Dry-Aged the Old Way

With the introduction of vacuum packing to the beef industry in the early 1960s came wet aging — placing cuts in a vacuum-sealed bag so the initial tenderization occurs in the bag, expediting production while the carcass maintains maximum weight.

At Montana Wagyu, we choose to dry age all our beef by hanging the whole carcass. Tenderization occurs naturally as in wet aging, but dry aging additionally allows evaporation of moisture and the strengthening and condensing of flavor. This evaporation reduces carcass weight by 15–20%, making it undesirable for commodity beef production.

Dry aging involves hanging the carcass in a room maintained at approximately 34°F with 80–85% relative humidity and constant airflow for 14–21 days. This delays production and packaging and requires extra effort, time, and storage compared to wet aging.

The positive effect is the concentration of flavor and juices, giving the meat a unique, robust, richly beef flavor — the flavor prized by fine white-linen steakhouses across the country.

We are committed to returning beef production to the days of “beef on the rail.” We are not opposed to technology, but if it's not broke, don't fix it. Once you taste our custom dry-aged beef, we trust you will wholeheartedly agree.