Carcass hanging/ageing debunked
Ageing beef creates tenderness due to the natural enzymes breaking down the connective tissue in the meat.
Before vacuum packing became cost-effective it was not unheard of to hang the product for 10 days plus. The problem with doing so is that you get product loss through moisture loss, and the meat has to be trimmed extra because of the spoilt product. It goes with the more you age something, the more tender it will be (within reason) but the more product you stand to lose. And the weight of the animal is weighed at the beginning of the butchery process so you are paying the processing fee for the weight of the carcass regardless of how much moisture and product is lost during the hanging period.
You do not need to age a Silverside, Bolar, Topside Roast, Gravy Beef, or the trim for mince and sausages. So why would you age a whole animal, lose product through moisture loss and spoilt product, when all that really needs to be aged are the steaks? If you want the most out of your animal, then the process of aging beef must be done in stages.
The common process done in gourmet butcher shops is to break down the carcass after it has hung for a few days. The Eye Fillet, Scotch, Sirloin and Rump all get vacuumed down whole and wet aged for 4 weeks. The extra time to do so is offset by fresh, high-quality roasts, trim for diced, mince, and sausages, and beautifully aged steaks with minimal wastage. This is how you get the best out of your animal, with minimal wastage and maximum flavor where it is needed.
We believe that each and every animal needs to be treated with the respect it deserves. The animal has given its life, so why would this service not be offered as standard? Because it is time consuming and costs more.
We offer this service, and we strongly recommend you use this service. We have built a flawless identification system where everything is tagged, labeled, and logged into our unique software system built for Meatworx. The whole process is seamless and will be delivered in two stages. Your roasts, sausages, mince and small goods are processed first, and then your professionally aged steaks 4 weeks from slaughter date.