- Joined
- Jan 10, 2021
- Messages
- 648
Dry brining is a relatively new term that combines pre salting a protein correlated with dry aging.
My process is to liberally salt a prime ribeye on both sides on a ceramic plate. (Not paper, plastic, or foil.). The results are better on a flat plate than on a grate on the plate.
I place it in the refrigerator uncovered and flip it before I go to bed and then when I wake up. (Aging one day created a better flavor than two days.) The meat will change color in places from red to grey. Don’t worry about that. It is just oxidation and will not harm the flavor or you. Do not dry the plate when you flip the ribeye. Put the dry side into the small amount of moisture rendreed.
Why does this help?
The dry aging removes water from the protien. Water does not have flavor. The results are the same as reducing a sauce by simmering it uncovered to remove excess water. The flavor gets more intense. So, more meat flavor.
The salt does a couple of things. It does extract some water from the protein. This water disolves the salt. As the protein dries, it will pull back in the dissolved saltwater. This seasons the interior of the meat. The salt on the exterior also denatures the proteins of the steak. These broken protein strands are benificial because they will create a crust when the steak is seared. The crust is tasty and it seals the steak from losing water during the cooking. (This works on all proteins. Pork, chicken And via different cooking processes; fry, bake, boil, etc)
My process is to liberally salt a prime ribeye on both sides on a ceramic plate. (Not paper, plastic, or foil.). The results are better on a flat plate than on a grate on the plate.
I place it in the refrigerator uncovered and flip it before I go to bed and then when I wake up. (Aging one day created a better flavor than two days.) The meat will change color in places from red to grey. Don’t worry about that. It is just oxidation and will not harm the flavor or you. Do not dry the plate when you flip the ribeye. Put the dry side into the small amount of moisture rendreed.
Why does this help?
The dry aging removes water from the protien. Water does not have flavor. The results are the same as reducing a sauce by simmering it uncovered to remove excess water. The flavor gets more intense. So, more meat flavor.
The salt does a couple of things. It does extract some water from the protein. This water disolves the salt. As the protein dries, it will pull back in the dissolved saltwater. This seasons the interior of the meat. The salt on the exterior also denatures the proteins of the steak. These broken protein strands are benificial because they will create a crust when the steak is seared. The crust is tasty and it seals the steak from losing water during the cooking. (This works on all proteins. Pork, chicken And via different cooking processes; fry, bake, boil, etc)
Last edited:
