Here's Exactly What Dry Aging Does To Beef And Steak

When you order a dry-aged steak at a restaurant, you know that you are in for something special. The meat has a deep flavor and tender texture that just can't be matched by unaged beef. The process of dry aging is a complicated one, so we reached out to Jon Urbana, founder of KOW steaks, for some expert insight.

Urbana explains dry aging like this: "The process allows moisture to evaporate and natural enzymes to break down the muscle, resulting in a steak that's richer, more tender, and packed with umami." You see, when beef is dry aged, it is kept in a tightly controlled environment, with the meat exposed to the air around it, allowing it to essentially start breaking down naturally. There are several processes that occur, each of them altering the meat in its own way, and resulting in a better steak. Or, as Urbana puts it, "Dry aging adds complexity to beef in every way — it deepens the flavor, enhances tenderness, and creates a more refined, almost buttery texture."

Like many of the best culinary techniques, there is a lot of science happening behind the scenes. You might not necessarily need to understand it all in order to cook the best dry aged steak, but more knowledge is never a bad thing in the kitchen. So let's dig into the specifics of those processes a bit.

Dry aging is simply the controlled decomposition of a cut of meat. While that word — decomposition — carries some negative connotations, when expertly applied in carefully controlled conditions and for specific time periods, it can be an excellent tool. After meat is cut, it goes through a rigor mortis process within the first few hours, hardening the meat. For most cuts, if you were to try to cook it during this time, the finished product would be tough and dry. Pretty rapidly, however, enzymes and lactic acid begin their work on the meat, softening it and improving the texture. This tenderizing process happens quickly, with most of the change occurring within the first 4 days, but it continues to improve for about 8 days.

Collagen, too, begins to soften during dry aging. In well-marbled cuts — the best cuts of meat to dry age — collagen can lead to toughness in unaged meat. But the process of dry aging breaks down the collagen in the meat, turning the toughest parts of the steak tender and buttery, similarly to what happens when you slow cook collagen-rich meats.

The final major effect of dry aging is the change in flavor. This process takes longer, and is why beef is generally dry aged for 3-8 weeks. The unique flavors of dry-aged beef are the result of continued enzymatic action. While tenderization may taper off after about 8 days, those enzymes keep boosting flavor for much longer. The enhanced umami and rich, buttery flavors that Urbana mentions are the result of this long, slow enzymatic process.

Even if you've never tasted a dry-aged steak, now you understand what all of the hype is about. It is tender, buttery, and packed with flavor. But how does wet aging stack up against dry aging? And how should you decide which method is best? According to Urbana, "It really comes down to the flavor and quality you're after — and how long you're able to store the meat." Elaborating, he said, "Dry-aging improves the product more the longer it's aged, often hitting a sweet spot around 28 days or more. Wet-aging, on the other hand, has a shorter window. Since the meat is sealed in its own juices, it can only sit for so long before it spoils."

If you don't have a lot of time, or you can't keep the best spot in the fridge to dry-age meat free for a month, wet aging does do some similar things. Wet aging beef requires simply sealing the meat in its own juices, and allowing similar enzymatic breakdown to occur, which greatly enhances the tenderness of the meat. Wet aging periods are often shorter, generally around 7-14 days, but can be extended as long as 14 weeks, so long as conditions are carefully controlled.

The downside to wet aging is that the meat does not take on those same nutty, buttery flavors that occur with dry aging. Wet aged beef is tender and delicious, but with a standard beefy flavor. As Urbana says it, "If you're looking for bold flavor, tender texture, and a more elevated experience, dry-aging is the way to go."