The Tools You Need to Dry-Age Beef at Home
The three-piece setup to dry-age your own meat
So you want to dry-age your own beef in your own home. First, we need to let you know it is more difficult and involved than some guides let on. Lining individual steaks with cheesecloth or paper towels, for example, come up dry and not in a good way.
For success, you’ll need to start with a large cut of meat, like a large rib roast. From there, dry-aging takes dedicated equipment, time, and large, primal cuts. We’re here to help you tackle the first of those three.
Emerson Mini Fridge
Meat your mini-fridge. Amazon
Speaking of dedicated, your best bet is a mini-fridge like this one from Emerson. The temperature must be kept consistent (between 36-40°F), and with your everyday refrigerator, the door gets opened how many times a day? Plus there’s the whole issue of meat picking up other food flavors, and vice versa.
Vornado Circulating Fan
The small desk fan is its very own Vornado. Amazon
As its name suggests, nothing allows air flow to circulate like the Vornado Compact Air Circulator Fan. (Yes, you will have to cut a small notch in the soft sealant around the door. But, and we say this with the utmost confidence—you can do it.)
Govee Temperature Monitor
The best monitors are the one that check in with you. Amazon
Remember that bit about temperature and air flow consistency? Well, this Govee Temperature Humidity Monitor records both and syncs to your phone via Bluetooth, which is great for the keep-the-fridge-closed aspect of this endeavor.
Pyrex Baking Dish
Like much in food, and in trays, it all comes down to preference. Amazon
Note: This piece is optional, but you should strongly consider some kind of tray-like object to catch any drippings. If you don’t have a tray lying around the kitchen already, this Pyrex is perfectly capable of lying around, or more accurately, under the meat.
