What are the benefits of ageing meat and how does it affect flavour and appearance?Updated 11 days ago

Ageing meat, particularly beef, enhances tenderness and brings out deeper, more concentrated flavour.

Dry ageing is the traditional method, where whole cuts are stored in a temperature and humidity controlled room for several weeks or even months. As moisture slowly evaporates, the flavour becomes more intense and a hard, dark crust forms on the outside. This crust is trimmed before the meat is portioned. The result is a rich, beefy taste and a more tender texture.

Wet ageing is more common and involves storing meat in vacuum-sealed bags. While it does improve tenderness, it can lose some natural juices that contribute to flavour.

At Vic’s, we have over 11 tonnes of product ageing at any time in our custom-built dry age rooms. While best known for beef, we also age select cuts of lamb and Rare Breed Berkshire Pork to bring out their full potential.