Wednesday, March 10, 2010

V. Mac’s Beef Tips ---March, 2010

Did You Know?

Dry-Aging is Almost a Lost Art


Dry-aging is a practice used by old-time Butchers. The practice adds tenderness and flavor to hanging Beef Sides. The Sides are hung in a chill room, held at 34 degrees temperature, which over time allows the muscle tissues to relax, reduces the moisture content of the meat, and concentrates the flavor. This means that your Steaks and Hamburgers will not only taste better but will also be 100% safe. Bacteria can not survive the 34 degrees and lack of moisture during dry-aging. Dry-aged beef has a sweet aroma that remains with the beef when it is processed into kitchen-ready cuts.

Modern beef processing has all but made dry-aging a lost art. It takes time and refrigeration to dry-age. The beef industry has adopted a short-cut process called “wet-aging”. Essentially, the beef is not aged at the Processor. Beef is cut-out “green” (i.e., a day after the animal is harvested) and vacuum-sealed into bags. The bags are “aged” while being shipped to Retailers who continue to age until sold. Unfortunately, the moisture can not drain in the vacuum-sealed bags and when opened it sometimes has an unpleasant odor that requires washing.

Our steers are harvested in a USDA inspected plant owned by Abdul Chaudhry. The Chaudhry plant has a huge chill room that allows our Beef Sides to hang and dry-age for 21 days. I thank God for Abdul and his plant. I also thank God that he an honest Butcher and that he is my friend.


V. Mac

Ps: I believe the 26th Chapter of the book of Acts is the most profound reading in the entire Bible. I challenge you to memorize the 18th verse. It is God’s way to Heaven.