Dry Aging of Beef

After slaughter, physical and chemical postmortem changes occur in the muscles. The final stage of postmortem changes is maturation. Meat maturation is a process that results in the resolution of rigor mortis, and meat becoming more delicious, tender and juicy. In practice, a few days are enough for maturation. However, when meat is aged by waiting for longer periods under favorable conditions, maximum quality products can be obtained in terms of sensory properties. There are two main ways to age meat: dry and wet. Dry aging is a method that temperature, humidity and air flow is controlled in an environment to prevent microbial growth and minimize weight loss. High value added beef with unique flavor formation is achieved with dry aging. In this review, general information about dry aging method and its application is given