Finally saw the difference dry-aging 21 days vs 28 days on a ribeye

I've been dry-aging at home for about a year now, mostly sticking to 21 days. Last month I tried a 28-day prime ribeye from Creekstone Farms and the difference was way bigger than I expected. The 28-day had a much deeper, nuttier flavor and the fat rendered softer. Has anyone else noticed a big jump between those two timeframes on different cuts?

2 comments

2 Comments

derekgibson7d ago

Gotta push back on that "way bigger than expected" part. I've done a bunch of side by sides with 21 and 28 day dry aged ribeyes and honestly the difference is pretty subtle in my book. The 28 day has a slightly funkier smell and the fat does get a little softer, but I wouldn't call it "nutty" until you push past 35 days or so. I think a lot of it depends on how well your setup controls humidity too. If your 21 day had even a little more moisture loss, that alone could make the 28 day seem like a bigger leap than it really is.

william3207d agoMost Upvoted

Humidity control is the real wild card here. Ran into this exact thing when my old setup kept the rh at 75% vs a newer one that sat around 80%. The 28 day with higher moisture retention definitely came out with a more pronounced funk, but the 21 day from the drier setup would've fooled you easy. Calibrating your hygrometer and keeping a log of wet bulb temps makes a way bigger difference than people give it credit for.