You care if your Prime Rib is aged?

[r benash]

Over the last few years I have typically done full USDA Prime Angus Grade aged Rib Roasts for Christmas dinner. As well as for my Mother-In-Law's birthday (since this is her favorite).

You know that this cut is $$$. I've done them in the oven and slow cooked in the smoker as well as on the grill. Either searing at 500 deg in the beginning or the end of the cook.

This year it is not the feature dinner. I will cook some standing rib roast and maybe a tri-tip for various get-togethers.

Interestingly the local Shop-Rite has tons of USDA PRIME Grade Prime Rib on the shelf. They have whole roasts as well as First and Second cuts as well as 2 rib roasts. All labeled USDA Prime Grade Prime Rib. Prices vary per pound from 3.99 to 7.99 or so. Quite reasonable, almost crazy price.

So I wonder is there any benefit to my aging them in the fridge? There is a noticeable difference in color from those roasts mentioned early that were aged. They are labeled as USDA prime but they are definitely not aged. Just wondering if I will get any benefit from aging first in the fridge.

The local fresh meat store (Colonial Meat Market) has First Cut standing Rib roast in Choice that in some ways looks better (marbleing). Wondering if I should go on my gut and pick up the Choice even though it is more expensive in this case than roasts labeled Prime selling for less. The question about aging in the fridge still stands though, since even these are not aged (based on appearance).

Ray

 

[Bob H.]

Prime labeled for $3.99 a LB, would make me curious
enough to try some. I would test cook the same day not aged,and go back to buy more to freeze if it passed the taste test.

 

[Shawn W]

I accidentally left a fresh sirloin tip roast in my fridge for 3 weeks or so. It was in cryovac and the fridge was below 40F.

Took it out, did Chris's prime rib herb paste cook to medium rare and it was extremely tender. Certainly more tender than ones that weren't pushing the limit of aging.

I won't let it go that long again intentionally, 28 days is as long as I've heard of.

Yes, aging makes a really big difference if left long enough. I'll try dry aging some day, but until I know what I'm doing wet aging in cryovac in a fridge I know to be under 40F is as far as I'll go.

 

[r benash]

Actually I guess aging in the fridge is really "drying" since the aging process is usually very controlled for actual temps and air circulation. Saw another board that talked about drying/aging in the fridge by simply taking the roast an sitting it naked on a rack in the fridge so air could get all around. I would think that you would get some benefit of the breakdown of tissue/collagen that is present in the more controlled aging done by the pros. At least Shawn's "accident" seems to support that.

Bob - yeah, the excitement is wearing off. I might save that experiment for some other time when it's not a holiday meal etc. I'll probably go with the tried/true local butcher selling choice as the option this week in lieu of the certified, aged angus. I might pick up some of the USDA Prime labeled roast at the Shop Rite and freeze it to try later.

Ray