not leave the fridge closed for too long. There is no air flow to speak of either in a conventional refrigerator. To dry aged steaks with professional results, the paramaters are still necessary even with dry bags. Temperature and air flow are still needed. The need for high humidity is the only thing these bags resolve. If you are going to try this, buy their vacuum sealer and use a dedicated unit and only one that can drive the temperature to a constant 35-38 degrees all the time. Frost free does not work be very careful!Grill Masterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06489350188734968038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-321734218865990442009-09-02T09:06:29.894-04:002009-09-02T09:06:29.894-04:00I have tried these bags. There some issues. I co...I have tried these bags. There some issues. I could not use the vacum sealer I have already with them. Only the one they sell works. To get professional results dry aging steaks, the same paramaters apply. You need the correct temperature air flow and humidity. The dry bags are supposed to get rid of the need for correct humidity but with todays frost free refrigerators the temperature is not stable enough to hold around 35-38 degrees. With my growing family the fridge does not stay shut for too long. You still need constant air flow and fridges do not have the correct air flow passing through them. If you are going to try this, my suggestion is a didicated unit is best and be very careful of the temperature your refrigerator can produce.Grill Masterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06489350188734968038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-56304120183233837972009-07-21T12:09:02.212-04:002009-07-21T12:09:02.212-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Chef Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15030125427840815038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-11952563764572399452009-07-21T11:28:04.204-04:002009-07-21T11:28:04.204-04:00Keep us informed as to how this turns out. What I ...Keep us informed as to how this turns out. What I am curious is how much liquid comes out of the bag. (do you need to put a tray under it).powerplantophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07785205021293668583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-65536924858467655252009-07-21T05:40:14.014-04:002009-07-21T05:40:14.014-04:00I question whether that is a New York strip. That ...I question whether that is a New York strip. That hump on the strip makes it look more like a Ribeye than a New York.Steven K.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-42420262356866954172009-07-20T21:08:23.016-04:002009-07-20T21:08:23.016-04:00yes, the vacuum machines are pretty common, but it...yes, the vacuum machines are pretty common, but it's the special plastic bag that they are really selling. It lets moisture transfer through unlike regular shrink wrap.Chef Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15030125427840815038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-11318362119439049692009-07-20T20:56:40.989-04:002009-07-20T20:56:40.989-04:00Very ... interesting. Can't wait to see how t...Very ... interesting. Can't wait to see how this turns out and if it works! My mom use to use a similar machine to suck the air out of bags of veggies before freezing ... who knew she could have started her own meat packing business.Chez UShttp://www.chezus.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-81218989976769288282009-07-20T11:51:13.519-04:002009-07-20T11:51:13.519-04:00John, this is an exciting product, but I have been...John, this is an exciting product, but I have been dry-aging beef loins for years without it! I wash the loin, DRY it with paper towels, then wrap in clean kitchen towels. I can change the towels every day or more if I want to, but it works if I don't. After about 2 weeks or longer if I can wait, I remove the loin, trim the outside and cut my BEAUTIFUL 1/2 inch (or larger) steaks.<br /><br />This really works, folks, and the flavor is incredible. It turns out that if you place it on the bottom back shelf, the temperature does not swing wildly in today's refrigerators. I've done ribeye, NY, and tenderloin without a single failure.<br /><br />The bag, if it works, would make this easier and cleaner!Randy Hansonhttp://www.studiohanson.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-81770208610894484402009-07-19T22:09:27.372-04:002009-07-19T22:09:27.372-04:00it will rot in regular plastic. It's not a pla...it will rot in regular plastic. It's not a placebo, it controlled dehydration. Do some research on dry-aging. I can see it working already and others have tested this, but I'll judge when I taste. I will taste next to the same beef unaged.Chef Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15030125427840815038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-15200753891311787802009-07-19T20:11:35.804-04:002009-07-19T20:11:35.804-04:00Call me skeptical -- I'm thinking you should h...Call me skeptical -- I'm thinking you should have done a blinded taste test here: the dry bag steak versus any regular plastic vacuum sealed steak, left in the fridge side by side for the same amount of time. Ideally both cuts should be from the same loin. Part of me wants to believe this will work, the other part is thinking they're selling nothing more than the placebo effect.anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10695987082944249310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-49702175892643553212009-07-19T15:35:30.667-04:002009-07-19T15:35:30.667-04:00I could tell you what I keep in my fridge but the...I could tell you what I keep in my fridge but then I would have to - anyway, its too crowded in there already.milkshakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08188961610554710616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-4627125947869048262009-07-18T19:37:55.777-04:002009-07-18T19:37:55.777-04:00Googled the product. Don't seem to be any nega...Googled the product. Don't seem to be any negative results. Seems to have been a study, you can find it here<br />http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Processing/Dry-aging-using-vacuum-packaging-provides-savings<br /><br />Will wait for your expert opinion, but looks good!<br /><br />ChicauChicauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08460603183783464093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-67888863333578922512009-07-18T14:28:30.431-04:002009-07-18T14:28:30.431-04:00Gacckks starting to feel guilty thinking of ageing...Gacckks starting to feel guilty thinking of ageing some meat for weeks an secretly eating it in the dead of night :(Um I watch family guy while I eat he makes anything you do seem ok :)Thx John ur a real problem solver.tuthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04699782149172352299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-20803165218552192882009-07-18T13:12:16.271-04:002009-07-18T13:12:16.271-04:00This is brilliant! I can't wait to see the res...This is brilliant! I can't wait to see the results.<br /><br />I have personally wanted to do this for years, but it's just not possible. If you manage to pull this off, it will be great.J. Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01321624860796832507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-1001221138640175052009-07-18T07:43:25.344-04:002009-07-18T07:43:25.344-04:00Two words : dorm fridge.Two words : dorm fridge.Basiahttp://www.myspace.com/37469560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-23463605473641164992009-07-18T05:47:42.482-04:002009-07-18T05:47:42.482-04:00k googled it says they use it to fix the color in ...k googled it says they use it to fix the color in packaged meat so it looks better longer.I'll just keep getting mine at the market or butchers sometimes theres deals at supermarkets seems better to pass on them.I'd go out John but I enjoy cooking to much an now the weathers good I ride my bike down to the farmers market almost everyday for the days meal.:)O the french fries were great John :) um I couldn't bring myself to grind up the ribeye for burgers though :( so had ribeye sandwich instead loltuthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04699782149172352299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-75122622270907317362009-07-18T03:57:59.308-04:002009-07-18T03:57:59.308-04:00Milkshake, Foods in your fridge will not comtamin...Milkshake, Foods in your fridge will not comtaminate other items if the temperature is correct and the area is kept clean, and never allow raw uncooked foods to co-mingle, ie, don't store uncooked meats in the same container with other foods or other types of uncooked meat. Throw out outdated food, and items incorrectly stored, or covered improperly. Clean the interior and all food containers periodically. <br />Love, A cleaning freak Mom.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-24689417640398495822009-07-17T23:29:49.067-04:002009-07-17T23:29:49.067-04:00i'm using a spare fridge in the garage, but i&...i'm using a spare fridge in the garage, but i've aged small prime ribs and loins before at home and in commercial kitchens and never had any odor problems. besides, what the hec do you keep in your fridge?? my fridge always has a baking powder box and doesnt have any strong odors.Chef Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15030125427840815038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-39291124989867544522009-07-17T20:54:57.996-04:002009-07-17T20:54:57.996-04:00Chef I am deeply skeptical that a "specially-...Chef I am deeply skeptical that a "specially-designed" moisture-permeable bag can really keep out the bad fridge-flavors. I am not expert but I think a dedicated super-clean fridge would be the right idea if you want to do this more frequently: a decent-sized cheapo fridge costs only few hundred bucks - the aged prime cuts can be lot more than that. Also why don't you ask someone who does meat dry-aging for a restaurant business - what kind of cold rooms they have and how often do they clean them?milkshakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08188961610554710616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7173052990851751381.post-4631939439340072292009-07-17T20:33:35.770-04:002009-07-17T20:33:35.770-04:00i doubt this bag it 100% oxygen proof, just enough...i doubt this bag it 100% oxygen proof, just enough to prevent oxidation. i'll let you know if there are any deaths.Chef Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15030125427840815038noreply@blogger.com