Dry Aged Tenderloin Tips

One may think, “Hey, why would I want to Dry Age a Tenderloin? It’s already tender and flavorful.”  Well, as it turns out, it is possible to improve on perfection. The tenderloin is cut from the anterior area near the lumbar vertebrae and does not get a lot of exercise through daily movement. So, the dry age process can intensify and concentrate the beef flavor of this already tender cut. In this article we share our top tips on producing your own dry aged tenderloin.

Tip 1: Buying the right cut

Be sure to purchase a full tenderloin that weighs approximately 6-7 pounds, averages 2 ½ feet long and has about a 4-inch diameter at the thickest part.  Also, ask the butcher to provide one that has been untrimmed, also called fat-on or unpeeled. This term is important as it’s best to have as much intermuscular fat, which is large pockets of fat that sit between the different areas of muscles or on the exterior of this cut. There may not be a lot of this exterior fat, but every little bit helps.

Tip 2: The dry aged tenderloin process

Place the tenderloin inside the Steak Locker, directly on the stainless-steel shelf. Then set the temperature to 36 degrees and humidity to 68%. We recommend beginning the process with less humidity for the first two days then increase it to 70% on the third day. It’s good to have the myoglobin dry out on the exterior so that the pellicle forms but does not need to be too thick. That will only lead to removing more of the muscle than necessary. The tenderloin will be ready to remove from one of Steak Lockers dry age fridges on the 7th day.

Tip 3: Butchering the dry aged tenderloin

When butchering the tenderloin, begin by removing as thin a layer of the pellicle as possible. Then cut it in half and each half in half until you have an even number of evenly portioned steaks. 

Tip 4: Cooking dry aged tenderloin

Cook each steak on direct heat, no need to reverse sear because of the size and because it will cook quite quickly. Generously salt all sides of the Filet Mignon steaks on all sides and bring the internal temperature of each steak to 55 degrees by leaving them at room temperature prior to cooking. This should take approximately 2 hours. When you’re ready to cook, use your preferred method of grill, cast iron or in the oven and sear both sides until the internal temperature reads 125 degrees. Allow each steak to rest for 5 – 7 minutes under an aluminum tent to keep them warm.