This ABSOLUTELY has to go here............ But you didn't hear it from me. Ok?
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Maggie’s THE "NOM NOM NOM" THREAD
- Thread starter 1J04
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anyone like peruvian food.
beef saltado for the win.
beef saltado for the win.
Somebody say sammich? Picked up this tired, old, non-working Hobart slicer a couple of months ago and put a little TLC into it.
Should be made in the USA.
Saw a video awhile ago how they are made. Awesome machines.
Should be able to last few more generations before it needs to be rebuilt again.
omg, i'd make more corned beef and pastrami if i could slice it thin!
Did I hear something about dry aging steaks?!?
I love dry aging my own steaks. I pick up prime grade ribeye primals from Costco and age for ~45 days:
Dry aging creates a "crust" on the outside that needs to be trimmed off of the steak before cooking/eating. Not wanting to waste anything, I'll grind up the trimmings, along with fresh Chuck steak and dry aged brisket (also dry aged ~45 days). The result? Absolutely delicious dry aged hamburgers:
I love dry aging my own steaks. I pick up prime grade ribeye primals from Costco and age for ~45 days:
Dry aging creates a "crust" on the outside that needs to be trimmed off of the steak before cooking/eating. Not wanting to waste anything, I'll grind up the trimmings, along with fresh Chuck steak and dry aged brisket (also dry aged ~45 days). The result? Absolutely delicious dry aged hamburgers:
Very nice...I have never aged more than 21 days. Your method in the fridge looks like mine other than I wrap in cheesecloth and put a pan under the rack. My fridge is also not as nice a fridge as yours. I have a couple of questions if you don't mind
- What brand of fridge is that?
- What temperature do you use when you dry age for 45 days?
It's a Steak Locker fridge by ELA. Have had it for almost two years now, it's been working good. I keep the temp at 35°F.
As far as the trimmings, I read some articles where some restaurants were using the trimmings for burgers. I've eaten countless of dry aged burgers to no ill effects so far, so at this point I'm not to concerned - hopefully that doesn't change!
21 days is almost the minimum amount of time to dry age IMO, as the changes from dry aging aren't really noticeable until 21 days onwards. For my tastes, I think ~45-50 days is the sweet spot. I've done longer, but it gets a bit funkier.
Interesting
I was taught that over 21 days doesn’t provide a lot of added benefit. Don’t know. I have always wanted to measure the weight as a function of time to see whether the water loss is linear or not. I am not sure that it is. You certainly will get more crust as it ages longer than 21 days but I would like to see how much more dehydration you get. I would also worry about the extent of mold formation when aging that long.
I will definitely give it a shot though
The middle picture in my one post that shows the cross section of a primal is dry aged roughly 45 days, if that gives you any idea.
I've never weighed before and after, but there's a definite drop in water weight.
Thankfully fridges designed for dry aging meat are designed in such a matter that mold and bacteria growth is inhibited. Temperature, humidity, airflow with fans, UV lights, etc are all in place to prevent unwanted bacteria growth. It's a much more controlled environment then just wrapping a piece of meat with cheesecloth and keeping it in a standard fridge.
VERY COOL, thanks for this addition.
Thankfully fridges designed for dry aging meat are designed in such a matter that mold and bacteria growth is inhibited. Temperature, humidity, airflow with fans, UV lights, etc are all in place to prevent unwanted bacteria growth. It's a much more controlled environment then just wrapping a piece of meat with cheesecloth and keeping it in a standard fridge.
Can you tell me/us more about the humidity level, how it's maintained, and how specifically it is held? The UV lights is another fantastic addition that I hadn't thought of. As per my comments earlier, as soon as I get the pictures of my smoker I'll put them here. Sort of a quest, so bear with me. Because I'm wanting to attain the same level for both aging meats, as well as 'curing' sausages.
Awesome.
There's a built in water reservoir w/filter and a humidifier/atomizer in the fridge. Humidity level is maintained around ~75%.
I shamelessly stole this from ELA's website:
Here they are:
I'm wanting to take this to the eleventieth dimension for both smoking AND dry-aging AND curing. For charcouterie, etc. All of the 'smoker-guts have been removed (almost all) and I'm wanting to really kick-this-up-a-notchES.
Thank you.
I'm wanting to take this to the eleventieth dimension for both smoking AND dry-aging AND curing. For charcouterie, etc. All of the 'smoker-guts have been removed (almost all) and I'm wanting to really kick-this-up-a-notchES.
Thank you.
Thankfully fridges designed for dry aging meat are designed in such a matter that mold and bacteria growth is inhibited. Temperature, humidity, airflow with fans, UV lights, etc are all in place to prevent unwanted bacteria growth. It's a much more controlled environment then just wrapping a piece of meat with cheesecloth and keeping it in a standard fridge.
I never question a man's method. I learned my method in culinary school and it has been working quite nicely for 30 years. Not fancy like yours but my guests never complain about the results. However I am sure you know more than the chef that taught us about meat. I am also sure you have more experience working in a professional kitchen than I do. So far be it for me to question your methodology.
As an FYI, refrigeration systems with built in UV and humidity control were not part of anything I ever saw at that time. I am sure some restaurants today use this type of equipment. I got out of professional cooking after graduate school. It is only a hobby now.
Whatever makes you feel good is good with me.
Didn't mean to come across in any way that was disparaging to other methods. You obviously know your food, much more so then I do, and I love seeing your posts in this thread. I have no doubt that your dry aged meat comes out awesome - I still suggest you try 45 day, would love to hear what you think.
I made the comment about the cheese cloth in the fridge not being as controlled of an environment because I've seen people with much less experience then yourself have issues with mold and bacteria growth. I'm sure I would fuck it up, the fridge makes it so a food novice like me can do it without issues. Not a slight at you or your methods at all.
*Edit - that post was to state why Im not afraid of the crust due to the method of dry aging in a specific fridge designed for it, which precisely controls the climate. I probably wouldn't trust the crust as much if I did it the cheese cloth method combined with my lack of training/skills. Not a knock on the cheese cloth method, as others such as yourself use it to great effect.
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No offense taken....I've had a long ass day arguing with millennials at work via WebEx, taking care of 2 sick kids and my wife out at school all day. A little short on patience.
As I said in my original response to your first post (#1,615), I will definitely try a longer age. I may try 30 days first to see how it goes as I am paranoid about bacteria. I called a good friend that is a chef at Gotham Grill in NYC after reading your first post and he told me that they have seen aged meat that is up 100 days old!. He says the flavor is super funky but couldn't describe it to me. He thinks he has a photo of the strip and said it looked mummified.
I think the biggest benefit to a setup like you have is the UV part. If I had something like that, I wouldn't worry about bacteria. However, there is no money left for me to buy it as I spent my allotment on my new AXMC...LOL
The last time I went to Gotham Grill they had a dry aged tomahawk rib eye (bone in). It was aged for 60 days.
It was $135.
Needless to say, I didn't try it
It was $135.
Needless to say, I didn't try it
Got the Tomahawk at Ruth Chris the night of Thanksgiving dinner...
Think it was up past $125 for 40 ounces, probably half that being bone.
I like the combined T-Bone/New York sirloin cut they serve better.
They can keep the gimmick.
I remember that pic. You cleanup well...LOL
The combined thing is called a porterhouse
Do you coat the beef with corn starch or thicken another way?
About what percentage broth to water?
What herbs do you use?
I have a 4hr delivery window this afternoon and think making a stew would pass the time well. Thanks.
I dry the beef super well using paper towels. I then put it in a big bowl
Mix the following in a small bowl
1 tablespoon kosher salt,
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne.
Dump half into the meat bowl and move all the meat around by hand. Then add the rest and mix again.
The meat shouldn't be fully coated. Brown in a super hot cast iron pan a bit at a time. I use 5 pounds of beef and brown it in 4 batches. Put each browned portion in your stew pot as each batch browns. I don't use flour or cornstarch...no thickener required. I'll talk about that in a minute
Cut up your 2 large onions, 2 large carrots, 4 celery ribs and 8 cloves of garlic. Cook the onions, carrots and celery (NOT THE GARLIC) in the same cast iron pan with a good glug of olive oil. Add the following to the veggies while cooking
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3/4 tsp of dried oregano
3/4 tsp of dried basil
3/8 tsp ground allspice
Stir things up and continue cooking until the veggies are soft. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute and then add a small can of tomato paste and a tablespoon of anchovy paste or two anchovies into the vegetable mixture. If using whole anchovies, smush them up. Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes until the paste turns a brownish red.
Yes I said anchovy paste...secret ingredient!
Throw the vegetable mixture into the pot with the beef.
I don't use water...No water at all....
Add 1 quart of beef stock, 1 cup of red wine 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar and 1 large can of whole tomatoes with their juices. Add 3 bay leaves to the mix.
Bring it to a boil and then cover and place in a PREHEATED 350 degree oven and cook for 2.5 hours. Remove cover and add 1.5 pounds of small white potatoes or you can chop them from large potatoes. Cook for 30 more minutes uncovered and then add 3/4 cup of frozen peas and 3/4 of frozen pearl onions and cook for 30 minutes longer. This last hour of cooking uncovered at 350 degrees in the oven will thicken the sauce nicely. No thickener like flour or cornstarch that can alter the flavor.
That is all there is to it.
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Glad you enjoyed it. Let's see a photo of the handiwork!
It has another hr before the potatoes go in. I just ate a couple of the smaller pieces of beef. I'll try to get a photo. My 11y/o is taking photos right now with an old 35mm. Anyone know where to get them developed?
I used to love 35mm.
I dreamed of one day owning a Leica.
There was something special about dropping off a roll of film and waiting to see if you got the shot or missed it.
Kids today wont understand that sense of waiting for anything - letters, deliveries of fishing gear from Bass Pro, a roll of film to be developed.
I think there is a place in NY that developes film but I understand you will pay.
I used to use a place called Clark's when in the mil. Throw it in the mail and wait.
I learned to use a camera with a Nikon that my uncle bought for next to nothing in rvn. Always wanted to learn to develope film, never did. I need to post about my grandma's uncle's camera that I have. Wood and brass with glass plates.
@Nik H It was great! I halved the wine and vinegar based on what I thought my critters would like. Very, very good. Thanks!
My last bone in, dry aged, prime rib-eye.. Have to take advantage of these relatively warm New England nights. Sous vide for 2 hours and a quick sear on the grill. Was beautiful. @pmclaine inspired me to eat this last one. Fed me, the wife and our son. 38 ounces of goodness including the bone.
I just bought a beauty of a rib at Costco. 5 bone, prime grade, 15.5 lbs. Just started the process of aging so it won't be ready for a few weeks. Price was $16 per pound...fucking crazy good deal
I just bought a beauty of a rib at Costco. 5 bone, prime grade, 15.5 lbs. Just started the process of aging so it won't be ready for a few weeks. Price was $16 per pound...fucking crazy good deal
My wife was not amused when I came up and put it in the cart. She was like..."you're crazy and this is why I don't bring you to Costco. It's a sin to spend that much on a hunk of meat." Tonight she was like..."honey, I think this is the best steak I have ever had"....LMAO
Still got my old Nikon F3T somewhere. And thousands of slides I'd like to scan but don't want to send off and haven't found a decent scanner that you can just stack in w/o individual loading in tray that doesn't cost thousands.
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