Dry aging grass-fed steak- How to and why?

So, first things first, what is dry aging? Dry aging (in my simple terms) is essentially the process of pulling moisture out of the meat. This process is done by liberally salt and peppering the steak and letting it sit exposed to air for a few hours, overnight, or even a few days. This process changes the way the meat cooks, making it so much more tender and flavorful. This process is especially important and encouraged with grass-fed steaks. Reason being, grass-fed steaks lean on the tougher side due to the exercise the animal had in its life roaming around pasture grazing grass, which leads to a leaner animal. When the steak is leaner, it can be a tougher meat, so you want to cook it accordingly to get the most flavor. 

Here is what Farmer Kyle and I do when we are prepping our steaks...

We defrost our steaks in cold water in the sink. Usually takes about a half hour to defrost. If we plan ahead (which honestly, we never really do..) we will just pop them in the fridge a few days before eating. 

Once steaks are defrosted, we put them on a plate and liberally salt and pepper both sides of the steaks. We let them rest on the counter a few hours before eating. If it's a super warm day we will put them in the fridge, as is, on the plate. You can start this process up to 2-3 days before grilling if you like, but we find that a few hours before dinner is good enough and the steaks are always top-notch tender. 

When you are getting ready to grill make sure if your steaks are in the fridge, to take them out a half hour before to allow them to get to room temp. You always want to have your steaks room temp before you cook them.

Once steaks are grilled to your liking, let them rest, covered for 10 minutes or so. Enjoy!