How to Tell if Beef Steak Has Been Dry-Aged

I am about to purchase my first dry-aged beef steak. How do I know the steak has been properly dry-aged? How do I know if the vendor is not trying to sell me spoiled meat?

From some photos dry-aged steak seem like meat left in the freezer for too long.

Best Answer

While there's some similarity in looks between aged steak and rotten meat (both usually have a dark color) it's easy to tell the difference. Spoiled meat will smell rotten and very unpleasant, and will probably have a slimy feel to it. I've found that dry aged meat has an intense, rich smell to it. Spoiled meat, or meat past its prime will lose its bounce, if you stick a finger into it the impression will last. Good meat will spring back and the impression will disappear.

Meat that has been frozen too long will look very different from a dry aged steak.

Meat loses moisture in the dry aging process, leaving the meat more concentrated if you will. Put a steak that has been dry aged for a good amount of time next to one which hasn't and you will tell the difference. Buy from a butcher with a good reputation and compare to a supermarket choice steak and you will see what I mean.

Pictures about "How to Tell if Beef Steak Has Been Dry-Aged"

How to Tell if Beef Steak Has Been Dry-Aged - Brown Wooden Chopping Board With Green Vegetable and Meat Dish

How to Tell if Beef Steak Has Been Dry-Aged - Steak Food

How to Tell if Beef Steak Has Been Dry-Aged - Grilled Meat Dish Served on White Plate

Quick Answer about "How to Tell if Beef Steak Has Been Dry-Aged"

Spoiled meat will smell rotten and very unpleasant, and will probably have a slimy feel to it. I've found that dry aged meat has an intense, rich smell to it. Spoiled meat, or meat past its prime will lose its bounce, if you stick a finger into it the impression will last.

What should dry aged beef look like?

A well aged steak should be noticeably more tender than a fresh steak. Flavor change is caused by numerous processes, including enzymatic and bacterial action. Properly dry-aged meat will develop deeply beefy, nutty, and almost cheese-like aromas.

Is dry-aged steak supposed to smell?

\u201cDry-aged meat does have a unique smell and flavor. Funky is a good way to describe it,\u201d she says. \u201cIt's a more rich flavor up until the 30-day point. When you go farther than that, and if you go really far out, like 60 to 90 days, you develop a serious blue cheese funk to it.

Can you get food poisoning from dry-aged steak?

It is aged but not different from ordinary raw meat, and thus ingestion of raw dry-aged beef may cause food poisoning.

How long does it take to dry age a steak?

Set your cut of beef on top of the wire rack. Then, slide the tray, rack, and beef into the fridge and wait. Wait 2-4 weeks if you're only looking for added tenderness, 4-6 weeks for that famous dry-aged taste, and 6-8 (or more) weeks if you're looking to develop some seriously funky aromas and flavors.