Aussie BBQ Forum

Hi Folks,

Hoping this ended up in the right section...

I have a bit of space in my house and wanted to put a few 10kg prime ribs and some rump in for aging, around the 60-90 day mark.

I was looking at purchasing a second hand drinks display fridge (like you see at a take away shop that they use to display the coke in and chill it).

Questions i have are:-
1- any reason why i shouldnt use one?
2- ideal temp range?
3- do i need low or high humidity? Any ideal range?

Any good links with some guides for best results?

Thanks!

-Boris

Hi Boris.
Have a search for bentley's dry ageing thread. Loads of good information!


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Busio90 wrote:Hi Boris.
Have a search for bentley's dry ageing thread. Loads of good information!


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Boris:

Read this thread: http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... ilit=aging

Cheers
Chris

hi guys, thanks for he pointer to the thread! a little less scientific but hey, its a great start!

The only issue I could see with a 2nd hand would be temperature control. If it is solid, no reason not to.

2-3°C.

I have been doing it for about 4 years. I have done it in as high as 70% RH and as low as 11% RH. The only difference I have seen is how quickly the meat "Ages". At 35 days...I saw no great difference between the amount of loss and trim that had to be done. Personally, I would not want to be above 70%...Ideal for me is about 60%.

BorisTheMidget wrote: I was looking at purchasing a second hand drinks display fridge (like you see at a take away shop that they use to display the coke in and chill it).

Questions i have are:-
1- any reason why i shouldnt use one?
2- ideal temp range?
3- do i need low or high humidity? Any ideal range?

Any good links with some guides for best results?

Thanks!

-Boris

Thanks Bentley, that's good to know

i am thinking i might just buy a relatively new one fridge for ~$200 off graysonline. If i'm spending $150 on meat, no point in cheap skating out on a $50 fridge.

Folks,

i accidentally stumbled across this in Neil Perry Rockpool cookbook: http://www.amazon.com/Rockpool-Bar-Gril ... 1741968291.

If you ignore the "you cant do this at home" pomp, there are some interesting notes about temperature, time, humidity... as well as a comment about having fans and a UV light in the fridge to inhibit mold growth.



Interesting to consider, but thought i'd pass on to add to the ever growing body of knowledge.

I am an SOB and this post will pretty much confirm this...I have no idea who this guy is. But if he is gonna tell me it can't be done at home. Well, he does not know what he is talking about, I have proven that statement wrong for the last 4 years! And if he has that little knowledge about the subject, well let's just say I don't have much confidence in the rest of his rap!

He is way off on Wet Aged too...but he don't have to cook for me so no sense in getting my panties in a bind!

Bentley wrote:I am an SOB and this post will pretty much confirm this...I have no idea who this guy is. But if he is gonna tell me it can't be done at home. Well, he does not know what he is talking about, I have proven that statement wrong for the last 4 years! And if he has that little knowledge about the subject, well let's just say I don't have much confidence in the rest of his rap!

He is way off on Wet Aged too...but he don't have to cook for me so no sense in getting my panties in a bind!

He is Steven Seagal, he will find you

hahahaha!! he does carry the Segal pony well.

During my small goods journey, The books I've gathered suggest Neil's info on humidity is correct.
The supposed problem with too low RH is that it can over dry the crust sealing in water that can't go anywhere but rot.
My books do say that RH can be lowered after the first two weeks on average but that 80%ish seems to be made a very important or essential.
He is wrong that it can't be done at home in a dedicated fridge modified with a fan and a warm water bath.
There are several set ups one can adopt.
Ozone is another safe guard available as gadget. Not here'd about UV light but that would be easy and cheap.

Mick can you expand on this thought, during your research did they delve into how, are they implying that the meat under the outer layer can rot?

Other then the brief period when I used the wick system on that Rib Roast, it was such a pain I 86 it, so it only lasted about 3 days, I have never had my RH higher then 60%. Has been as low as 11% when I aged in Las Vegas, so I have never experienced it...this "rot" they speak of. In the research I studied, they were using a higher RH% then I do, the studies I read here in the States...


There are a number of relative humidity parameters reported in scientific literature. Campbell et al. (2001) dry-aged beef in a cooler with 75% relative humidity. Parrish et al. (1991) used a range of 80 to 85% relative humidity in their study, and Warren and Kastner (1992) stored products in a cooler with a relative humidity of 78 ± 3%. Smith (2007) stored dry aged product in a cooler with 83 ± 11% relative humidity, and Ahnström et al. (2006) used a cooler with a relative humidity of 87 ± 2.6%. There are no published studies that have compared the effects of different relative humidity levels on dry-aged beef, and it appears the studies in this area have used a relative humidity of approximately 80% with a considerable range around that number.

had it in those parameters, but no real consensus. I think a higher RH might be better for loss, but it seems the ones I have done in Pasadena and Las Vegas, the % of trim and waste was about the same, but that is conjecture.

The UV is fine, its just not needed, I certainly would not fault anyone for using it. And the length, the most I have ever gone was 53 days, I see talk of 60-120 days. I never saw much benefit over 35, but I also believe that Mr. Perry is using a Much higher quality beef then I am willing to spend the money on. And I have no experience using high end Beef!

Smokey Mick wrote:During my small goods journey, The books I've gathered suggest Neil's info on humidity is correct.
The supposed problem with too low RH is that it can over dry the crust sealing in water that can't go anywhere but rot.

now this i the debate i was looking for!!