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Prather Ranch is proud to prepare its organic and all-natural beef using the
traditional dry-aging process. Aging is a process intended to tenderize and
develop the flavor in meat. Under controlled temperatures, the muscle fibers
relax, yielding a less resilient piece of meat that is more tender to chew and
pleasurable to eat. The original method of aging, called dry-aging, has become
increasingly rare and is only usually done for a very limited market.
Dry-aging
To dry-age beef, a carcass is hung in a temperature controlled (34-38 degree F.)
cooler for two to three weeks. During this time the beef loses moisture and
develops flavor. After dry aging, besides the reduction of carcass weight from
moisture loss, there is a great deal of trimming to be done to cut away the dry
outer surface. The results: deliciously tender yet firm steaks with
incomparable flavor.
Wet-aging
Instead of dry-aging, most of today's "aged beef" undergoes the wet-aging
process. The fresh cuts of meat are vacuum-packed in plastic bags and are
allowed to sit at temperatures between 34-38 degrees F for 7 to 28 days.
Inside the plastic, the beef does age and become more tender, but there is
none of the flavor development or moisture loss that distinguishes dry-aging.
All our organic and natural beef is dry-aged.
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