# UMAi dry bag Ribeye- dry aged 45 days Final <Pic heavy>



## browneyesvictim

16.6 lbs. of boneless Angus choice ribeye. Here it is going in the drybag. I learned 2 things:

1. My vac sealer sucks! Not in a good way,

2. Drain more liquid out of the original bag. it needs to be dry! The liquid will just soak the vacmouse strip.

Im aiming for 45 days.













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__ browneyesvictim
__ Mar 6, 2017


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## crankybuzzard

How long do you plan to age?


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## SmokinAl

Looks like a good start.

The last ribeye I aged I just set it in the fridge on a drying rack uncovered for 40 days.

No bag or anything special. Just a regular two door fridge.

Best steaks I've ever had!

It's hard to go back to a regular steak after having a dry aged one.

Al


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## browneyesvictim

CrankyBuzzard said:


> How long do you plan to age?


45 days is my target. Lets see if I can last that long! Went in on 3/4/17. Sitting on a rack in a spare fridge at 38'. This is my beer fridge, so the door gets opened regularly. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  

Al- I saw your post and was encouraged! Lets see how this UMAI bag does. However, I didn't get a very good bond with the bag to the meat. I didn't get the greatest vacuum to draw itself on it. But I'm going to let it ride....

I will post progress pics.


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## sea2ski

I have dry aged several times.  Is this your first?  Have you had 45 day before?

If you have done this before and you have gone 45 days, then you know what you are in for!  Kudos to you, because many will not even try it!

If not, I suggest going a bit shorter, like 30 days. Then take a couple steaks off, and cook them, and freeze one. Place the meat back on the rack and take a few off a few days later and repeat. Take note of the texture and do the same. Then again a few days later..... same thing.  When you get to the end, take the first one you froze, thaw, cook and compare side by side to the others and decide where your "sweet spot" is.

My favorite is 32-34 days. 45 is too dry for me. I have gone as long as 80.  No thank you....

If you like dry age - you should try dry aged pork roast. Out Of This World!!!!


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## mneeley490




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## browneyesvictim

Sea2Ski said:


> I have dry aged several times.  Is this your first?  Have you had 45 day before?
> 
> If you have done this before and you have gone 45 days, then you know what you are in for!  Kudos to you, because many will not even try it!
> 
> If not, I suggest going a bit shorter, like 30 days. Then take a couple steaks off, and cook them, and freeze one. Place the meat back on the rack and take a few off a few days later and repeat. Take note of the texture and do the same. Then again a few days later..... same thing.  When you get to the end, take the first one you froze, thaw, cook and compare side by side to the others and decide where your "sweet spot" is.
> 
> My favorite is 32-34 days. 45 is too dry for me. I have gone as long as 80.  No thank you....
> 
> If you like dry age - you should try dry aged pork roast. Out Of This World!!!!


I haven't dry aged beef myself like this before, but have been around it and tasted its glory! I have dry aged some venison before, and I REALLY liked the results.

I would go 30+/- days for most other sub-primals as they are tipically smaller and less fat marbeling. UMAi suggests going at least 30 days up to 50 days with this cut. Here is a 50 day Cowboy https://www.drybagsteak.com/videos-dry-age-steak-at-home.php

Yes. It will be pretty dry at 45. I may decide to dig into it before that- at least 30 and no more than 45, but. 80 is just crazy!

I like your trial method., but would end up cooking all the steaks at once so you could compare them? 

I would love to try dry aging a pork roast! I gotta pump the brakes a bit though... one at a time for me, so I cant get too excited. I already have belly bacon and Canadian bacon (loin) curing in the fridge too at the moment. What cut of pork roast would you suggest?


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## mr t 59874

A good comparison would have been, cutting the roast in half and aging one in the bag and one without. As the video said, dry aging has been done for millennials.

Seems the use of the bag would be a cross between wet aging and dry aging. Wet aging will tenderize the meat, but the flavor does not improve over time do to the lack of free flowing air. True dry aging will both tenderize and improve the flavor over time. Dry aging improves flavor by concentrating the compounds responsible for flavor when moisture is lost over time. From a flavor standpoint, moisture loss is a positive.

From what one can see, your roast has good marbling, which is essential in producing a juicy steak. If you do another, ask for one with a good fatcap. A roast with a good fatcap will require less trimming in the end.

I have my dry aging cooking methods narrowed down to two methods, salt crusting and souse vide, examples follow.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/133806/ugly-duckling-dry-aged-salt-crusted-prime-rib-roast-q-view

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...ustrations-comments-from-multiple-smf-members

Keep up your good work and enjoy your roast. I am quite certain it will be good.

T


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## sea2ski

@browneyesvictim. I realize I did not make myself clear about cutting one steak off and freezing it.  What I wanted to state is that if you cut off one extra steak and froze that one, you could cut however many others you wanted at that time and eat those.  So for example: you have one other person in your house. Cut off three steaks, cook and eat 2 and freeze one. Then a week or so later, do it again. Then so many days /weeks do again. So you could do 30 day, 40 day and 50 day aged using only 9 steaks.  And for the last cook, you get a 30,40, and 50 day steak all at once. The difference is dramatic. You can really dial in what you like doing it this way. 

As for the pork, I used a high quality bone-in rib end pork loin roast. Cooked at 225F and reverse seared. Pulled at 137F and a short rest. One of the best pork meals I have ever had. 
I will let the pictures do the talking:













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Try it.  You will not be sorry.


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## dirtsailor2003

Is it done yet????

A good quality vacuum packer is day and night difference. The VacMaster line is great. I know of two commercial operations that use them for packing fresh filleted fish at the coast. 

My Pro 380 is a joy to use. I had an original food saver that I purchased i when I was 14, that was 1980 something. It worked great. Up until about 6 years ago. Then it died. I was gifted a new one and it sucked. It would overheat every three to four bags and had to cool down. I suffered with it for a couple years then made the move. Glad I did. I couldn't justify a chamber unit as I pack things that won't fit. I may buy one though that darn Nepas almost has me talked into one...


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## browneyesvictim

1 week













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__ browneyesvictim
__ Mar 14, 2017


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## browneyesvictim

2 weeks- Looking better!













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__ browneyesvictim
__ Mar 20, 2017






Those are a Canadian (loin back) Bacons (ham) in the stockinettes drying for a few days before going in the smoker.


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## browneyesvictim

3-1/2 weeks. This Saturday will mark 28 days. Due to a pressing family emergency of sorts, I sort of have a conundrum whether to stop at 30 days.













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__ browneyesvictim
__ Mar 29, 2017


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## browneyesvictim

At 28 days It weighs 14.74 lbs. So that's only 11% weight loss so far. I was expecting it to be more (less). Everything looks good with no off smells. I'm going to let it keep going as it is. I'm thinking I should get it at least under 12 lbs. I would hit the 30% weight loss 11.62 lbs.

So the question for you dry aging experts: Is the percentage of weight loss a phantom number and age is more important or vice-versa?


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## mr t 59874

Browneyesvictim said:


> At 28 days It weighs 14.74 lbs. So that's only 11% weight loss so far. I was expecting it to be more (less). Everything looks good with no off smells. I'm going to let it keep going as it is. I'm thinking I should get it at least under 12 lbs. I would hit the 30% weight loss 11.62 lbs.
> 
> So the question for you dry aging experts: Is the percentage of weight loss a phantom number and age is more important or vice-versa?


Although not an expert, of course age is important when dry curing. The weight loss, when dry curing, can closely be predicted. As you are not actually dry curing the weight loss may not be comparable. 

T


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## browneyesvictim

39 Days













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__ Apr 20, 2017






45 days













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Ending weight just shy of 14 lbs, The batteries in my digital scales went dead, so I had to break out ol' trusty rusty!













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__ Apr 20, 2017






Here is the bottom side out of the bag. There is no bad smells at all or any visible mold. Just darker.













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__ browneyesvictim
__ Apr 20, 2017






Trimming. When I do this again, I think I will trim off the in-between the rib bone meat before-hand to make this flat and easier to trim. I can use that trim before, but now that was all waste.













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__ browneyesvictim
__ Apr 20, 2017






I really didn't need to trim off very much. Just the hard darker outer surface. More like shaving it than trimming it. Just getting around the uneven surface where the ribs were was the most tedious/













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__ browneyesvictim
__ Apr 20, 2017






Sliced shots.













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Ended up with 12 steaks each 1-1/2" thick.













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2 lbs of trim total after subtracting the weight of the bowl.













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__ Apr 20, 2017






And thank you to Lisa Bilotta @ vacuumsealersunlimited.com  and Dirtsailor for the VacMaster Pro 380 recommendation, I am LOVING my new sealer! This thing is so FAST and POWERFUL! 













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__ browneyesvictim
__ Apr 20, 2017






So now.... for the final taste test, that will be forthcoming. As badly as I wanted to enjoy one of these yesterday, I already had some SL ribs planned that were going that turned out really good too! (Al's never fail method) braised in hippie juice! Stand by for a plated shot of steak. I think I will do a simple scant salt, pepper and garlic over lump oak charcoal with Kiawe chunks. ...or possibly Sous Vide for a couple hours at 135' and pan sear or torch.... hmmm...


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## mneeley490

Oh,  baby, baby!


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## myownidaho

Looks great! I'm now sure where I'm going to find the room, but I have got to dry age some meat.


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## dirtsailor2003

Looking great! Can't beat the 380... 

My bresola is ready to put in the UMAi tonight.then another long wait!


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## browneyesvictim

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__ browneyesvictim
__ Apr 20, 2017





In the water bath with my home made SV controller.


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## atomicsmoke

Steaks look awesome. Seems the yield is better in bags than classic dry aging. I imagine less moisture less: something between dry and wet aging?

Looking forward to cut view.


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## browneyesvictim

Thanks. But you don't see it cut above?

I think the next one will not be in a bag and go for 30 days. This is a very old (but good) refrigerator. Bu i am checking it's humidity control with an instument. That might be part of it.


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## atomicsmoke

Browneyesvictim said:


> Thanks. But you don't see it cut above?
> 
> I think the next one will not be in a bag and go for 30 days. This is a very old (but good) refrigerator. Bu i am checking it's humidity control with an instument. That might be part of it.



I meant "cooked" cut.


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## browneyesvictim

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__ Apr 20, 2017






Out of the SV bath.


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## browneyesvictim

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__ Apr 20, 2017





Seasoned with garlic, fresh ground pepper and some special sea salt thanks to dirtsailors PNW care package!


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## browneyesvictim

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Seared with the kitchen torch. Omg... the aroma!!!


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## browneyesvictim

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__ Apr 20, 2017






Served with fresh green beans with bacon and onions Sautéed mushrooms with garlic and Henderson relish, potato wedges seasoned with Lay's bbq seasoning.


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## browneyesvictim

I













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## atomicsmoke

Just perfect. Nicely done.


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## browneyesvictim

atomicsmoke said:


> Steaks look awesome. Seems the yield is better in bags than classic dry aging. I imagine less moisture less: something between dry and wet aging?
> 
> Looking forward to cut view.


I think I would agree. I was expecting  more water weight loss, but the added yield was a bonus!


atomicsmoke said:


> Just perfect. Nicely done.


Thank you. It was about as tender as one could expect for a ribeye- literally "fork tender" and melt in your mouth delicious! As much as I like the results of Sous Vide method I did miss the flavor of firing over wood or charcoal flames though. I intentionally chose this way because I wanted to enjoy the unadulterated beef flavor (other than light salt pepper and garlic) from the aging process. But that was just the seasoning/favor which is easily adapted. and overcome. It was far from bland and had great flavor, however I was expecting just a little more intense beef flavor from the aging process. This is what Tom (Mr T.) has been saying all along. I think I get it now!

The next one will be out of the bag for 30 days. I only have 10 steaks left now, so I better get started!


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## mr t 59874

Browneyesvictim said:


> I was expecting just a little more intense beef flavor from the aging process. This is what Tom (Mr T.) has been saying all along. I think I get it now!
> 
> The next one will be out of the bag for 30 days. I only have 10 steaks left now, so I better get started!


You hit the nail on the head. Wet aging such as you are doing by not allowing the air to actually come into contact with the meat will definitely tenderize the meat, and decrease moisture loss, but does little to improve the flavor. Improved flavor when dry aging does not begin until day 21. 

Suggest you let it age 45 days. Yes you can expect more trimming, but that is part of the price we pay to get the absolute ultimate in flavor.

T


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## browneyesvictim




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## anglerman

browneyesvictim


So how did you like the dry aged compared to wet age?


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## browneyesvictim

The ""naked" aged definitely had better flavor than the Umai bag aged. I don't think I would care for a true "wet" aged beef that had gone 30 days. But all of the ones I have done have been cryovac bagged for some period. I think the next one I am going to do, I am going to get some "hang-meat" ribeye that has never been in a cryovac at all to dry age 

Ive got some dry cure peperoni that I will be putting in Umai casings in the near future, otherwise I would have another one going now. I dunno... might be able to do both...


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