Sebastian and Co.
Dry Aging – the nearly lost art of the great steak. Word has spread quickly about our dry aged steaks! After an article about our steaks was published in Air Canada’s En Route Magazine, customers from all over Canada, the US and even Europe have flocked to our store to experience the difference that dry aging makes. We start with the best quality beef and dry age for 21 to an unprecedented 40+ days, maximizing tenderness and flavor. Dry aging is a special process whereby the beef is hung in a temperature-controlled cooler with an ambient humidity level adjusted between 50% and 75%. Proper air circulation is essential in managing dry aging, which means it needs to be hung in a well ventilated space.
photo by City Chef Inc.
When beef is dry aged, two things happen. Firstly, moisture evaporates from the muscle creating a greater concentration of flavor and taste. Secondly, a process called proteolysis (or breakdown of muscle proteins) occurs … the beef’s natural enzymes break down the fibrous, connective tissue in the muscle, thereby tenderizing the meat. Most of the tenderizing process occurs in the first 10 to 14 days; after 14 days, richness of flavor becomes the main goal of dry aging.
There is great incentive for most butchers not to dry age since 1% of overall weight is lost for each day of dry aging. Therefore, 21-day aged steaks will weigh approximately 21% less than non-aged steaks. In addition, increased aging not only adds to the shrinkage, but more surface meat is lost due to the drying.
Modern processing plants do not age their beef; the carcass is broken down and vacuum-sealed in plastic bags within 24 hours. Much of this beef will show up in grocery stores within 2 to 4 days after leaving the plant.
Beef can also be “wet aged” in a vacuum-sealed plastic bag. Tenderness is positively impacted by wet aging, but flavor is not. Loss of moisture and surface meat is not an issue with wet aging, which makes it a more viable option for some butchers and high-end steak restaurants who want to age their steaks. However, for us, the spectacular results of dry aging make it well worth the effort!