You may or may not be familiar with dry aging, for those of you who aren't; dry aging is a process that involves hanging meat at cold temperatures with controlled humidity levels to slowly draw out the moisture naturally found in the meat. The purpose of this is to concentrate the flavor and improve the texture. Dry aging fridges are the best way to naturally amplify the flavors of your meat and can be used on a number of products including beef, pork, fish and cheese. We have put together a recipe for creating one of our favorite dishes- Steak Lockers Ultimate Dry Aged Burger.
Dry Aged Burger Method
Aging the burger
- To create our delicious dry aged burgers, we dry aged the Bone-In Ribeye Roast for 45 days in the Steak Locker.
- When butchering the cut, we removed the Spinalis Dorsi Muscle and the Fat Cap from the Eye Muscle and Rib Bones leaving them intact to prepare the steaks at a later date.
- We trimmed the pellicle away and cut the spinalis dorsi muscle into one-inch chunks then ground into about two pounds of ground beef. We included some of the interior portions of the fat cap into the ground.
Preparing the dry aged burger
- Before we cooked the burgers, we added two eggs and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper to a pound of ground beef and combined it thoroughly. The eggs will bind the ground beef into better patty rounds. Once the four burgers are formed into quarter pound patties, we allow them to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- Then we prepared a small bowl with salt to have on hand for the exterior of each burger just prior to cooking. The reason to season the outside of a burger, rather than incorporating it into the ground beef is because the salt can cause the proteins to break down and create a tough patty.
Cooking the dry aged burger
- We used a 15-inch cast iron skillet on a high heat for about 4-5 minutes. A well-seasoned cast iron will begin to create wisps of smoke when sufficiently hot.
- Then turn the heat down to medium high and add two tablespoons of unsalted butter, quickly sprinkle each patty with the salt and place the salt side down. Once all four patties are added to the pan, sprinkle the top side of each burger with the remaining salt. This size cast iron pan allows for all four burgers to fit comfortably and without touching. If this size pan is not available, cooking them in batches will work as well.
Dry age beef already cooks much quicker than standard beef and the cooking time for a burger is no different. And, depending on the thickness of the patties, they will only take about two to three minutes per side to get to a medium temperature of 140°F to 145°F. It’s best to use an infrared temperature gun, so as not to poke holes in the patty with a thermometer.
By adding butter to the pan the burgers have added fat to the exterior that will create that crispy layer which will in turn create a juicy center. It is never recommended to take the spatula and press the burger down or into the pan because this will release all the interior moisture. There are some applications where this is a best practice, just not here.
Garnishing the dry aged burger
When it comes to garnishing the dry aged burger, the possibilities are endless. Our favorite bun to use is brioche, we then top the burgers with Munster cheese and an assortment of condiments. Enjoy!
