Visited a farm-to-table butcher in Portland and it got me thinking about dry aging vs wet aging

I stopped by this place called Tails & Trotters last weekend and watched them break down a whole hog. They only do dry aged pork, which got me debating with the head butcher for like 20 minutes. He said dry aging gives better flavor and texture, but I feel like wet aging is more consistent and less waste. What do you guys prefer for your shop, dry or wet aging and why?

3 comments

3 Comments

hall.nina1mo ago

...which is exactly why I can never decide. I overthink it so bad. Last month I ordered a dry aged ribeye at a fancy place and spent the whole meal wondering if it was really better or if I just wanted it to be. Meanwhile my fridge at home has wet aged steaks I bought on sale that tasted just fine. Real talk though, I once tried to dry age a prime rib in my mini fridge. Ended up smelling like a gym locker for two weeks and my roommate threatened to move out. So maybe consistency is actually my friend here.

the_matthew1mo ago

...but that's the thing isn't it, everyone's always chasing the "best" way when really it just comes down to what you're used to and what your customers expect. I've noticed that pattern everywhere now, not just in food. Like how people swear by their specific brand of work boots or the way they hang their tools on the wall. It's the same with meat aging. Dry aging takes patience and you lose some weight to moisture, sure, but that concentrated flavor hits different for someone who's been eating bland supermarket steaks their whole life. Meanwhile wet aging is just practical for a shop that needs to turn product fast and not lose money on shrinkage. The head butcher probably grew up around that whole hog breakdown and the tradition of it, while you're thinking about what keeps the lights on. Neither is wrong, just two different ways of looking at the same thing.

blake6911mo ago

Yeah "neither is wrong" but one wastes product and money just for a flavor most people can't even tell apart.