How to Age Beef Tenderloin

Beef tenderloin is found near the kidneys on the cow. This area is anterior to the lumbar vertebrae and does not do much work, which makes for a tender cut of beef. One way to make the taste of beef tenderloin more intense is through the process of dry aging. This process involves allowing the meat to dehydrate in the refrigerator and causes the flavor of the meat to become more concentrated.

Things You'll Need

  • Paper towels

  • Cheesecloth or white dish towels

  • Sharp knife

Step 1

Set the refrigerator temperature to approximately 40 degrees F. If the refrigerator cannot be set to an exact temperature, place a thermometer inside of the unit and adjust the temperature until this temperature is reached.

Step 2

Unwrap the beef tenderloin and rinse it with cold water. Allow the meat a few minutes to drain and remove any excess moisture by dabbing the meat with paper towels.

Step 3

Wrap the beef tenderloin in two or three layers of cheesecloth or a clean white dish towel, but do not wrap the meat too tight. Place the cut onto a tray with raised sides, such as a rimmed baking sheet. If dish towels are used, they should be changed daily.

Step 4

Place the meat on the bottom tray, as this tends to be the coldest part of the refrigerator.

Step 5

Allow the meat to dry age in the refrigerator for three days, but not longer than seven. The longer the meat remains, the more intense the flavor. After the first day, unwrap the three layers of cheesecloth and rewrap the meat to ensure that the cloth does not stick to the tenderloin.

Step 6

Remove the beef tenderloin after the desired time span. Remove the cheesecloth and trim away the dry outer layers of the meat with a sharp knife.

References & Resources