I stopped dry-aging cuts in my shop after one bad batch

Last year I aged a side of beef for weeks like everyone says to do. The meat tasted fine, but the trim loss made it not worth the time and space. I think fresh meat right from the kill has a cleaner flavor that customers actually prefer. Most butchers I know swear by aging, but I just don't see the point anymore. Have any of you had similar thoughts or am I totally off base here?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel5112mo ago

So you're saying one bad batch made you quit the whole thing? That seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The trim loss is part of the deal, but it concentrates the flavor in what's left, which you can charge more for. @jade271, the math works if you price it right. That "clean" flavor of fresh meat is just bland compared to the deep, nutty taste of a properly aged ribeye. Maybe your setup or timing was off, but giving up completely means your customers never get to taste the real difference.

jade2712mo ago

My bad math skills probably explain why I never even tried dry-aging. The trim loss sounds brutal, and if the flavor payoff isn't huge, why bother? Your take on fresh meat makes total sense.

the_julia2mo ago

But the flavor payoff is huge, trust me.