Whiskey Dry Aged Beef

[bjgarwood]

It seems whiskey dry aged beef is a trend gaining popularity and I have a couple questions about the process and results. As to the science part of it......

Does the whiskey actually penetrate the meat and migrate throughout or does the whiskey flavor stay on or near the surface?

If it does permeate throughout the meat, does it interfere with the normal process of the existing enzymes that tenderize and flavor the meat during the process?

One aspect of normal dry aging is the mold that grows on the outside. Does whiskey allow that mold to grow or does it kill the exterior mold?

I suspect the regular application of whiskey to the exterior does not allow the mold to grow but asking because I'm not certain.

I'm not sure if I really want a ribeye to taste like whiskey but curious if the flavor is only on the exterior or truly throughout the primal. Since I learned that, other than salt, regular seasons and spices cannot actually penetrate the meat and only reside on the exterior I'm wondering if the same is true of the whiskey flavor during dry aging.

Appreciate any insight provided?

[Huskee]

I know alcohol can make meat mushy with prolonged exposure, but I've never heard of whiskey dry aged beef myself. Interesting to learn more about this, albeit very unlikely that it's a trend I'd ever get into. I prefer to mix the beef & whiskey in my stomach at dinner time.

[ssandy_561]

Watched this the other day about this exact topic.

https://youtu.be/9M6b0Jww83I

[JGo37]

I put dry-aged pork loin (~ 30 days) in a bean & peppers chili today and the richness of the pork overpowers it. I have to figure out how to heat it up a bit.

I've got a beef eye that just hit ~ 30 days - it's going into smoke in a day or two.

[lonnie mac]

Watched that too some time ago. I would try it, but love my UMAi bags.

[texastweeter]

Whisky is a dessicant, so i would expect it to develop a pelicle faster, and also inhubit some of the microbial growth.

[ssandy_561]

That must be why my mouth feels like a desert the next morning if I drink too much whiskey.

[bjgarwood]

I appreciate the input fellas. I was hoping someone may have done one of those "The Science Of (fill in the blank)" type studies like Meathead does on the public page.

The whole thing seems counterintuitive to me. I don't believe the whiskey flavor permeates and migrates throughout the entire primal or it would inhibit the natural process of the enzymes in the ordinary dry aging process. If that's true then there is only a whiskey flavor near the surface. Most of which is probably trimmed off with the pelicle. I really don't think mold will grow well in an environment that is being frequently drenched in a disinfectant. Without the mold growth, it's no better than wet aging.

I noticed in the video posted by ssandy, all of their commentary on flavor was exactly like every commentary on dry aged beef without the whiskey. Not one mention of a whiskey flavor that I saw.

I love dry aging a good primal at home but I don't think I'll be investing in this marketing fad. Thanks again for the info.

[JGo37]

Saturating cloth like that I'm thinking the majority of alcohol evaporates to air instead of permeates the meat. I guess you'd have the 'essence' of the whiskey flavors left behind on the pellicle.

I would have liked a comment on the veggies cooked in the rendered fat - the whiskey flavors were maybe present there.

[Nate]

D&mnit! You drink whiskey... stop ruining a good thing... lol