Good things take time, there is no doubt about it, and that is especially true with steaks and chops. But how much time is needed? And what process should be used to age them? Not everyone knows the specifics and techniques that go into a good cut of meat even before it’s cooked to perfection. But some people sure do! Matthew McCahill, Owner of Chicago Chop House {60 West Ontario Street, Chicago; 312.787.7100}, is one of those people. He has made steak, and steak aging, his passion and profession. And he’s letting us in on the secrets to aging your steak like a pro.
DiningOut: Describe the differences between wet and dry aging.
McCahill: Wet aging requires the product to stay in vacuum sealed packages over a certain amount of time. Here at the Chicago Chop House, we like to have a minimum of 30 days wet age on all of our beef items. Wet aging enhances the tenderness more than anything.
Dry aging is when you’re not just enhancing tenderness, but deeply enhancing the flavor as well. By removing the whole muscles from the vacuum sealed packages that they are wet aged in and placing them in a humidity- and temperature-controlled dry aging room, this allows the dry aging process to begin.
One other key component that sometimes is overlooked is high air turbulence within the dry aging room. Our meat vendor, the incomparable Meats By Linz, has large industrial fans throughout their dry age room to promote this.
Why is aging the steaks important?
Beef is similar to wine in some aspects. The region, climate, nutrients in the soil, and type of grape (or breed of cattle when talking about beef) all play an important role. Having said that, just as fine wine must be aged for maximum benefit to the pallet, the same can be said for beef. As beef ages, there are natural enzymes that break down connective tissue in the muscle which, as a result, tenderize it. The longer it ages, the more tender a piece of meat will become.
How does aging for different amounts of time affect the steak?
The longer a steak ages, the more tender it will become. But there is a fine line that you need to be aware of when dealing with a perishable product. Tenderloins are a very tender muscle to begin with, hence the name, so they don’t require as long as say a striploin, rib-eye, or shortloin would need to achieve maximum performance. Three weeks for tenderloins and a minimum of 4-5 weeks for the other whole muscles I mentioned is a good guideline.
Which aging process should be used for which type of steak?
All beef will benefit from wet aging. Dry aging is when it gets more particular in which cuts you should use. Rib cuts and short loins (where the porterhouse, t-bone, bone-in strip, and bone-in filets are cut from) are great items to dry age and are the muscles we use to fabricate all of our dry aged steaks.
What makes a chophouse different than a steakhouse?
There is no real definition, but if I were to look at other places, I would say because we butcher our own steaks. Chop/cut them in-house. We are one of the last steakhouses/chophouses that still have a band saw in the kitchen. We also have a pair of 32-year-old broilers (wouldn’t change them for the world).
What sets Chicago Chop House apart in Chicago?
One of the oldest in Chicago, and we have the history on our walls, along with the most cuts to choose from…all prime steaks and beyond prime. We get the top 2 percent of all USDA steaks in the country.
What is your go-to steak order?
My go-to steak order would have to be a prime bone-in strip 40 days dry aged cooked to medium rare. If you pair that with a nice Cabernet, I am one happy man.
What drinks pair best with steak?
Filet is great with an aged Rioja so it gets the full flavor without it overpowering the steak or vice versa, and the minerals of the wine go great with the steak. Rib-eye is a classic pairing with an American Napa Cabernet. The Cabernet tannins and acids strip the mouth of all the fat from the rib-eye so each bite is like the first one.
Do you have any specials or events planned for fall and winter?
Yes! We are planning on rolling out a great menu for Restaurant Week this year, that should be a big hit. Stay tuned…
Interview by Kaleigh Glaza | Online Editor
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