Had to choose between dry-aging a ribeye roast or wet-aging it for a holiday special last month

I went with dry-aging, lost a solid 15% to trim and the crust was a pain to deal with, but the flavor was so concentrated that three regulars asked if I switched beef suppliers - has anyone else found the extra work worth it for a special occasion?

3 comments

3 Comments

anderson.david22d ago

Jeez, only 15% trim? I'd have guessed way higher. Last time I dry-aged a prime rib for a Christmas party I think I tossed almost a quarter of it. The crust was basically armor plate. But you're right about the flavor. That concentrated beef taste hits different. My regulars didn't ask about suppliers, they just started ordering seconds. That never happens with wet-aged.

anderson.david22d ago

45 days is my sweet spot for whole striploins. I tried 60 once and honestly the texture got a little weird, like the meat started breaking down too much. The thing nobody tells you about dry aging is how much your electric bill spikes from that dedicated fridge running nonstop. My wife still gives me crap about the "science project" in the basement. But yeah that concentrated beef taste, once people get a bite of properly aged meat they can't go back to the grocery store stuff.

the_holly1d ago

Honestly @anderson.david, the "science project" comment hit home for me, my roommate still calls my dry aging fridge "the corpse corner." Get a smart plug to track the energy use if she keeps giving you grief, it's way cheaper to monitor than to argue about the bill.