sean48•2d ago

Something an old timer told me about hanging beef changed how I do primals

Last week I was at a small locker plant out near Lincoln, Nebraska picking up a side of beef. An old butcher there, must have been 70, noticed I was rushing through breaking down a hindquarter. He told me to slow down and let the meat hang another 48 hours before I started cutting. Said I was losing yield by not letting the muscle relax after transport. I tried it with this last side and I swear I got an extra 4 pounds off the round alone. The cuts just felt cleaner and less fight in the blade. Has anyone else noticed a big difference from resting beef a couple extra days before breaking it down?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlieh742d ago

That old timer was SPOT on. I started waiting a full 72 hours after hanging before breaking down and the difference in how the silverskin peels off alone is worth the wait.

fisher.jessica2d agoMost Upvoted

72 hours is good but you're actually waiting a bit too long on the break down part. If you let it hang that long you risk the pellicle getting tacky and it starts to dry out more than you want. The sweet spot is more like 48 hours for most cuts, gives you the same easy silverskin peel without sacrificing moisture.

the_riley2d ago

Learned that the hard way after a couple of dry brisket flats... @fisher.jessica is right, 48 hours gives you that nice peel without the tacky pellicle issue.