DRY-AGING BEEF....

If you’ve had the good fortune of tasting dry-aged beef, then you know that it has a remarkable depth of flavor.  Unfortunately for those of us who don’t have a high-end butcher or serious steakhouse nearby, dry-aged beef can be hard to come by without involving FedEx and a big credit card charge.  But the good news is that if you have a refrigerator, you can dry-age beef at home.

WHY DRY-AGED BEEF TASTE BETTER

All fresh beef is aged for at least few days and up to several weeks to allow enzymes naturally present in the meat to break down the muscle tissue, resulting in improved texture and flavor.  These days, most beef is aged in plastic shrink-wrap—a process known as wet-aging.  Dry-aged beef, on the other hand, is exposed to air so dehydration can further concentrate the meat’s flavor.  It’s a more expensive process than wet-aging, however, because the meat loses weight from dehydration, and it also must be trimmed of its completely dried exterior.   

Dry-aging should be done for a minimum of 3 days but up to 7 days for the most intense flavor.  Despite the loss of 20% of its original weight, dry-aged beef is worth the time and expense.

HOW TO DRY-AGE BEEF AT HOME

Tip: Home refrigerators aren't as consistent or as cold as commercial meat lockers. Before aging meat at home, get a refrigerator thermometer and be sure your fridge is set below 40°F.  Cook or freeze the meat within seven days of beginning the dry-aging process.

FIRST:  Buy a prime or choice boneless beef rib or loin roast from the best meat source in your area. (Ask your butcher if it’s been dry-aged, as you don’t want to age it twice)  If it HAS been dry-aged, move down to the cooking process.

SECOND:  Unwrap the beef, rinse it well, and pat it dry with paper towels.  Do not trim.  Wrap the roast loosely in a triple layer of cheesecloth and set it on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet or other tray.

THIRD:  Refrigerate for three to seven days; the longer the beef ages, the tastier it gets.  After the first day, carefully unwrap and then rewrap with the same cheesecloth to keep the cloth fibers from sticking to the meat.

FOURTH:  When ready to roast, unwrap the meat and, with a sharp knife, shave off and discard the hard, dried outer layer of the meat.  Shave away any dried areas of fat, too, but leave behind as much of the good fat as possible.  Roast whole or cut into steaks.

DRY-AGED BEEF RIB ROAST WITH A MUSTARD, GARLIC AND THYME CRUST

Select a 6-1/2 – 7 lb CHOICE grade boneless rib roast if you are going to dry-age it at home – proceed as directed above.  (4-1/2 – 5 lb roast if you don’t have the time for the dry-aging  process)

INGREDIENTS:

2 large cloves garlic

2 Tbs. kosher salt

2 Tbs. whole grain Dijon mustard

1 Tbs. lightly chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive  oil

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Horseradish-Chive Crème Fraîche for serving (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:

Mince the garlic cloves with a chef’s knife and sprinkle with the salt.  Using the side of the knife, scrape and mash the garlic and salt together until they turn into a paste.  In a small bowl, combine the garlic paste with the mustard, thyme, olive oil, and pepper.  Rub the garlic mixture over all sides of the beef.  Put the roast, fat side up, on a rack set in a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet or small roasting pan.  Let the roast sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Roast the beef for 15 minutes.  Without opening the door, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.   Continue to roast until a thermometer inserted in the center of the roast registers 130°F for medium rare, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Let the beef rest for 20 minutes.  (When meat is cooked, the juices tend to concentrate in the center – by letting the meat ‘rest’ the juices have time to redistribute and spread the moisture and flavor evenly)

Meanwhile, transfer the crème fraîche to a small serving dish.  Carve the beef into thin or thick slices and pass the crème fraîche on the side.

Smile, *clink* and accept kudos for a divinely flavored beef dinner!

HORSERADISH-CHIVE CRÈME FRAICHE

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

1-1/2 Tbs. thinly sliced chives

8 oz. crème fraîche (OR 2/3 C sour cream plus 1/3 C good mayonnaise)

Kosher salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Stir the horseradish and chives into the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until needed.  (Best made a day ahead)

http://www.finecooking.com/articles/dry-aging-beef-pays-off-big-flavor.aspx