Let’s get one thing straight – old steak and aged steak are two completely different things. The former deserves punishment, the latter is a delicacy. For some, “fresh is not always best” might be a hard concept to wrap their heads around, but really, there’s science at play here. Ageing beef intensifies flavour, tenderises the meat by breaking down muscle fibres, and creates an infinitely more delicious steak. Like ageing fine wine (low pH wines age slower), beef pH levels are the starting point of extending the ageing process, and with it flavour intensity and texture. Wet ageing maintains a slightly lower pH and higher moisture level, resulting in a milder taste, while dry aging fosters a more complex flavour profile through controlled dehydration and microbial action. Careful pH management through either technique ensures a safe and delicious result. It’s all about figuring out which one works best for your personal preference.
WET-AGED BEEF
Wet ageing takes place in a temperature and humidity controlled ageing room. The meat is vacuum sealed and refrigerated, therefore slowly marinating in its own juices. No outside bacteria, oxygen or flavour components are added or lost, which also means less weight loss during this process compared to dry ageing. Here, the meat’s own enzymes work to break down the connective tissues inside the muscles, increasing the tenderness of the meat. As the meat ages, the more tender the it will become, and the more moisture is created inside the vacuum bag. Wet-aged beef maintains its original deep cherry red colour and shape, and is known for being tender, succulent and flavourful. As this process doesn’t alter the natural flavours of the steak, wet-aged cuts are classically beefy and versatile.
It was not only their famous six-week wet-aged rib-eye but also their unique system of graduated temperature control that garnered Belthazar a slew of steakhouse of the year awards. “Our reputation as one of South Africa’s finest meat restaurants was built on expertise we developed in wet-ageing our beef,” says Belthazar owner Ian Halfon. Upon delivery, whole sides, pistolas, bone-in racks as well as boneless individual cuts are stabilised at a low temperature, after which they are transferred to slightly warmer meat-chillers for wet and dry ageing. This allows the meat to acclimatise, natural pH increase to slow and, ultimately, refined flavours to develop.
DRY-AGED BEEF
Dry ageing also takes place in a temperature and humidity-controlled meat chiller. The beef is purposefully left on the bone and exposed to air, allowing oxygen to feed on aerobic bacteria already present and active within the meat. This spurs the meat’s enzymes into action, breaking down the molecular bonds, affecting the beef’s proteins and adding greater complexity to the flavour. The beef slowly develops a layer of “good mould” as it ages, but don’t worry – this outer layer doesn’t spoil the meat. Rather, it forms a crust that unlocks the natural enzymes in the beef, helping to tenderise and increase the flavour of the meat, and is trimmed away once the ageing process is complete. During this time, the meat’s natural moisture evaporates – sometimes shrinking a cut up to 50% – concentrating the meaty flavour. Dry-aged steaks are paler than wet-aged ones, often with a brownish hue, and may look dry or compact due to moisture evaporation. These cuts have an intensely savoury and rich aroma, and a deeply beefy and nutty flavour. They are more tender than wet-aged beef with a soft, yet structured mouthfeel.
At Belthazar we have spent years perfecting our dry-ageing programme. Despite being close to the coast where the humidity is naturally higher, the Western Cape’s weather fluctuates dramatically and dry-aged beef in a regular chiller becomes overly dry if matured for between 4-6 weeks. This is the experience of Belthazar master butcher Jeremiah Lategan, who adds that the fat content, cut location and breed of cattle, all impact its ageing. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. Delivering the perfect dry-aged steak takes precision in maturation and requires skill during preparation. The pellicle (hard outer skin) and superficial bone layers are trimmed, after which the steaks are cut into various sizes, bone-guard applied, and are then vacuum sealed and chilled again. At this stage, our expert grillers must carefully adjust the flame-grilling temperature and duration according to the length and method of ageing. The results speak for themselves, with Belthazar’s signature Chicago Cut (a bone-in, dry-aged rib-eye) having gained a legendary status, especially amongst beef connoisseurs.
Unsure of your preference? At Belthazar we have both dry- and wet-aged beef. Discover the intricate delights of both ageing processes through a variety of steak cuts.
