Hanging beef before cutting up

[FXDS]

Since we were discussing steaks on another thread, I thought I would ask how long most of you leave your beef hanging before processing.  Our local locker cuts everything up 7 days after slaughtering as a rule.  I make them hang our 21 days before cutting it up.  I like a dry aged piece of beef, I think it has more flavor and is more tender.  Sorry if this has already been discussed.l

 

[dori36]

Since we were discussing steaks on another thread, I thought I would ask how long most of you leave your beef hanging before processing.  Our local locker cuts everything up 7 days after slaughtering as a rule.  I make them hang our 21 days before cutting it up.  I like a dry aged piece of beef, I think it has more flavor and is more tender.  Sorry if this has already been discussed.l

I like a minimum of 14 days with a 21 day maximum.  The beef I have left in the freezer right now, that is mine, not Omaha's, hung for 17 days because the facility only killed beef one day a week also have a pretty minimal cutting/wrapping schedule.  So if I hadn't agreed to the 17 day, it would have hung way too long.  One has to remember that the longer you hang it, the shorter the shelf life becomes.  Also, all "hanging" isn't created equal.  I think that some processing facilities may not have the optimum climate, humidity-wise, for the long hangs.  It's important to question them.  I think 7 days is a little short.

 

[FXDS]

Great point on shelf life, you are correct, however shelf life isn't a problem for us at present with 7 growing children between ages 7 & 16.  If there are leftovers, they don't last long.  Made a 20 pound buzzard for Thanksgiving and nothing left by Saturday and it was just us, no relatives.  But you don't want to leave raw unfrozen 21 day meat in the refrig very long.  I seem to go from freezer to oven or crockpot most of the time.  Our meat cleaver gets used to cut through frozen meat regularly.

 

[braunvieh]

We prefer to let ours hang 21 days but our locker is very busy and does 14. However, we got them to cut ours last in the group so it was more like 17 days.

 

[Cowboy]

Culinery delight!

14 daysis pretty standard around the country in the small town lockers. I have alwaysliked the 17-18 day beef better - IF it had been properly stored. It is an art to say the least.

In contrast -- go ask the current BIG packers how they do thier beef!! hehehe -- kill at noon, flask cool it, and by the start of the next shift -- it's in a hundred peices already going on a truck still bubling with Ln2 and headed for the ship yards! Pretty sad -- no wonders it has the consistency of old rubber and a flavor of the bottom of your boot!

Still, it's better than the stuff we usually see in the great Wall Mart stores -- unless it has changed inthe last couple weeks, -- THAT is more often from overseas too. 10.00 plus per pound of rubberized steaks is not sometihng I care to buy!

We raise our own most years too -- didn't have one left over to feed this year -- any donations ?? hehehe

Merry Christmas to all !

Terry

 

[the_cowgirl_in_me]

At my school, in my processing class we let em hang for 7-10 days unless asked otherwise by the owner.

 

[red]

personally dislike really aged beef. Seemed that in New York they really age theirs.
We don't butcher anymore because w/ just Mark & myself it gets too old in freezer.

Red

 

[knabe]

dry ageing is different than hanging beef.  dry ageing is a more rigorous humidity controlled environment with less moisture which discourages mold growth.  also, some use cheesecloth and change it when mold grows. others appear not to put anything on and just trim it off.  real dry aged beef definitely has a different texture and taste.  i hang mine for 18-21 days if possible.  once cut, air is meat's worst enemy.  some of my customers request shrink wrap.  i never shrink wrap mine, and just go with the double wrap with the saran like wrap with the paper wrap.  haven't seen one frost damage section anywhere yet and i've had mine in the freezer for a year.  i just had a broiled flank, 5 minutes on side one, 4 on side two and medium rare inside.  i gotta say, it was more tender than some new york's i've had and the juices were awesome.  with the tenderness genes, the difference is more dramatic versus no tenderness genes the less time you hang it.  the more the meat is hung, the more they converge.

 

[knabe]

http://ars.usda.gov/sp2UserFiles/Place/30400510/Publications/USMARCBeefCarcassInstrumentGradingSystems.pdf

http://www.angusjournal.com/articlePDF/ACFF0AF.pdf

http://magissues.farmprogress.com/BeefProducer/BP01Jan08/bp06.pdf

http://java.sys-con.com/node/314403/print

http://cmsa-ascv.ca/documents/2002May-02Aalhuspgs4-6.pdf

http://old.asdi-rus.ru/products-qsbt.asp.htm

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5100846


looks like a genetic test is no longer necessary for tenderness.

at least now there is easier and potentially independently verifiable tools available.

i'm sure there will be some rapid sorting on cattle.

to me, what will be most interesting is what is causing the 5-6% tough ones graded tender and whether and how that will be reduced or eliminated.  should be a lot more interesting than the ridiculous genetic testing.  of course one needs a carcass to collect the data and surely the only way to get it for the small guy is retained ownership. of course also, once pedigrees start to filter out, things will get interesting.

annoyingly, this was only done on select carcasses. unknown whether tool works on carcasses w marbling.

 

[MCC]

Boy this is an old one isn't it? (lol)
A few years ago we had a steer to butcher. I always ask the butcher to let it hang 21 days. They would only let it hang 14 day's. My oldest son ( who was going to college at West Texas A&M University ) said dad I will butcher him. He came home and we killed him and hung him up. I said let's let him hang 21 day's. He didn't make it back for 30 day's. I said he has green stuff growing on him! He said don't worry I will cut that off you won't eat that! That was the best beef we have ever ate.  My opinion is longer is way better!

 

[whitecow]

Here is a pretty good summary/review of aging...

[url=http://www.beefresearch.org/cmdocs/beefresearch/dry%20Aging%20of%20beef.pdf]http://www.beefresearch.org/cmdocs/beefresearch/dry%20Aging%20of%20beef.pdf[/url]