http://blog.golbsalt.com/2012/09/07/...lly-dry-aging/
We have messed around with this and have gone 40 days. Have never used sea salt, just rock salt. Mossy is right that longer loses too much to really justify the difference.
We have done Deer backstraps for 28 days and people did not realize it was deer they were eating. Need to keep the humidity up at least 80% as well.
Had a 5 year old bull break a leg once and took the loin and tried dry aging it for 28 days thinking it would improve the tenderness, some but not enough to matter.
Here is a link explaining dry aging a bit.
http://www.beefresearch.org/CMDocs/BeefResearch/Dry aging enhances palatability of beef.pdf
http://gizmodo.com/5866754/the-science-of-taste-or-why-dry-aged-meat-is-so-damned-delicious
This one explains that one ammino acid generated by dry aging is MSG which is what is artificially put in food that makes your mouth water
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G2209
Have a friend that finishes cattle. He gets prime ribs from the packer that buys his cattle. He will wet age the primeal in the cryovac for 40 days and they are some of the best prime ribs I have ever eaten. We have done this a couple times as well.
Improved processing lowering pathogen levels allows for beef to be wet aged with some pretty good results. Tenderness differences between wet and dry aged beef is minimal at best, like guy says dry aging changes beefs flavor a bit. Some people like it some don;t.
I like em both.
When you wet age a primal you have to make certain there are no leaks, (fluids draining out or the plastic puffing up)
Make sure you know the processing date before starting.
