Dry Aged Beef –

I’ve always thought that there is a direct, if not indirect relationship between great steaks and roast and dry aging. I remember a long time ago, before I was even allowed to turn on a stove, much less grill, watching a cooking show, probably Julia Child on PBS. I heard cooking was form of breaking down of the flesh through, heat, acid, like when you add lemon to fish, or spices/curing in a meat locker, like charcuterie.

From that point on I became a fan of dry aged beef –whenever I was fortunate enough to have a really good steak, it was usually from the restaurant my grandfather managed inNew York. Today, times have changed. Most beef you get comes to the store 21 days after the animals have been slaughtered and stuffed in a cryovack bag that that has been wet aged  (i.e. meat soaking in its own juices). No dry aging occurs after that point, unless you request it.

I have a great butcher that will dry age a whole rib roast for me or a hind quarter if I like, for as long as I like, so there always ample dry aged beef when I want it.

If you are in an area that has a great old time butcher shop you can request that your butcher dry age a joint from a properly raised and well hung mature animal, otherwise you will get a calf that is around 18+ months. The best beef is from a steer that is over 25 months old, before slaughter.  If your butcher does not know the age, you may want to look elsewhere.

Typically, if you ask, your butcher, your selection can be dry aged for an additional 21 to 25 days; even more if you like. In most case, but not all; in order to have your beef dry aged, you will need to purchase at least ½ of the 12 – 14 pound joint. If your butcher will not dry age your selection on premise, then you will need to bring it home to dry age.

However if you are in an area where a good butcher is a dying art form, you can always go to a big box specialty grocery store like WholeFoods, and ask the meat cutter (They don’t have real butchers any more) to give you an untrimmed steak and age it in your refrigerator for another 2 or 3 days.

If you frequent your store often, you can ask your meat cutter to special order a rib roast, tender loin, or other premium cut from the top sirloin. You will have to age the whole section yourself uncovered in your refrigerator for another 21 days. The other option is to buy there Dry Aged Beef that was wet aged 21 days and dry aged just a few days more. I think that our local WholeFoods meat cutter said it was an additional 7 or 8 days more. Just be forewarned, that you will most likely be getting a younger cut (18 – 21 months), from an unknown origin.

Now that you have your ideal cut aged to perfection, and barely trimmed to your liking, that means leave the fat on for lubrication so that the meat does not dry out. It can always be trimmed after cooking and warmed to room temperature; you are ready to cook your steak.

Dirty Steaks –

I understand that this cooking method may have started with wild game, and later adapted for meat by Eisenhower. I tried it by accident when I was camping as a cadet at Marion Military Institute in South Alabama. A group of the cadets and I that were part of our Canoeing club would camp out on the Cahaba River, after we had stopped from a day of paddling. We would grill chicken and steaks, or whatever we could …uh borrow from the kitchen, I can guarantee you it was not aged.

Most of the time we would have pointed sticks or coat hangers  fashioned into some semblance of a skewer, if we had any forethought; and then we would cook the meat over an open fire. What ended up happening, the meat would drop in the fire, and we would let it rest and then turn it over to finish cooking.

Occasionally we would even wipe off the bit of coals left on the meat… That usually depended if we had stopped off at a convenience store for libations before we started our booze inspired trek down the river.

OK here is the drill, pun intended – The new and improved version is bringing your favorite steaks to room temp, patted dry on both sides. The number one tip for a good crust on the outside is a dry steak, regardless if you are grilling or trying to make a dirty steak.

Moving on, I prefer an inch and a half or a two inch thick rib-eye, well salted with Maldon sea salt, placed directly on the coals started from hardwood.

The best way I’ve found to get the best coals, is to use an old Webber chimney starter with a wad of newspaper crumbled up in the bottom and lit with only a match. Don’t use lighter fluid or any petroleum based liquid. Trust me on this. Load the chimney with your favorite hard wood; I like mesquite or an apple wood.

Once the coals are red and all of the hardwood is burning, dump the coals in the pit, after a few minutes, depending on the wood you use; you will have a perfect fire. To test when you can’t hold your hand over the coals for more than a second or two your coals are hot enough. Using news paper or a magazine, fan the top of the coal to blow away some of the loose debris.

Depending on thickness, cook each side 4 – 5 minutes (MR) 6 – 7 minutes (M) – anymore and the meat will cook too fast, and you will have beef charcoal. You can touch the meat for doneness. I use a combination of timing and the five finger test and watch the clarity of the juice.

The five finger test, not to be confused with a five finger discount,  is to hold your hand out using the dorsal interosseous muscle (the large muscle between the thumb and index finger), as a guide, touch the muscle with your hand open – that resistance should mimic the way a rare steak would feel. Some suggest testing using the muscle below the thumb.

Touching your index finger to your thumb, that tension on the dorsal interosseous muscle should mimic what a medium rare steak should feel to the touch, going down the hand to your middle finger performing the same steps would be  mimic a medium steak, the ring finger would mimic medium well, and pinky to thumb would be well done. If this explanation is hard to follow there are complete blogs on the subject “Testing for doneness by feel” you can Google.

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Here are some resources you can review if you need more information:

• Steven Raichlen – {Beer-Can Chicken and 74 Other Off-Beat Recipes for the Grill}
• Julia Child PBS Episode – Dirty Steak with Hot Fanny Sauce
• Rick Marx {Everything Grilling Cook Book}– Page 46