Hang time

[rob2]

How many days do you typically age your beef?

rob2

 

[IABeef]

14 to 18 days

 

[Aaron]

The more the better. But no custom processor around here will hang for more than 14 days because time is money and too much time is spent trimming if you start hanging for 21 or 28 days.

Once had an animal hung for 21 days. Most tender beef ever.

 

[Alan]

16 to 18 days, good and tender.

 

[highgrit]

Aaron is dead on the money. 20+ days if at all possible.

 

[Alan]

The more the better. But no custom processor around here will hang for more than 14 days because time is money and too much time is spent trimming if you start hanging for 21 or 28 days.

Once had an animal hung for 21 days. Most tender beef ever.

Kind of my feeling also, 21days would be more tender but then you start losing more to trim due to decay.

 

[rob2]

I mostly hang 28 days - sometimes less if a customer can't seem to wait. the processor that I use has a really good cooler. isn't any more waste between the sides that hang 28 days and others that have hung only 2 weeks. the butcher attributes it to good air circulation, proper humidity and temperature. he's made a believer out of me.

rob2

 

[3waycross]

I mostly hang 28 days - sometimes less if a customer can't seem to wait. the processor that I use has a really good cooler. isn't any more waste between the sides that hang 28 days and others that have hung only 2 weeks. the butcher attributes it to good air circulation, proper humidity and temperature. he's made a believer out of me.

rob2

What about the shrink? Last i heard the shrink from that kind of aging is around 1.5% a day avg more on the short end and of course less as they bark up!

 

[rob2]

I mostly hang 28 days - sometimes less if a customer can't seem to wait. the processor that I use has a really good cooler. isn't any more waste between the sides that hang 28 days and others that have hung only 2 weeks. the butcher attributes it to good air circulation, proper humidity and temperature. he's made a believer out of me.

rob2

What about the shrink? Last i heard the shrink from that kind of aging is around 1.5% a day avg more on the short end and of course less as they bark up!

although an experienced butcher (that actually has a decent cooler) would be better able to answer, the excessive shrink during a prolonged hang time is mainly attributed to poor humidity level.

rob2

 

[rob2]

I mostly hang 28 days - sometimes less if a customer can't seem to wait. the processor that I use has a really good cooler. isn't any more waste between the sides that hang 28 days and others that have hung only 2 weeks. the butcher attributes it to good air circulation, proper humidity and temperature. he's made a believer out of me.

rob2

What about the shrink? Last i heard the shrink from that kind of aging is around 1.5% a day avg more on the short end and of course less as they bark up!

o.k. now you got me to thinking, what effect do you think a short hang time would have on moisture loss of a steak that has been thawed? i.e. less shrink in a beef aged for short period = more moisture in the steak when flash frozen. wouldn't there be more expelled blood/water when the steak is thawed?

rob2

 

[3waycross]

I mostly hang 28 days - sometimes less if a customer can't seem to wait. the processor that I use has a really good cooler. isn't any more waste between the sides that hang 28 days and others that have hung only 2 weeks. the butcher attributes it to good air circulation, proper humidity and temperature. he's made a believer out of me.

rob2

What about the shrink? Last i heard the shrink from that kind of aging is around 1.5% a day avg more on the short end and of course less as they bark up!

o.k. now you got me to thinking, what effect do you think a short hang time would have on moisture loss of a steak that has been thawed? i.e. less shrink in a beef aged for short period = more moisture in the steak when flash frozen. wouldn't there be more expelled blood/water when the steak is thawed?

rob2

The standard in the industry is to flash freeze and thaw as slowly as possible. Bot are conducive to minimal cell wall rupture....thus less purge! The more you dry age the lower the initial moisture content in the steak. Wet aged beef would be higher in moisture content and most likely lower in concentrated beef flavor.

There are pros and cons inherent in both methods