How To Age Meat Safely At Home

Aging meat is a process wherein meat is kept in stable conditions, allowing enzymes to break down connective tissue, tenderizing the cut and developing its flavor. While you can buy either wet-aged or dry-aged meat from your local butcher, many people wonder if the aging process can be safely carried out at home. To discover whether aging meat at home is viable, The Takeout spoke to Sam Shafer who is the executive chef of Revival at The Sawyer, a rooftop bar and lounge located in Sacramento.

Shafer told us that aging meat "requires careful monitoring of temperature, humidity, and airflow. There is a risk of spoilage if conditions aren't optimal." Fail to properly maintain any of these factors and you might accidentally create an environment where potentially harmful bacteria can thrive. To prevent this, Shafer explained that you must have a means of controlling both the temperature and humidity of the environment in which the meat is aging. Anyone aging meat at home should also have an air circulation system to improve airflow and ultra-violet lights to kill airborne bacteria. If you do not have this equipment, it is not safe to dry age meat at home.

While dry aging involves exposing the meat to air (in order to encourage moisture loss), wet aging sees the meat being vacuum sealed, allowing it to age in its own juices. According to Shafer, "Wet-aging is easier [to do at home safely] and still improves tenderness, but the flavor is less intense." If you want to create wet-aged meat at home, all you have to do is vacuum seal the cuts and store them in your fridge for anywhere from 14 days to around two months.

Although it is relatively simple to wet age meat at home, dry aging is a much more complex process that necessitates a considerable investment. Sam Shafer, who cooks a range of meat dishes at Revival at The Sawyer, told us, "You will need [...] a fridge or aging chamber which can cost around $200-$5,000, plus the whole primal cut for aging can cost around $16-$20 per pound." This isn't to mention the other equipment you'll need to buy, including wire racks, ultra-violet lights, and air circulation systems.

Shafer broke down the alternative, saying, "Buying [dry-aged meat] from the butcher can cost $20-$50 per pound. There is no need for equipment or space, you are paying for the convenience and expertise. Because of their expertise, buying from a butcher often [means the meat] has a more intense and complex flavor due to their specialized equipment and experience." If you don't have a local butcher, you can always buy mail-order steaks. Either way, you won't have to worry about your lack of experience resulting in contaminated or moldy meat.

Given the expense and knowledge required to safely dry age meat at home, we would suggest that most people are better off simply buying meat from their local butcher or store. (Don't forget to rest the meat before cooking – a key step for grilling dry-aged beef.) However, when it comes to wet aging, we'd encourage people to experiment with the process at home given its simpler, safer nature.