Dry-aging has never been easier
There are many options within different aging cabinets. We provide you with an overview of what is on the market and what suits your needs.
What is dry aging and why should meat be aged?
Aging meat is a must for anyone who loves gastronomy. Typically, the meat we buy in supermarkets is wet-aged for a few weeks in a vacuum bag before it is sold.
We swear by dry aging via an aging cabinet – which is also known as dry aging or hook aging. By dry aging, more of the meat’s moisture evaporates, which means that the flavor in the meat becomes more concentrated, but the meat shrinks. This is probably one of the reasons why supermarkets wet age, as the price per kilogram is higher on dry-aged meat compared to wet-aged.
So one must accept that the meat loses between 10-30% of its weight during this process, and the crust becomes “beef jerky-like” and must also be trimmed off. However, it can be used for stock.
Another good argument for dry aging meat yourself is actually the price. If your local butcher has to sell good meat, it must hang in his cooler for anywhere from 3-6 weeks before he can sell it. This means his liquidity is tied up with the meat taking up space in the cooler while he cannot sell it. By buying the meat from him just when he receives it, you allow him to make money on the meat quickly, and you are often rewarded with savings of 10-30% on the final sale price.
Aging cabinets are a whole caliber, both in terms of quality and price. In the cabinets we have dealt with, we must admit that price and quality go hand in hand. The weaker cabinets are priced in the range of 7-12,500 DKK and the better ones cost from 20,000 DKK and up. Therefore, this must be a passion or you must eat an incredible amount of meat to compensate for the slightly cheaper meat. Additionally, there are also operating/maintenance costs for the cabinet, such as electricity, charcoal filters, and UV bulbs. The bulb and the filter must be replaced annually.
The process is quite simple:
The meat should be bought as freshly slaughtered as possible and aged within the first 5 days. Depending on the type of meat, here is a good rule of thumb:
- Lamb – 14 days
- Pork – 21 days
- Beef – 28 days
The larger the cuts, the better. Generally, there will always be a layer of about 1-3 mm. all around the meat that needs to be discarded. Therefore, the larger the cut, the less percentage waste. The German company Dry Ager recommends a temperature of 1.5 degrees Celsius and a humidity level of 82% when aging beef and pork.
Aging Cabinets
We have a list here of the most common aging cabinets you can buy on the Danish market.
We do not present the prices, as they vary continuously, but we try to keep you updated on where they can be purchased.
DRY AGER DX1000 Aging Cabinet
The aging cabinet from the German company DRY AGER is undoubtedly the wildest cabinet for private use. The price is high, and the cabinet is not suitable for a normal Danish nuclear family, as you will never be able to eat the amount of meat you age.
The cabinet is made of stainless steel and has the dimensions (height x width x depth in cm): 138x54x56 internally and (height x width x depth in cm): 165x70x75 externally.
The cabinet’s net capacity is 435 liters, so there is room for quite a bit of meat.
The temperature can be regulated by 0.1 degrees Celsius within the range of 0-25 degrees Celsius.
The cabinet requires no active water connection, and the electronic humidity controller ranges from 60-100%.
The cabinet weighs 90 kg and is cleaned using a charcoal filter with a UVC ventilated disinfection system that sterilizes the air in the cabinet every minute.
The cabinet can be purchased at SousVide.dk.
Caso CS688
The aging cabinet from Caso is the first cabinet for home use that has an affordable price range.
It has built-in UV light to kill bacteria and it has low power consumption.
It has a capacity of 55 liters, which means it can hold about 8-12 kg of meat, so there is plenty of space for private consumption.
The temperature range is from 1-22 degrees Celsius, and the humidity inside can be adjusted from 50-85%.
The cabinet weighs 38.5 kg, and you should be aware that it has a small water container (inside the cabinet) that needs to be refilled with water occasionally.
The cabinet is 87.5 cm high, 39.5 cm wide, and 59.5 cm deep, so it can easily be integrated into a kitchen or placed on the kitchen counter.
You can see the cabinet being unpacked here:
The cabinet can be purchased here:
FRENOX Y250
The aging cabinet from FRENOX has a built-in salt wall at the bottom.
The price is quite reasonable for private individuals, but it still requires a strong passion for the “investment” to pay off.
The cabinet has a temperature range of -3 to 5 degrees Celsius and the humidity can be adjusted from 65-85%.
The capacity is an impressive 198 liters, and the cabinet weighs 110 kg. This means there is definitely enough space for you to age meat for your neighbors, family, and friends.
The cabinet is 91 cm high, 92 cm wide, and 55 cm deep.
The cabinet can be found at Fastshop.dk.
DRY AGER® DX500
The DX500 aging cabinet is a bit more targeted at private individuals compared to the DX1000 cabinet we presented earlier in the article.
The cabinet is made of stainless steel and has the dimensions (height x width x depth in cm): 71x50x43 internally and (height x width x depth in cm): 90x60x61 externally.
The cabinet’s net capacity is 132 liters, so there is space for approximately 20 kg. of meat. The meat can be a maximum of 50 cm long.
The temperature can be regulated by 0.1 degrees Celsius within the range of 0-25 degrees Celsius.
The cabinet requires no active water connection, and the electronic humidity controller ranges from 60-90%.
The cabinet is cleaned using a charcoal filter with a UVC ventilated disinfection system that sterilizes the air in the cabinet every minute.
The cabinet can be purchased at SousVide.dk.
STEAK LOCKER SL150 HOME EDITION
Steak Locker is perfect for those who are interested in aging at home but do not want to invest in the most expensive solution.
Steak Locker is not only crafted with a super stylish appearance in stainless steel, specially developed to match your other kitchen appliances. The cabinet measures only 61 x 61 x 81 centimeters in depth, width, and height, and the shelf sizes are approximately 43 x 50 x 15 centimeters. The shelves can also be adjusted in height.
The cabinet is therefore not much bigger than a small wine cooler, and it is an aging cabinet that can easily be displayed in the kitchen.
It also has a built-in charcoal filter, and you can set both the temperature and humidity precisely from the associated mobile app.
The economic aspect is also manageable: Prices are around 10-11,000 DKK.
Read more about the Steak Locker Home Edition here.
THE ORIGINAL STEAKAGER
While we are on the topic of small, compact solutions, The Original SteakAger is certainly noteworthy.
The Original SteakAger measures only 35 x 30 x 20 centimeters and fits right on the refrigerator shelf.
If you don’t want to invest in a dedicated aging cabinet, the alternative has previously been to use dry aging bags placed in the refrigerator. The Original SteakAger is a unique solution that can be considered a mid-ground.
Here you continue to dry age the meat in a closed device specifically developed for the purpose, though it is placed in your fridge.
This is an ideal solution for those who can settle for dry aging a single 5-6 kg cut at a time, such as a ribeye.
And you can be ready in under half an hour from the moment you bring your new device home.
The Original SteakAger can be purchased for approximately 1,500 – 2,000 DKK, and you can read more about it here.
Dry aging bags
If an aging cabinet is out of your price range, we recommend dry aging bags.
Basically, it’s a smooth vacuum bag in which you can wrap your meat. It should be placed in a regular refrigerator, but on a rack, so air can flow all around the meat.
Watch this video from Sous Vide Everything with dry aging bags in action:
Meatlovers Delight is the agent for the sale of dry aging bags in Denmark.