What Is Dry-Aged Beef, and Why Does It Taste Better?

Dry-aged beef is beef that hangs in a cold room with controlled humidity and lots of airflow for weeks before it is cut. Moisture slowly leaves the meat, the flavor gets deeper and the natural enzymes in the beef make it more tender.

At Five Marys we dry age every carcass at least 14 days, and we prefer 21 to 28, before we cut a single steak or grind any beef. It is one of the biggest reasons our beef tastes the way it does.

What is dry-aged beef?

After harvest, the beef hangs just above freezing in a room where the humidity and air flow are controlled. It used to be how all good beef was handled. Today it takes extra time, space and care, so most of the industry has moved away from it.

Dry-aged vs. wet-aged beef: what is the difference?

Most beef in the US is broken down into big pieces soon after harvest, vacuum sealed and boxed. It "wet ages" in that bag while it travels to grocery stores and distributors. Ground beef often gets no aging at all.

Dry aging is the opposite. The beef is open to the air, so water leaves the meat instead of sitting in the bag with it. You end up with beefier flavor and a more tender bite.

What does dry-aged beef taste like?

Richer and more "beefy" than what most people are used to, with a slightly nutty, savory flavor. The texture is tender without being mushy. People tell us all the time that our ground beef tastes different. This is why.

Why does marbling matter for dry aging?

Dry aging works best on beef with good marbling. We finish our cattle on GMO-free steam-flaked barley and alfalfa, which gives that clean white marbling. Very lean beef tends to dry out instead of getting better with time.

Why does dry-aged beef cost more?

It takes weeks of space in a cold room, the beef loses water weight while it hangs, and the dry outer layer gets trimmed off before cutting. That is more time and less meat at the end. We think it is worth every bit, and it is the only way we do it.

How do you cook a dry-aged steak?

Keep it simple. Thaw it in the fridge, pat it dry, salt it well and cook it hot. Dry-aged steaks brown fast, so use a thermometer and pull them a few degrees early. Our tomahawk and filet guide walks through it step by step.

Starting with good meat, a little tallow and good salt makes a great steak dinner easy. You really do not need much else.

Shop dry-aged beef

• Dry-aged steaks
• Dry-Aged Ground Beef
• Bone-In Rib Eye and New York Strip
• Rancher's Salt and Pepper and M5 Cooking Tallow Sticks for searing

Every cut is raised on our ranch, harvested in our own on-site, Temple Grandin-designed USDA facility, dry aged, hand cut, flash frozen within hours and shipped to you on dry ice. No middlemen.

Quick answers

How long is Five Marys beef dry aged?

Every carcass hangs at least 14 days, and we like 21 to 28 days best. We do not cut a single steak or grind any beef until the whole carcass is aged.

Is dry-aged beef safe to eat?

Yes. It ages in a cold, controlled room under USDA inspection, and the dry outer layer gets trimmed off before the steaks are cut.

Is your ground beef dry aged too?

It is. Because we age the whole carcass before we grind, our ground beef gets the same aging as our steaks. Most ground beef at the store gets no aging at all.

Does dry-aged steak cook differently?

A little. It has less water in it, so it browns faster and can overcook faster. Salt it, sear it hot and use a thermometer.

Thank you for trusting us with your family's table!