What does aging or aged meat mean?
In the old days before refrigeration the only way to preserve meat was by salting or smoking it. So, slaughter was usually in the colder months and the meat was left under shelter, but at the mercy of the weather to “age”, sometimes helped by using salt or smoke. This process resulted in weight loss caused by evaporation.
A fine example of this is BEHER Jamon where they still rely on just salt and the weather to cure the finest Jamons in Spain. Every country had or has its traditional method of curing from Bacalao in Norway to smoking Salmon in London (the London Cure)
Nowadays some butchers and private individuals swear by having their own curing rooms or fridges to re-create the conditions which occur naturally. Here in Thailand, we see several people banging on about dry-aged beef, but my personal opinion is that it concentrates the flavours so much that they change completely and are then not so palatable being too strong a taste.
It is used as a gimmick, but I am not inclined to follow them.
Of course, if someone wants the best beef for dry-aging, we will happily supply.
Bob Coombes
Managing Director
Choice Foods Thailand Ltd.
