Beef, pork, poultry, and even fish benefit from improved organoleptic characteristics through an appropriate aging process, which must be longer or shorter depending on the meat placed in the dry aging cabinets.
Meat Dry Aging Cabinets: Their Purpose and How They Work
In ancient times, preservation through aging was well known and frequently practiced because it allowed families to survive during periods of scarcity, ensuring a healthy and balanced diet. Early farmers discovered that aged meat was tastier, more tender, more flavorful, and more appealing, leading them to develop various meat aging methods.
Aging is an ancient meat maturation system practiced by our ancestors, who would hang large portions of meat in cellars to allow the meat to receive fresh air and humidity in the right amounts. With this procedure, meat remained good even after months and often improved in quality.
The process in aging cells is precisely this: letting the meat mature to enhance and improve its flavors and taste.
The Benefits obtained with a Meat Aging Cell are many:
- Matures the meat safely
- Accessible to any skilled chef or butcher
- Helps make the meat more tender and digestible
- Allows for new gastronomic and sensory experiences
- Meets the growing demand for aged meat
- Matures sustainable meats
There are professional and home models available on the market, but the principle of placing the meat in a refrigeration cell is the same.
The equipment is generally constructed from stainless steel and plastic-coated steel. High-quality materials are combined with a disinfection system, which sterilizes the air inside the refrigerator to eliminate germs and bacteria. Additionally, glass panels transform some refrigeration cells into display cases, allowing the gradual aging process to be observed.
Which Meats Benefit from Aging
Aging makes meat suitable for consumption; immediately after slaughter, meat cannot be eaten but must rest under appropriate temperature and humidity conditions to achieve tenderness and enhance the characteristic flavors and aromas of aged meat.
Although aging improves and enhances the meat, it cannot turn poor-quality meat into something good. Therefore, users of aging cabinets must make informed choices. For example, for beef, it is advisable to choose older specimens raised in extensive, sustainable farms, naturally fed, and grown outdoors.
Aging has a different approach with meat cuts; it performs better on less valuable and more affordable cuts. Since maturation highlights the hidden flavors and textures within the meat, less luxurious cuts tend to ensure a greater qualitative change in the product.
How to Choose a Dry Aging Cabinet
The choice of a dry aging cabinet depends on its intended use: for occasional home use, professional use, solely for aging, or also to showcase an attractive and cutting-edge design. Various models of meat aging cells are available with different accessories, but all must guarantee:
- A perfect microclimate inside
- Optimal airflow
- UV protection
- Continuous disinfection
Moreover, if there is uncertainty about the duration of the refrigeration cell’s use, it is essential to understand the aging process duration, which depends on the breed, size, age of the specimen, the experience of the person monitoring the process, and their objective. Therefore, the use of aging cells can last from 18-20 days up to 120 days or more, when one wants to experiment and explore flavors.
Depending on the nature of the meat placed in the aging cells, various types of aging can be achieved:
- Beef aging
- Pork aging
- Lamb aging
- Poultry aging
- Fish aging
Depending on the goals of restaurateurs or butchers, professional refrigeration cells for aging and meat maturation can be equipped with various accessories such as:
- Robust shelves, individually inserted at different heights
- Stainless steel bar for hanging loin cuts, stable and height-adjustable
- High-quality stainless steel S-hooks, with a load capacity of up to 100 kg, ideal for hanging loins on the bone
- Rotating wheel hook, which facilitates the positioning of loins in the refrigerator
- Tray for salt blocks
- Advanced LED technology, allowing the light color to be conveniently adjusted via remote control
- Remote control, to manage the operation and parameters of the cell
If you want to purchase a dry aging cabinet for meat, contact the Cook-In team. We are always available to advise you on the most suitable custom solutions for your needs.
