Age your beef at home with Umai Dry®
Steakhouse Quality Beef at Home
If you have ever had the privilege of enjoying a steak at a high-end steakhouse, you know that nothing compares to a perfectly prepared and properly aged cut of beef. If you’re lucky enough to have experienced such a treat, you also know that decent cuts that are dry-aged more than 28 days can be quite expensive to buy. Devoting an entire refrigerator or building your own Himalayan salt closet is likely out of the question for most hobby steak agers, so High Caliber is pleased to announce that we now carry the Umai Dry® line of products, so you can dry-age your beef at home.
If you’re reading this article, you’re likely familiar with the concept of dry-aging and the mouth-watering results that it yields, but a little history on the science behind it is prudent to any discussion on the topic. Dry-aged meat concentrates it’s flavour as it evaporates its moisture content. Beef muscle connective tissue is tenderized through natural beef enzyme activity. Fat is oxidized which enhances the earthy, nutty flavour that is the desired outcome in any carefully aged food (like cheese and wine!).
Selecting Your Cut
Ok, so you’re on board and you’re ready to attempt some dry-aging at home. The next question is what cuts of beef lend themselves best to this process?
The most common cuts of beef for dry-aging are:
- Ribeye
- Striploin
- Top Sirloin
Whatever cut you choose, it is recommended to dry-age with fat on and bone-in.
You can use another cut, like Brisket or Tr-tip, but they lack the fatty layer that lends itself well to this process, which results in a dry crust that needs to be trimmed away prior to cooking.
What is Umai Dry®?
Contrary to popular belief, Umai Dry® is NOT a vacuum bag. More like a membrane, the bag should have 75-80% contact between the meat surface and the bag at the onset in order to achieve safe, consistent results. The essential bond will form during the first week in your refrigerator. Technically, you could attempt to dry-age your steak in your refrigerator without a membrane, but you will lack control over humidity and risk undesirable flavour transfer common with uncovered foods that are stored together. The last thing you want is to end up with a steak that tastes like the fridge!
How does Umai Dry® work?
All you need is:
- Umai Dry® bag(s)
- Your chosen cut of beef, typically Ribeye, Striploin or Top Sirloin.
- Space on a rack in your refrigerator. Watch out for old garage fridges, they may lack the circulation and dehumidification required to achieve the desired results.
- 28 days. Feel free to dry age your steak up to 60 days, but most of the benefit will be achieved by day 28.
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