Dry Aged Beef: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Last updated on Aug 27, 2021
Val Goodrich

Featuring familiar ingredients with an unexpected twist is the best way to build an innovative menu for your restaurant. Experimenting with new garnishes, attempting unique plating techniques, or putting a new spin on familiar favorites are all excellent ways to elevate your restaurant's service. Whether you're catering to the adventurous eater or faithful carnivore, dry-aged beef is the perfect standard setter for your menu. But what is dry-aged beef, and how is it different than a cut of steak? We explain all that and more so you can be confident before heating up your grill to prepare your newest menu addition.

Click below to skip to the dry aged beef information that most interests you:

What Is Dry Aged Beef?

close up of dry aged beef on board in meat shop

Dry-aged beef is meat that has been placed in a controlled, open-air environment for an extended period. When beef is dry aged, moisture is slowly drawn out of it, allowing enzymes to break down the muscle fibers and resulting in a more tender and flavorful steak.

Like pickling and fermenting, dry-aging is a preservation method that dates back thousands of years. Dry-aged beef has long been considered a delicacy by food enthusiasts, and its unique and intense flavor profile makes it a favorite among steak connoisseurs and high-end restaurants.

What Does Dry Aged Beef Taste Like?

Most chefs and meat connoisseurs believe dry-aged beef has a more intense, complex flavor than its freshly cut counterpart. When aged properly, dry beef delivers an unforgettable umami flavor. Many people describe the taste of dry-aged beef as nutty and extra beefy.

Why Is Dry Aged Beef Better?

Compared to fresh beef, dry-aged beef has a highly concentrated flavor and tender texture. Dry-aging beef naturally breaks down any tough muscles, resulting in ultra-tender meat. As beef dry ages, the cuts lose around 15%-20% of their moisture, making the beef far more concentrated and creating a bolder, more meaty flavor.

How to Dry Age Beef

dry aging beef in black metal dry ager

Dry aging beef is a slow and methodical process, and you should closely monitor your beef as it ages for the best results. Butchers use primal or sub-primal cuts of meat to lessen excessive trimming of the crust that forms during the aging process and set the cuts in rooms that are humidity- and airflow-controlled. We'll walk you through the process of dry-aging beef below.

  1. Butchers separate primal cuts from the animal during butchering, while sub-primal cuts are carved into more specialty pieces.
  2. The butcher either hangs the meat or places it on racks to expose all sides of the meat to the airflow.
  3. Oxygen presents itself in the molecular bonds of the meat. This allows the natural enzymes in the meat to slowly break down.

Which Cuts of Meat Are Best for Dry Aging?

The following cuts of meat are best for dry-aging beef. These cuts have bones and fat layered throughout, which is optimal to prevent the meat from drying out too much:

  • T-Bones
  • Bone-In Ribeye
  • Sirloin
  • New York Strip/Strip Loin

How Does Dry Aged Beef Not Spoil?

Dry-aged beef doesn't spoil because of environmental controls and consistent monitoring. During the dry-aging process, beef is placed in a specialized room or chamber where temperature and humidity are carefully regulated. This controlled environment helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that could lead to spoilage. Moisture levels also play a crucial role in preserving dry-aged beef and should be monitored to maintain an optimal level while aging.

Is Dry Aged Beef Safe?

Dry-aged beef is safe as long as it is prepared correctly. To ensure the safety of dry-aged beef, butchers, steakhouses, and other professionals use dedicated facilities to control the aging process. It is crucial to source dry-aged beef from reputable suppliers who follow proper food safety protocols, as this ensures that the meat has aged correctly and further reduces potential risks.

Wet Aged vs Dry Aged Beef

dry aged beef with sauteed mushrooms topped with butter on black slate plate

There are two main methods of aging beef: wet-aging and dry-aging. The key difference between them is how they are exposed during the aging process.

  • Wet aging is the most common method used in the beef industry. Beef is placed in vacuum-sealed packaging, helping to retain moisture and prevent the growth of bacteria. It ages for about 4-10 days, depending on the desired flavor and tenderness.
  • Dry-aged beef is a more traditional and time-consuming process. The beef is exposed to open air, allowing it to naturally dry out. This exposure to air helps to concentrate the flavors and tenderize the meat. Dry aging typically takes weeks or even months to achieve the desired result.

How to Cook Dry Aged Beef

Cooking dry-aged beef may seem intimidating, but with the right techniques, you can achieve a delicious and flavorful steak that will impress your guests. Follow the steps outlined below to cook dry-aged beef to perfection:

  1. Thaw carefully: Dry-aged beef should be thawed carefully to preserve its texture and flavor. Allow yourself up to three days to completely thaw the beef in the refrigerator. Avoid thawing at room temperature to prevent bacterial growth.
  2. Season at the right time: To maximize the flavor of your dry-aged beef, season it just before cooking. Doing so prevents moisture from being drawn out of the meat. Use your favorite blend of seasonings or sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the steak.
  3. Sear the meat: Preheat your grill or stovetop pan to high heat. Searing the dry-aged beef on high heat will help to caramelize the surface, locking in the juices and creating a mouthwatering crust. Place the steak on the hot grill or pan and let it sear for a minute or two.
  4. Transfer to indirect heat: If using a grill, move the steak to the indirect heat zone or reduce the stovetop temperature to medium-low. This will ensure heat is evenly distributed throughout the meat, resulting in a perfectly cooked steak. Continue cooking until the beef reaches your desired doneness. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.

Remember that the cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the steak and your preferred level of doneness. It's always a good idea to use a meat thermometer to ensure that your dry-aged beef is cooked to your liking.

Why Is Dry Aged Beef More Expensive?

In most cases, dry-aged beef comes with a higher price tag. This price is attributed to two main factors:

  • Reduced yields: Beef undergoes a significant moisture loss during the dry-aging process. As a result, the beef weighs far less than when it first started. Any outer layers or parts that have dried out or become discolored must be trimmed. With large portions of the beef rendered unusable, the overall quantity of meat available for sale decreases.
  • Time-consuming process: Dry aging typically takes weeks or even months, depending on the desired level of flavor and tenderness. This extended period of time requires careful monitoring and precise environmental conditions to ensure the best possible outcome. As a result, labor, utility, and storage costs rise.
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If you're sold on dry-aged beef now, try adding it to your menu by making a steak flatbread recipe, or presenting it on its own with a dollop of compound butter. However you choose to serve it, your standard is elevated in the eyes of your customers and the content of your menu.

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Let them rest covered outside of the smoker for an additional 15 minutes. The meat will continue to absorb the sauce. Enjoy your crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside pork belly burnt ends. What to Serve with Burnt Ends What you should serve with burnt ends depends on whether you’re using them as an appetizer or as the centerpiece of your entree. Both crunchy and juicy, burnt ends also make a great mix-in for side dishes like baked beans. Whether you’re serving brisket or pork belly, discover what to eat with burnt ends below: Serve burnt ends between a bun as a sandwich. While they don’t lay flat and stay put like sliced brisket, these flavorful bites release their juice into the bun and create a messy but delicious BBQ sandwich option. Serve burnt ends in baked beans. Kansas City-style baked beans get their rich flavor from burnt ends, which soften when they’re simmered with these sweet and saucy baked beans. Serve burnt ends with Carolina-style red slaw. While mayo-based coleslaw is traditional for Kansas City BBQ, we recommend blending traditions and pairing burnt ends with the signature red vinegar-based coleslaw of the Carolinas. This tangy, light, vinegar-dressed coleslaw is a nice complement to the rich burnt ends. Serve burnt ends with roasted sweet potato. Just like burnt ends, roasted sweet potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, making them textural twins. Dress them in BBQ sauce to add moisture. Serve burnt ends as the protein in a BBQ boat. Many BBQ food trucks allow their customers to build a BBQ boat by layering two sides and the protein of their choice in a banana split boat. Serve burnt ends in BBQ tacos. Particularly if you use pork belly burnt ends, this is a fun twist on traditional tacos. BBQ restaurants can offer burnt ends tacos as a taco Tuesday special, or restaurants can promote them as a happy hour menu item. Serve burnt ends with mac and cheese. This is an indulgent pairing, but the tender noodles and creamy consistency of mac and cheese pair perfectly with the toothsome BBQ bark and juicy center of burnt ends. The flavors of smoke, cheese, and grain culminate in a filling dish that satiates appetites and indulges senses. Serve burnt ends on kababs with grilled vegetables. This is a great option for catered events and mobile food vendors who want to offer a portable food option. You could also serve them on food picks as an appetizer tray item at weddings and corporate events. Serve burnt ends with roasted Brussels sprouts. Brussels and bacon are a classic combination, so reinvent the tradition by using burnt ends instead. Burnt ends and bacon are equally rich, but burnt ends bring smoke and sweetness to the table. Replace the traditional balsamic glaze with BBQ sauce and you’ve got a down-home version of a bistro classic that will prove life really is sweeter in the South. Serve burnt ends inside a bao bun. Create a fusion twist on a street food classic and replace BBQ pork with burnt ends inside a bao bun. The soft, doughy bao creates a pleasant contrast to the chewy, sumptuous burnt-end meat. Back to Top Burnt Ends BBQ FAQ Knowing what burnt ends are, how to prepare them, and what to serve them with is a start, but you probably have a few more questions about this smoked meat candy before you add it to your menu. We answer frequently asked questions about burnt ends below, so you can move forward with incorporating this menu trend with confidence. How to Get Bark on Brisket Brisket bark is a key element of scrumptious burnt ends, but how do you get bark on brisket? Follow the tips below to develop flavorful and crunchy brisket bark on your burnt ends: Rub meat with oil before adding dry rub - Oil picks up smoke. Use a high sugar dry rub - Sugar helps build bark on brisket. Spray the brisket while it smokes - Spray once an hour while the internal temperature builds to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it reaches 165, wrap the brisket in butcher paper - The butcher paper protects the bark and retains moisture. Once wrapped, continue to smoke the brisket until it reaches the internal temperature of 203 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it reaches 203 degrees Fahrenheit, unwrap and finish with a last kiss of smoke - This will redevelop any bark that was washed away by pooled liquid in the butcher paper. Are Burnt Ends Fatty? Yes, burnt ends are fatty. Made from either brisket meat or pork belly meat, burnt ends contain approximately 50% fat content. However, burnt ends are not just crispy, juicy nuggets of fat. Burnt ends are made from the point cut of a brisket, which comes from the brisket primal (aka the pectoralis minor muscle). Brisket point has a dense layer of fat coating it as well as plentiful intramuscular fat marbling, but it is still a cut of meat. When making brisket burnt ends, they leave the fat layer intact to render the meat while it cooks, which imbues the meat with rich flavor. Burnt Ends vs Brisket Technically, burnt ends and brisket are the same things. Burnt ends are the trimmings from a smoked brisket. During the smoking process, the point cut of the brisket develops a rich, smoky bark and crunchy texture. Pitmasters trim off this flavorful section, cut them into cubes, sauce them, and then kiss them with smoke to caramelize them. These bites of BBQ bark and caramelized, well-marbled meat are known as burnt ends. Some pitmasters use pork belly meat to make burnt ends, but they prepare it in the same way as brisket burnt ends. What Part of Brisket Is Burnt Ends? Burnt ends come from the point half of a smoked brisket. The point half is the superficial pectoral. It is also called the “second cut” because when butchers separate the brisket muscles; they first remove the deep pectoral known as the “first cut” or the “flat cut”. The point half is also known as the “fat end” because it is much fattier than the lean, deep pectoral cut. Rib Tips vs Burnt Ends Rib tips and burnt ends are not the same things. Burnt ends are the BBQ bark-laden edges of slow-smoked brisket, and rib tips come from the short section butchers remove when they prepare squared-off ribs cuts like St. Louis style spareribs. They are distinct cuts of meat from separate animals, and they interact with heat differently. The heat cooks the fat off rib tips, but burnt ends absorb fat, giving them a richer flavor and juicier texture. How to Reheat Burnt Ends Burnt ends reheat well. We show you how to reheat burnt ends with your oven, smoker, and stovetop below. How to Reheat Burnt Ends in the Oven - To reheat burnt ends in the oven, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the burnt ends in a disposable aluminum pan and apply a fresh coat of barbeque sauce. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil, and warm it in the oven for 20 to 24 minutes. How to Reheat Burnt Ends in the Smoker - If you’d like to reheat your burnt ends in your smoker, preheat your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, place the burnt ends in a heat-resistant disposable tray. Lightly reapply your sauce and warm them for 30 minutes. How to Reheat Burnt Ends on the Stove - To reheat burnt ends on the stove, seal them in a bag with a vacuum sealer. Take a large pot and add 3 quarts of water for each pound of meat. Bring the water to a boil. Place your vacuum-sealed bag inside the pot. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the hot burner. Let the burnt ends rest in the water for 15 minutes, then remove the bag. Cut open the vacuum bag and remove the burnt ends. You can follow a similar process with the sous vide method to reheat your brisket without drying it out. Are Burnt Ends Pork or Beef? The most traditional burnt ends come from beef, specifically from the brisket point cut. However, given their popularity, some modern pitmasters prepare pork belly in the same style as brisket burnt ends to recreate this tender-centered, crunchy-edged delicacy with pork meat. Unless labeled as pork belly burnt ends, expect to receive beef burnt ends when you order them at a BBQ restaurant. If you have a food allergy, ask your server to confirm whether the burnt ends are brisket or pork belly meat. Burnt Ends BBQ Sauce As the hallmark dish of Kansas City style BBQ, Kansas City style BBQ sauce is the traditional finishing touch for burnt ends. Kansas City-style BBQ sauce is a fail-proof choice because it is the most popular type of barbecue sauce. Ketchup-based and swirled with molasses, this high sugar content sauce is an addicting staple in pantries nationwide. If you want to blend BBQ traditions, try dressing your burnt ends in Carolina Gold BBQ sauce or North Carolina vinegar BBQ sauce for tangy twists that will cut some of the fat in the burnt ends and produce balanced flavor bites. If you want to keep some of the sweetness but add some tang, try Memphis-style BBQ sauce. Fusion chefs may choose to sauce their burnt ends in bulgogi sauce or a tamarind chutney to blend the American BBQ tradition with global flavors. What Is National Burnt Ends Day? National burnt ends day is a national food holiday that takes place on September 1st. Offer a burnt end special on September 1st or host a burnt ends cookoff event at your restaurant to attract customers. Are Burnt Ends Healthy? Made from fatty cuts of meat and slathered in a sugar-rich sauce, burnt ends are not a healthy choice. Burnt ends pack a powerful protein punch, with an average of 27g of protein per one cup of smoked beef brisket burnt ends, which appeals to those wanting to add more protein to their diet. However, the allure of burnt ends is their decadence, not their health benefits. Back to Top Made from an inexpensive cut of meat, burnt ends are affordable to create. They reduce food waste by utilizing every morsel of delicious smoked brisket. Whether you serve them as an appetizer, entree, or add them to your favorite side dish, burnt ends will be the crown jewel of your menu.