Tried wet aging vs dry aging on the same prime rib roast last month

I picked up two 8-pound prime rib roasts from the same steer at my supplier in Omaha and aged one wet in cryovac and one dry in my cooler at 38 degrees for 28 days. The dry aged one lost about 18% weight but the flavor was way more intense, almost nutty, while the wet aged one was tender but kinda bland in comparison. Has anyone else run a side by side test like this and landed on a clear winner for your shop?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wesley17d ago

Man, I did basically the exact same test a couple years back with some ribeyes from a local farm and yeah the dry aged ones were just on another level. The wet aged ones were fine, like what you'd get at a decent restaurant, but that concentrated beefy flavor and the texture after dry aging is hard to beat. I ended up vacuum sealing the dry aged ones in smaller portions after trimming off the pellicle and they held up great for months in the freezer. Now I just do all my nicer cuts dry aged unless I'm in a hurry for something.

wesley_jones17d ago

I mean is it really that big of a difference though? Like for a dinner party or something I get it but for a normal Tuesday steak I feel like wet aged is just fine and way less hassle.

danielnelson17d ago

I read somewhere that dry aging can boost umami compounds by up to four times compared to wet aging, which matches what you found.