Methods and packaging for wet aging meat
Methods, packaging, and packets for wet aging meat are described herein. For example, in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure a package for wet aging meat includes a cut of meat having a fat layer portion and an edible meat portion, an adsorptive material to adsorb gases emitted from the cut of meat wherein the adsorptive material is positioned on the fat layer portion, a salt material positioned on the adsorptive material or on the fat layer portion with the adsorptive material, and wherein the cut of meat with the adsorptive material and salt material is sealed in a packaging material to form the package.
1. A method for wet aging a cut of meat having a fat layer portion and an edible meat portion, wherein the fat layer portion comprises naturally occurring fat on the edible meat portion, the method comprising:
(a) placing one or more packets containing an adsorptive material and a salt material only on the fat layer portion of the meat; wherein the packets are made from a gas and liquid permeable material;
(b) placing the cut of meat with the one or more packets of the adsorptive material and salt material into a packaging material;
(d) hermetically sealing the packaging material containing the cut of meat to form a package; and
(e) allowing the cut of meat to wet age for about at least 7 days,
wherein the adsorptive material comprises activated charcoal;
wherein moisture in the edible meat portion of the cut of meat is pulled by the salt material through pores in the fat layer portion to age the cut of meat; and
wherein the moisture is held in place inside the fat layer portion.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cut of meat is a primal or subprimal cut.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adsorptive material includes a mixture of activated charcoal and sea salt.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the adsorptive material and the salt material form a 50/50 mixture.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the salt material is a salt smoked with alder wood.
6. The method of claim 1 , further including a step of placing one or more pieces of wood paper on each of the one or more packets.
7. The method of claim 6 , including storing the cut of meat with the one or more packets and the one or more pieces of wood paper sealed in the packaging material for 7 to 30 days.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more packets include at least a first packet that contains the salt material and a second packet that contains the adsorptive material.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more packets are sized to span the size of the cut of meat.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more packets are sealed with pre-measured amounts of the adsorptive material and the salt material.