What are /r/DryAgedBeef's favorite Products & Services?

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I have this little guy and it has worked fantastically. There are some newer ones they make now that display on the unit in addition to passing app data, but my fridge doesn’t have a window so I went for the little guy.

Agreed on the outcome of a legit controlled environment vs umai bags.

Here's a pretty neat humidity and temp control combo I got: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08935F5WY/ref=cm_sw_r_sm_apa_fabc_X45KVPDQJW9GFGNKB4F5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It monitors the humidity/temps. with a bunch of features. But for the main part, you can set certain thresholds to have your humidifier kick on when the value reaches your set percentage keeping your environment consistent.

As far as the humidifier goes, I just used a room humidifier. Any will do, just make sure it fits your fridge.

It's a Premium 12.5 cu ft Beverage Fridge PRF125DX. https://www.pcrichard.com/catalog/catalog-product.jsp?prodId=PRF125DX&contact_eid=7a2e637f-b055-468f-8c15-84895f9eca83&utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=%25%25%23productName_%23%25%25&utm_content=04/09/2019&utm_ca.... Also on Home Depot, Amazon, etc.

As for a thermometer/humidity sensor, I got the Sonoff TH16 with the added Si7021 probe. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XTNSJ46/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The black wire in bottom right is the Sonoff.

AquaOasisTM Cool Mist Humidifier {2.2L Water Tank} Quiet Ultrasonic Humidifiers for Bedroom & Large room - Adjustable -360° Rotation Nozzle, Auto-Shu https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FKYJHCF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_UXlmt23kPK6iH

Works great, get about 6 days out of it before needing refilled

That's a Govee, US$11. If you're getting one, get the unit without display. The one with display has flakey bluetooth even at few meters. The unit without display can pull data even at 2nd floor of my house consistently.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R586J37

Sweet. I’m now debating between the fridge you recommended and this one here that also goes to 32F. Do you plan on drilling wholes for the different wires? If so, where is it safest to do so on that model?

Although yours has ventilation, do you plan on not using an additional fan at all? Also, Can you tell me which small humidifier you’ll be using?

fan

humidity reader - something like this

For humidity the main concern is it not being too high. Others can tell you what the threshold is. I’ve never had a problem with that myself. I’ve never worried too much about the humidity getting too low. It happens naturally as the outer layers of the meat begin to harden and form a pellicle. Mostly it’s a matter of how much weight in good meat you lose to the process. You can mitigate this somewhat by buying quality cuts of meat with good fat caps that haven’t been trimmed too much or using bone-in meat if possible. It helps insulate and protect the meat from moisture loss, however it’s usually more expensive. I just look for a good cut at Costco. There will always be moisture loss regardless, but humidity control can help with how much dry age meat you harvest, however I’m in the camp of if you are that concerned then either spring for something like a Dry Ager that does this for you or buy a larger dedicated fridge you can modify and add something to regulate the humidity’s range you want.

My first step would be hose it down with bleach water and then scrub it out good. Next step would be get a couple of fans in it, even if they are just cheap USB fans like these. After that I would fill it with gallon jugs of water to see what the temp actually stabilizes at.

During the cycles the temp inside the cabinet will go up and down, but a big hunk of meat won't follow this same path as it's too dense. Jugs of water will do the same thing, as they will find an equilibrium somewhere in the middle, and that will be the true temp of the unit.

I didn't worry about humidity, and honestly just let it be whatever it was. Also I didn't bother with any filtration, and instead just tossed in some cheap chuck roasts as tests before loading with anything more expensive.

I wish I could find something like this for what you have in it!

It's a Whynter BR-1211DS that I bought last year. No modifications on it. I buy the meat from Costco and cut off some of it so they can fit on the racks. Then I just clean the racks with soap and water, place the meat, and leave it alone. So far haven't had any problems with this setup.

This might be overkill but it's very advanced re: scheduling, alerts, etc... This dehumidifier can be switched on with any external timer or humidity sensor. Good luck! https://www.amazon.com/Niwa-Grow-Hub/dp/B08H1GKS7Y

A humidifier - This thing is awesome. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V39ZYJB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yes thereare. I have them powered with a strip that I have inside the fridge. I drilled a small hole in the back and ran the wiring through that.

This is the mini fridge I'm using.

Frigidaire EFR376-MOONBM Retro Bar Fridge Refrigerator with Side Bottle Opener, 3.2 cu. Ft, Moonbeam https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084GSPD28/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_EM9JXFHR2E3ZKHFYCWHM

It has been 3 days since and there is a bit of frost build up in the top freezer section.

I love using theVictorinox Fibrox Butcher - it has a little extra weight at the front of the blade that helps with stability when making long clean cuts.

You may remove you stainless steel back plate, affix a heat pad behind it and put it back. Here's what I bought:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B076FLJDFQ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_M7KFQSNHJMSM9977APBZ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

You need the Inkbird humidity sensor, not the temp sensor, along with a miniature humidifier

Here:

Inkbird Humidity Controller IHC200 Humidistat Mushroom Greenhouse Pre Wired Outlet Dual Stage Humidifier Dehumidifier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J1E5LWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_JGT9AJHSDHDE906K9F28

In the studies that I've read, humidity is not a determining factor. Air circulation and constant low temperature seem to be more important. If he is just starting to dryage his own steaks, I would go with the Whynter BR-1211 currently selling at 324.

https://www.amazon.com/Whynter-BR-1211DS-Freestanding-Refrigerator-Stainless/dp/B076S9XLF5/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=mini%2Bfridge%2Bdry%2Baging&qid=1618778915&sr=8-5&th=1

I did my first ribeye without humidity and found the meat lost too much moisture to where the meat wasn’t very juicy even though well marbled. Introducing the humidifier and and raising to 75-90% RH made all the difference. Can’t speak for the bags but I would assume they would also benefit from humidity.
I use this humidifier which you can set humidity on. It’s inaccurate but you can put a hygrometer in there to manually calibrate or get a humidity controller. I found setting it to 50% RH on low setting actually results in 75-90% RH. humidifier

I use the ink bird temp controller as I’m sure many do on here for it’s simplicity — it’s plug and play. I know people who use it for beer brewing and mushroom growing as well, it works well. temp controller

Inkbird also makes humidity controller which I’m sure works well if you bought a humidifier where you can’t set the target RH.

I buy this netting it’s kinda hard to put on but allows the meat settle evenly. Just take your time and use two people if you’re using a fragile membrane, I’ve never tried it on a UMAI or bare piece of meat-this may be easier.

Rural365 Meat Netting Roll, Size 28 - Ham Sock Elastic Netting Meat Butcher Twine Net Meat Netting Roll Meat, 50ft Roll

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084T564V2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_iyM9FbMTNS3DZ?psc=1

If you have a sous vide then use that to cook them. That’s probably the only or at least easiest way you will get the first 3 cooked evenly. Otherwise a very slow reverse sear for the first 3. The other ones don’t look too bad so cook them as usual.

Also, please buy a knife designed for cutting loins like this lol. It’s not only a massive pain in the ass to cut them, but they also end up looking like this if you don’t have the proper knife.

I’d recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Shun-SWT0778-Kanso-Brisket-Knife/dp/B06XTWQJSZ

Yeah it’s a little spendy, but as long as you take care of it, it will last you a lifetime.

So, I'm guessing behind that frozen wall is where the evap coils are. A question for you - are you using the internal thermostat or did you bypass and use an external thermostat? Also - is this a normal fridge or a thermo-electric, wine cooler type. If you can, shoot the model number of the fridge out and I can poke around.

Do you have a remote sensor or anything in the fridge? If so, send a screen grab of the last 24hrs - can see if there's a defrost cycle or not.

The simplest solution to this is to buy a timer like this one - Amazon Timer - what you can do is have it run for 23 hours and 15 minutes and then shut off for 45 minutes everyday. A couple things to consider when this happens. If there's a frozen wall, behind it you can bet the coils are frozen real bad (have you noticed a drop in humidity?) The first time you do this and defrost, there might be so much water it drains out the back. (getting rid of a lot of humidity)

Now, once it's defrosted and you run a defrost cycle every day there'll be a lot less ice that forms in that 23 hrs and 15 minutes. I think some fridges run a defrost cycle every 12 hrs (I saw a posting somewhere in here that showed it clearly on the recorder).

Keep us posted - send pics and stuff.

i used a foodsaver and if you watch their instructional videos they give you a technique in case your model is too narrow.

—>looking back at my order it looks like i bought the 12x24, but i could have made it work no matter the size.

The Sausage Maker - DrySteak Wraps for Dry Aging Meat at Home, Dry Age Sirloin... https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07SKCDSVV/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_fabt1_8kyQFbBG8DFZF

Depends on how big your prime rib is but these are the ones I normally snag. Also on the directions it says to wet your meat but I personally don’t do it because these bags are so fragile they will stick just fine with what’s already on your beef. That being said be careful when you’re wrapping your beef up because they will tear if you aren’t gentle with them, that’s why I said there is a little bit of a learning curve. As you’re wrapping up your beef remove as much air bubbles as you can by gently pushing out the bubbles. It’s fine if there is some air of course. Hope this helps and good luck!

Nah. It's pretty easy. Get a switch that detects humidity, and then automatically turns on or off certain plugs based on the parameters you set.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J1E5LWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_4o8PFbKMP293Z?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I'm not recommending this specific one. Definitely do research and find one that fits you and that you believe to be likely to be reliable.

Try wrapping it with: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SKCDSVV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Wrap vs Vacuum: https://youtu.be/7hWQWxHj4Kk

I just started my first piece 4 days ago with the wrap method and a couple of things to mention, -The wrap is plant base so it's kind of fragile and thin so be careful and not to over tighten. - Take your time fitting the netting to avoid ripping.

Before trying again get one https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-TP50-Digital-Thermometer-Temperature/dp/B01H1R0K68/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=themomitor+and+humidity&qid=1598638016&sr=8-2

You want at least 60% humidity.

The internal fridge fan frosted over after a few days. For the air flow I used this fan.

SmartDevil Small Personal USB Desk Fan,3 Speeds Portable Desktop Table Cooling Fan Powered by USB,Strong Wind,Quiet Operation,for Home Office Car Outdoor Travel (Navy Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PZBVLC7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ThFhFbP79YH97

It was able to stay turned on as long as it was connected to power.

Is your fan connected to a timer? The only thing I connected to a timer was the fridge.

Thank you for the detailed response. For my first sealer I don’t mind going with an affordable machine. I’m looking at a Geryon product which is an amazon choice. Any thoughts on it?

GERYON Vacuum Sealer Machine, Automatic Food Sealer for Food Savers w/Starter Kit|Led Indicator Lights|Easy to Clean|Dry & Moist Food Modes| Compact Design (Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B4W5PMB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JLXjDbHQAH4R0

Correct, if you want data logging

SensorPush Wireless Thermometer/Hygrometer for iPhone/Android - Humidity & Temperature Smart Sensor with Alerts. Developed and Supported in The USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AEQ9X9I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pjn3CbKEAZEJY

Going for 21 day on my first. I have some aged already from a local butcher, so I have a taste to compare it to.

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For temp / humidity I am using this thermometer, so far its been working well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075QBRR6S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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As far as the fridge setup, I didn't do anything special. I let it sit for about 2 weeks to make sure the temp holds and what setting it needs to be at. There isn't a fan to cycle in it, so I bought a small desk fan. I didn't have to cut a notch out of the side, it locks closed well enough. I back that up with using a strap around it just to be sure.

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Hoping it turns out well! Aldi's had this bone in ribeye on sale.. So I figured it would be best to try it on something cheaper before moving to a bigger cut.