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Jakarta Post

Dry-aged steak, pushing beyond the beef boundaries

Some people may prefer a regular medium-cooked steak, while others opt for steak made from dry-aged meat.

Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, September 21, 2016

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Dry-aged steak, pushing beyond the beef boundaries Dry-aged barbecue tagliata. Unlike other beefs that are particularly prepared for the mass market, dry-aged beef has to pass through several steps that can take days, months or even years. (Shutterstock/File)

How far would you go in search for the ‘perfect’ steak?

Some people may prefer a regular medium-cooked steak, while others opt for steak made from dry-aged meat.

Unlike the 'regular' beef typically consumed by the mass market, dry-aged beef has to pass through more steps before it can be consumed. “It is a labor intensive process,” the founder and CEO of PT. Boga Nusantara Cemerlang (Bro & Co.) meat purveyor Reza Adhitama told The Jakarta Post. “[The process] starts by seasoning the beef with salt and then letting it rest for 28 days in a controlled temperature, cleanliness, air flow and humidity. After that, we trim the meat, cut per portion and pack them depending on their sizes.”

Reza added that salt helps to stretch the muscles, thus breaking down the connective tissues. When salt is combined with the enzymes from the beef, it will help the beef tenderize. “Also, the beef’s character will be softer and the taste will be like a buttery caramel,” he said.

 

Kevindra Soemantri, contributing restaurant and food writer for The Jakarta Post, also believes the dry-aging process enhances the beefs flavors.

“Cooking the dry-aged beef has to be simple because it needs to highlight the natural flavor from the beef, instead of [adding] more sauces,” he explained, adding that the dry-aged technique has existed for a long time.

Reza believes that dry-aged beef can be cooked in many ways, from pan-fried to charcoal-grilled. “We think every cooking process will still be delicious because the beef itself already has flavor and high quality,” he said. However, to satisfy purists, Bro & Co. prefers to cook on an open flame grill. “It gives grill marks on the outside, adding a smoky flavor to the beef without changing its inner texture.

The long process sure pays off. Dry-aged steak has a unique flavor that cannot be found in other steaks. “The aroma is different. There is a nutty, pungent and cheesy hint from the dry-aged beef,” Reza said. “And it cannot be achieved from a freshly-butchered piece of meat.” The price for dry-aged steak at Bro & Co. starts from Rp 100,000 (US$7.50).

(Read also: Where to get great pork ribs in Jakarta)

The Signature Bistecca Fiorentina. It is made from a Tuscan native breed of cattle Chianina that is dry-aged in a special chiller for 45 days before it is grilled over a customized charcoal grill.(JP/Masajeng Rahmiasri)

Another restaurant that serves dry-aged steak in Jakarta is Bistecca Steakhouse. Located in SCBD area, the steakhouse serves the Signature Bistecca Fiorentina that is made from dry-aged Chianina, a Tuscan native breed of cattle, in a special chiller for 45 days before it is grilled over a customized charcoal grill. The steak emerges chewy and succulent, and only needs salt and a bottle of Barolo. Prices for the food at Bistecca Steakhouse start from Rp 100,000.

“The grill is designed by our Chef Luca Pezzera,” the Union Group’s media relations manager Muhammad Aziz told the Post. “He insisted to do it because it is a part of traditional technique,” he said, adding that the grill itself gives a  different taste to the meat compared to when it is being cooked with gas or other sophisticated tools.

“Knowing the fact that Chef Luca Pezzera does not only highlight the dry-aged quality but also the process of storing the beef really impressed me,” said Kevindra, comparing the dry-aged meat with other steaks.

“For the texture, the beef does not have any fat at all and has a perfect chunkiness. Compared to American steak that is full of sauce, the dry-aged is more minimalistic. The dry-aged beef has to be cooked with the ‘let the ingredients speak for itself’ principle which just includes a touch of salt and pepper. That’s where the dry-aged beef quality will emerge.” (asw)

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