Swedish Jacuzzi Dry-Aged Steak Is One Of The Most Intense Ways To Prepare Meat

Some restaurants wet age steak to infuse unique flavor into cuts of meat, while others prefer dry aging to develop richer bites. Yet somewhere along the continuum of wet aged and dry-aged steak lies the Swedish jacuzzi process, aged steak that is encased in beef tallow for further maturation. One chef nicknamed the procedure Dry Aged Meat 2.0.

Encasing meat in fat builds a crust on the steak so that no moisture or air can penetrate the meat as it cools, moving the process into a category that is closer to wet aging. Similar to wet-aged cuts stored in vacuum-sealed plastic, these pieces of embalmed meat rest in controlled environments as muscle fibers break down and the meat develops an earthy, gamey flavor. This kind of aging process can last for months, and for many carnivorous connoisseurs, pays off with a meal that offers nuanced layers of flavors. While some online skeptics have described the process as overrated and gimmicky, other cooks have embraced the method, explaining the aged pieces offer cuts of steak that melt in your mouth. Some taste testers have recognized that not every cut of beef needs such extensive aging, however, insisting meat that is dry-aged or coated in fat can deliver similar results.

While the length of the time meat is aged can vary from weeks to months, chefs recommend using high-quality beef that has been dry-aged on the bone for at least several weeks. This helps ensure the applied tallow doesn't crack. Once deboned, the cold, dry, and clean meat is covered in lukewarm tallow through a repeated dunking process. Between each dunking, the lathered meat is placed into a fridge or chill blaster until the next bathing repeats. This dunking continues until the desired thickness of the tallow is achieved. Once the tallow has solidified, the steak is stored in a fridge for up to a month before it is ready to cook and serve.

The taste of jacuzzi dry-aged steak can be described as nutty and complex, offering a depth of flavor that may not otherwise be experienced if the meat was simply cut and thrown onto the grill. Beef that has been aged for extended periods of time may require a refined palate, however, as the taste can be compared to something like blue cheese, which, admittedly, isn't an experience for everyone. Some cooks have tried replicating the process with duck fat, cocoa butter, and ghee, but the meat must be completely encapsulated as it ages so it doesn't spoil. Whether you consider this jacuzzi style aging process as a marketing stunt or not, you at least know that this is one option to develop flavors in hunks of meat.