G O U R M E T K N OWLE DG E
THE ART OF DRY AGEING BEEF They say the finer things in life improve with age. Here’s a glimpse into the world of dry-aged beef and what it really means. BY PRIYANKA ELHENCE
D
ry ageing concentrates the flavours of beef, leaving it typically described as tasting nuttier, muskier, like mushrooms and blue cheese. Natural enzymes and bacteria within the meat start to break down its molecular bonds when exposed to oxygen, altering the flavour and texture of the protein. Before a cut of dry-aged beef can be used for cooking, the rotten crust that forms around the meat’s surface has to be carved out.
Dry-aged beef
52 epicurevietnam
Interesting then, that a lesser yield comes with a higher price tag. “Dry ageing is essentially a controlled decomposition,” says Andre Huber, executive director of Huber’s Butchery. In Singapore, dry-aged beef is expensive because land space and rental is expensive, as the meat is sitting in a dedicated ageing chamber (or room) for 30 to 60 days with closely monitored temperature, humidity, and air flow. Dry-aged beef is best done using Himalayan salt blocks in a room that is food safe, has good air circulation and promotes the growth of good bacteria while preventing bad bacteria and mould from growing. At Huber’s Butchery, dry ageing is done in a slow, controlled process. “We take about 60 days to age what others would usually do in 28 days because we believe the slower process is safer and yields beef with better flavour and texture,” explains Huber. The company has a customised dry-ageing programme that allows customers to order various cuts of meat and dictate how long they would like it to be dryaged for. “Some customers request for beef to be aged for an extended period of time like 100 days or even 200 days. People believe it will get better with age, like how it usually is with wine. However for me, there is a point where the beef flavour just gets too funky and very few people will enjoy that flavour.” Most restaurants sell beef aged up to 45 days only because any longer, the flavour becomes too funky for diners to appreciate. Huber goes on to say that aged meat comes in two forms – wet-aged and dry-aged. “Both versions involve enzymes breaking down the meat which
