Rant: That fancy butcher shop downtown doesn't know how to age beef

I stopped into The Local Meat Co. on 3rd Street last weekend, and I couldn't believe what I saw. They had a ribeye in the case labeled as 'dry aged 45 days' but it was wrapped in plastic and sat right next to the pork chops like it was nothing. No airflow, no humidity control - that meat was just sitting there losing moisture wrong. Has anyone else noticed these trendy shops faking it with aging claims?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant.parker20d agoTop Commenter

Read a blog that called them out for the same thing last month.

river_jones20d ago

Yeah, that's a dead giveaway. Real dry aging needs a controlled room with airflow and specific temp/humidity, not a cooler. I've seen places wrap their "aged" beef in butcher paper and call it dry aged when it's just wet aged with extra steps. If the meat sits in plastic, it's basically marinating in its own juices instead of getting that concentrated flavor. Check if the cut has a darker, firmer crust and a nutty smell - that's what real dry aging does. Otherwise you're just paying extra for regular beef that sat around a few days longer.