Dry-aging a Steak at home (Part II)

There's a Part II? Wow, how cool is that? Well,..very. I could have cramped it all into one long, yawn-inducing post by simply updating the previous one but I thought a second one is less tiring to read and more focused.

Anyway, to continue from the last blog entry about dry-aging a steak at home, I'd like to address what the next steps are after those four days the meat had time to break down some of the fibrous tissues and tender up.

As you can see in the first picture, there are some rough spots on the meat, and they are located mostly on the outer fat layers or edges. That is dried-out fat and is not something we want on our steaks so we'll just trim it off with a sharp knife. Just don't cut off too much or cut too deep into the meat. Use good judgement.

The last picture on the bottom right shows that the amount that was cut is rather very little for two steaks so keep that in mind. Inspect the meat after it was unwrapped for those dry spots before taking a knife to them. Now a word about prepping the steaks for cooking. I don't recommend marinading the steaks after they have been dry-aged because the flavor profile will change drastically. Ideally, what you want from a well dry-aged steak is a robust flavor, a pure meaty flavor without being distorted by some marinade. All we do is salt the steaks liberally with kosher or sea salt, cover them with aluminum foil and rest them for about 30-45 minutes to bring them up to room temperature.

Bringing the meat up to room temperature is important because you don't want steaks that are warm on the outside but cold on the inside. While they are resting, pre-heat your oven to 450°F and place a cast iron pan inside. We will be using a technique that's called sear-roasting. Professional chef's use it in their kitchens every day.

Okay, once the oven has reached it's temperature, wait another 15 minutes for the pan to heat. You want the pan as hot as possible. Turn on one burner to high on the stove top and, using oven mitts (Pan will be VERY HOT!!), pull out the pan from the oven and place it on the burner. Put the steaks into the pan and sear for two minutes on each side.

And here's a quick heads-up: It will be a very smoky affair and I advise to turn your kitchen fan as well as opening a window so air can circulate and the smoke can get out. Ideally create a draft somehow. 

Whatever you do, don't let the smoke discourage you from trying this method. When done right, it works extremely well. I would also like to stress cooking times for dry-aged steaks. Depending on the thickness of the cut, the steaks should not spend more than 2-3, maybe 4 minutes in the oven. Too long and they can become tough and somewhat chewy and that can ruin the entire steak experience rather quickly. I suggest you use a food thermometer to get the desired doneness right.

• Rare: 115°F - 120°F
• Medium-rare: 125°F
• Well-done: 135°F

However, you can also just use the straight-up pan searing method by coating the bottom of the pan with some oil with a high smoke point, place the steaks inside and sear until done to your liking.

The best method for dry-aged steaks? Char-grilling with red-hot, not white, natural lump charcoal. The hotter the better. Grill the steaks for about 90 seconds on each side then finishing them off over indirect heat for another 2-3 minutes. Done.

Either way, the steaks will be fantastic in flavor, texture and tenderness.

There you have it.

Happy aging.