The Aging Room. Premium Meat Dry-Aging Walk-in Room. Inside Panoramic View.

Where Did Dry Aging Beef Originate?

Dry-aged beef has become increasingly popular over the last few decades. Most steakhouses offer various dry-aged steaks for customers to choose from, aged anywhere from 30 days to 240 days or even longer. Steak connoisseurs reach for dry-aged steak more often, leading to supermarkets and butchers to offer dry-aged meat as an option to purchase and grill at home.

 

Dry-aging beef can be dated back hundreds of years, even in the Renaissance period. Back then, it was simply called the “hanging” of meat because the meat was hung on a hook. The problem was the beef would become too contaminated with dangerous bacteria due to unstable temperatures. With the invention of refrigeration and butcher lockers, dry-aging began to make a comeback. 

The History of Dry-Aging Beef

Up until the 1960s, dry-aged beef was more common. Carcasses would hang in a locker for a few weeks to become more tender and flavorful. With the advances in plastics and vacuum packaging in modern processing plants, wet-aging replaced dry-aging. Meatpackers embraced this method because meat aged faster and retained more water weight, making it more profitable. While the beef “wet aged” in its own juices, it improved tenderness but was missing the characteristic dry-aged depth of flavor and rich texture.

 

In the last few decades, advancements have been made in refrigeration technology to help make the rigorous aging process safe and stable enough to create adequate maturing climates. Temperature, humidity, and airflow all need to be monitored and controlled at specific temperatures in order for the beef to process. With dry-aging chambers, restaurants, stores, and butchers can age beef safely and naturally.

How a Dry-Aging Chamber Works

With a dry-aging chamber, you can age steak properly to accomplish the rich, nutty taste and tender beef that is characteristic to mature meat. In order to age beef properly, there are important factors to consider when choosing the right equipment:

 

Maintain an 80% humidity level

Climate between 33.8 and 34.7 degrees Fahrenheit

An advanced ventilation system that circulates fresh air

Antibacterial environment to help enhance flavor profile

Technology to assist in the healthy aging environment

 

The Aging Room’s Premium Dry-Aging Chamber

Using traditional aging processes combined with modern technology, The Aging Room uses precise climate control with a Himalayan salt wall to create an aging-friendly, natural microclimate for dry-aging steaks. The steak ripens in a natural environment, never frozen, vacuum-sealed, or chemically preserved. Restaurants, butcheries, and retail shops can showcase the aging process to customers to create an appetizing appearance. Learn more about The Aging Chamber and its benefits.
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