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DA-2003:
9 INFORMATION ABOUT DRY AGEING
Meat from animals should not be consumed when the animal has just been slaughtered
because of the rigor mortis process that happens to all animal carcasses. Freshly-
slaughtered meat is tough and fibrous, so it is left to rest while the muscles relax and the
piece becomes more tender and its flavour improves. Dry ageing allows this process to
happen in a controlled way to obtain juicy meat with optimum flavour and texture.
Your new cabinet performs this meat ageing process by the dry ageing method, which
essentially consists of the following:
The pieces of meat must undergo an ageing process for at least 14 to 28 days, but we
recommend 21 days. It must never be more than 40 days because, after around day 30,
more than 90% of possible muscle fibre breakdown has already happened. Following this
period, the softening of the meat is due to decomposition of other proteins, and aroma and
flavour are lost. This process should take place in a controlled environment at a
temperature close to the meat's freezing point, but without reaching it (1 to 3°C) to achieve
the correct enzyme action. The cabinet should keep humidity stable to control microbial
metabolism at around 55%-70% RH. Air flow around the pieces of meat should be constant
to encourage ageing and avoid bacterial growth and foul odours enveloping the product.
All this results in a process called "proteolysis," which is the degradation of muscle proteins
due to the activation of certain endogenous enzymes. This process enhances the meat's
most flavourful components and amino acids, resulting in meat that is more tender, due to
the breakdown of muscle fibres, and juicier.
The dry ageing of meat should always be controlled and supervised by an expert
responsible for changing the factory settings based on experience. To achieve optimum
results, it is essential to understand the process well and use high-quality meat.
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