Dry aging question

[RichRybak]

Ok so random question....31 days into a prime rib and strip drying.

Never done this...have dedicated fridge, 2 salt blocks, mini RV fan, and thermometer.

Temps range from 34 to 38. Humidity ranges from 60 to 75 percent.

When opening the fridge to just take a quick sniff, I smell tones of banana and yogurt. Maybe bleu cheese? Is that normal? Meat looks like it is drying well...no black mold or any mold really.

Pics are bottom to top Day 1 and Day 31.

Help? Lol

[ComfortablyNumb]

Sorry, I can't help you. I am ageing, but refuse to do it dry!

[Troutman]

That’s pretty funny Numbr

[Oakgrovebacon]

Looks like time to eat some great steaks! Yeah smells a little funky when aging. I like them at 28-35 days.

[RichRybak]

It's still going at 40 days. Smell isn't different. Just strong sour, but not putrid.

I touched the meat and knocked on it. Sounded hollow!

[Henrik]

You'll be fine. If it smelled funky, you'd know.

Why the salt block? I'd rather put in a pan of table salt (i.e. 'loose' salt), that absorbs moisture better?

[Troutman]

I just saw a video of the aging room at Peter Lugar’s in NYC, they literally have an entire wall of salt blocks. Perhaps that answers the question.

[Henrik]

I'm thinking it's more convenient to mount blocks of salt, especially in commercial projects. What I'm interested in is whether one has advantage over the other. I.e. is a bag of salt spread out better than a block of salt? It's a genuine question. Perhaps the difference is small or negligible. I know the salt is there to absorb moisture.

[RichRybak]

It was easier to just do a salt block.

Tomorrow is cutting day! Will let you all know!

[Henrik]

Cool!

[RichRybak]

41 days and this is what I got! Smells like prosciutto!!!

[Troutman]

Wow nice !!!

[texastweeter]

looks perfect!

[RichRybak]

Tasted more like ham!

[RichRybak]

And now a 60 day ribeye! Amazing with hints of bleu cheese! Gonna try 180 days now!

[Troutman]

Glad you liked it, looks incredible. I gotta tell ya though, I've done as long as 45 and 60 days on rib subprimals and I just don't like the results. Meat gets too dense in my opinion. I'll stick with 21 days max, but again it's a matter of taste. Thanks for the great post btw !!!

[ddmcwhirter]

At 180 days...you may have cheese. LOL. I have a nephew who is the top chef and kitchen and menu manager at THE upscale "Louisa's" restaurant in Port Aransas. He said they have a few customers who insist on 90 days and longer (they pay at the start). He said he just can't develop a taste for the cheesy meat. Over forty years ago, at Gallager's in Kansas City, with a vendor sponsoring a whole conference, the waiter comes out to greet our crowd in the foyer, points at the ceiling where there's all these green furry things hanging with number tags, and says, pick out your steaks. Whoa! Well, I had enough drinks while waiting that I can't remember much less even imagine what it tasted like.

[RichRybak]

In case anybody is wondering, I am truly enjoying cutting off steaks from the "mother"! These are 38 days.

Still growing a 100 day roast!

[Troutman]

Those look perfect to me, that's about as long as I let my steaks dry age. Too dense and texturally unpleasant to me otherwise. But, each to his own !!!

[Bighorn Dave]

No experience in this myself but this past week while out of town visiting family I found a 4th generation meat supply house as I was looking for some quality cuts for a family Easter meal. In asking about dry aging, over their 4 generations of dry aging their product they have settled on 2 days per 100 lbs. of hanging weight. The way I translate that for just a steak or roast is roughly 8 to 10 days as usually hanging weight for beef is in the upper 400 lb. range and lower 500+ lbs. Just their opinion so take it for what its worth. 4 generations in the trade does carry some weight IMHO.
Not my intention to be rude or critical but some of the photos shown do not look like a product I would be interested in eating, but again I'm a virgin on this topic so take it for what it is worth.
Another thing I learned and many of you probably know this already but most meat providers for your typical grocery store purchase do not age the meat at all. The animal goes from hitting the ground, prepped for butchering and on the cutting table before the meat even cools. After tasting the dry aged meat I purchased from this company and recall of the not so fond memories of eating grocery store products, I'm a believer in aging. Now to find such a place closer to home that dry ages in their process.

[Troutman]

I believe the dry aging you refer to is typically the entire carcasses hung out to dry and mellow before they are butchered. That's very different from dry aging subprimals over time to concentrate moisture and let the natural enzymes break down the meat fibers and connective tissues.

[RichRybak]

To BD

Yeah, I think you are mistaken a little. Using your logic, only 1 day dry aging would be enough and that is simply incorrect.

I just buy an 8 lb roast and have fun...