We need a food thread

cowboyinexile

cowboyinexile

Ranger
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Ok so technically this is science but it's food related.

From what I've seen on Facebook dry aging steaks means you refrigerate them for 21-42 days and cut off the bad shit. Personally I don't get it. 20 years ago I was supposed to do a dry aging study but a work-study dumbass froze my cattles steaks instead of refrigerating them. I could have been a moldy steak pioneer but his fuckup meant me and my committee got free steak and at 22 that was fine.

But yeah 2023 and we are letting steaks rot in the fridge for 6 weeks because the flavor is better in what is left? Wtf?
 
I've started dry brining steaks and other meat. Enjoy the flavor it gives. The dry aging seems a bit much to me and not worth it.
 
hunger games GIF
 
Trimmed some spare ribs last October for the smoker. Had four racks and the trimmings were almost 3 lbs. Yesterday those trimmings turned into carnitas. I may never buy the baby back ribs again.
 
jobob85 said:
Trimmed some spare ribs last October for the smoker. Had four racks and the trimmings were almost 3 lbs. Yesterday those trimmings turned into carnitas. I may never buy the baby back ribs again.
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That sounds pretty tasty.
 
cowboyinexile said:
Ok so technically this is science but it's food related.

From what I've seen on Facebook dry aging steaks means you refrigerate them for 21-42 days and cut off the bad shit. Personally I don't get it. 20 years ago I was supposed to do a dry aging study but a work-study dumbass froze my cattles steaks instead of refrigerating them. I could have been a moldy steak pioneer but his fuckup meant me and my committee got free steak and at 22 that was fine.

But yeah 2023 and we are letting steaks rot in the fridge for 6 weeks because the flavor is better in what is left? Wtf?
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I have not tried that long of dry aging, but it is my understanding that dry aging takes the moisture out of the exterior of the steak, making it easier to sear correctly and lock in juice. It is also supposed to increase the polyamine/trace amine content, which is supposed to increase the flavor, at least from what I have read.

I am a complete layperson/novice at it.
 
we need @Cowboyfan12 to weigh in, but as I understand it, you have to age the beef as a "side" i.e. big slab of meat. I don't think you can age sliced steaks, as you have exposed too much to the airborne contagions - and it rots rather than ages.
 
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You also have do it greater than 45 days I believe to notice it. 21-30 day dry aged is just a way to Jack up the price with no real benefit. I think you’re better off ensuring you get Prime steaks or if you’re really wanting something good, Wagyu.
 
Lakecowboy said:
You also have do it greater than 45 days I believe to notice it. 21-30 day dry aged is just a way to Jack up the price with no real benefit. I think you’re better off ensuring you get Prime steaks or if you’re really wanting something good, Wagyu.
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45-60 day is perfection. 30 days is where you start to tell a difference. Most beef is aged 10-14 days hanging before being broken down. We had a cow hung for 28 days and it ended up being about 32 days. It was the best Hamburger meat flavor I have had besides s our own cows. What fry aging does is lets the moisture percentage fall so you are left with more of a concentrated beef flavor and it also tenderizes to a certain extent. Cooking a 45 day dry aged steak in the Sous vide for 2:30 hours on 135-140. Best steak you can have besides a Kobe A5. You can cut it with a fork almost.
 
Cowboyfan12 said:
Let me catch up. Been busy building meat rails…
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There’s a lot to unpack.

There’s dry aging and wet aging of course which most of you know.

Starting with @swamppoke. You’re basically correct. Doing a steak is almost worthless, by the time you got done trimming there won’t be much left.

Primals are doable, rib roll, shortloin etc. the biggest thing I’ve seen with this in experimenting is you want fresh off the carcass within a couple days. A lot of guys are buying sams club primals that have already been wet aged 30+ days by supply chain nature of the beast. This heightens the chance for bacteria spoilage.

When dry aging, you want adequate fat cover on it. When hanging carcasses the length of time you go depends on fat cover. Also, quality of job on kill floor and efficacy of whatever is used to wash the carcass. If you leave bad bacteria before trying to foster the good, it will spoil and turn fast.

Ideal temp is 38 degrees 80% humidity.

If anyone’s seriously interested, there are some pretty serious commercial grade cabinets available for home purchase.

My favorite experiment. We dipped a ribeye roll in softened clarified butter. Coated it like icing. The idea is it keeps a crust from growing, so better yield. Then you sear that in a pan with the butter. I normally lay a Himalayan salt block under it while aging.

Lastly, wagyu. Wagyu being automatically associated with quality in this country is turning into uttter bullshit. Wagyu means “Japanese cattle”. Just because you breed a half blood wagyu bull or cow to your roping steer, doesn’t automatically make it Kobe quality. Full blood can be better, but save your money and buy American prime unless you’re getting your Japanese pure shipped in.

Wagyu is the new fashion trend.I went in a market on a vacation two weeks ago. They had “wagyu” ribeyes that would barely make low choice. $58 a lb. Total bullshit.

That’s all I’ve got in my head at the moment. If it didn’t answer questions fire away. Been awhile since I’ve been allowed to ramble.
 
Also. Drop what you’re doing and go buy an Otto Wilde infrared propane grill. Been testing one. My goodness. Gets to 1500. Best sear I’ve ever been able to achieve.

We cooked pheasant breast straight from the bird in the fat from our lunch steaks on New Year’s Day hunt. Fantastic. Super portable as well.
 
Cowboyfan12 said:
There’s a lot to unpack.

There’s dry aging and wet aging of course which most of you know.

Starting with @swamppoke. You’re basically correct. Doing a steak is almost worthless, by the time you got done trimming there won’t be much left.

Primals are doable, rib roll, shortloin etc. the biggest thing I’ve seen with this in experimenting is you want fresh off the carcass within a couple days. A lot of guys are buying sams club primals that have already been wet aged 30+ days by supply chain nature of the beast. This heightens the chance for bacteria spoilage.

When dry aging, you want adequate fat cover on it. When hanging carcasses the length of time you go depends on fat cover. Also, quality of job on kill floor and efficacy of whatever is used to wash the carcass. If you leave bad bacteria before trying to foster the good, it will spoil and turn fast.

Ideal temp is 38 degrees 80% humidity.

If anyone’s seriously interested, there are some pretty serious commercial grade cabinets available for home purchase.

My favorite experiment. We dipped a ribeye roll in softened clarified butter. Coated it like icing. The idea is it keeps a crust from growing, so better yield. Then you sear that in a pan with the butter. I normally lay a Himalayan salt block under it while aging.

Lastly, wagyu. Wagyu being automatically associated with quality in this country is turning into uttter bullshit. Wagyu means “Japanese cattle”. Just because you breed a half blood wagyu bull or cow to your roping steer, doesn’t automatically make it Kobe quality. Full blood can be better, but save your money and buy American prime unless you’re getting your Japanese pure shipped in.

Wagyu is the new fashion trend.I went in a market on a vacation two weeks ago. They had “wagyu” ribeyes that would barely make low choice. $58 a lb. Total bullshit.

That’s all I’ve got in my head at the moment. If it didn’t answer questions fire away. Been awhile since I’ve been allowed to ramble.
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I’ve looked in to some of those cabinets and the cost is just to much for how much I would use it. And you are completely correct on Wagyu. I had A5 in Hawaii and it was amazing. And I have bought some from here that are greatly marbled but most(by most I mean like 95%) you will will find is barley prime. And if you talk with the certain producers they will try and tell you that the cross with angus makes it better. They are wrong. I have a year old heifer that we had to bottle feed last year. She is up by our house with our Highland. I think we are going to find an embryo and get a full blood Wagyu. Still haven’t decided if we want to have it sexed and get a female to be able to AI in the future or go for a bull and have a nice freezer full of home raised Wagyu to eat for a year or more.
 
Vakarian74 said:
I’ve looked in to some of those cabinets and the cost is just to much for how much I would use it. And you are completely correct on Wagyu. I had A5 in Hawaii and it was amazing. And I have bought some from here that are greatly marbled but most(by most I mean like 95%) you will will find is barley prime. And if you talk with the certain producers they will try and tell you that the cross with angus makes it better. They are wrong. I have a year old heifer that we had to bottle feed last year. She is up by our house with our Highland. I think we are going to find an embryo and get a full blood Wagyu. Still haven’t decided if we want to have it sexed and get a female to be able to AI in the future or go for a bull and have a nice freezer full of home raised Wagyu to eat for a year or more.
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My biggest gripe is their is no traceable standard of identity to put it on the label. I could go grind a damn goat and call it wagyu if I wanted.
 
Cowboyfan12 said:
Also. Drop what you’re doing and go buy an Otto Wilde infrared propane grill. Been testing one. My goodness. Gets to 1500. Best sear I’ve ever been able to achieve.

We cooked pheasant breast straight from the bird in the fat from our lunch steaks on New Year’s Day hunt. Fantastic. Super portable as well.
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Dammit. I didn't mention you so you could make me spend money! Have you no shame?
 
swamppoke said:
Dammit. I didn't mention you so you could make me spend money! Have you no shame?
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Apparently not because I’m not even getting a kickback. Local ace hardware manager wanted us to try it out to help him sell them. Now we (business partners and I) fight over who gets it for the weekend.
 
We ate at the Mona Cafe in Stillwater before the game yesterday. It has moved into a larger facility.
I had the Pistol Pete’s Burrito. I requested grilled jalapeños with it. The burrito is supposed to have carnitas, refried beans, guacamole, pico de gallo and shredded cheese in it. I didn’t find any beans but the carnitas were some of the best I have ever had. It was topped with a white queso and served with Spanish rice. I forgot to take a picture because it didn’t look impressive. A little lettuce, tomato and avocado on top would have improved the looks. It was good, though. I will go back.
 
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