Why Some Steakhouses Allow Their Steaks To Get Moldy

There's a reason steakhouse steaks are frequently juicer, more flavorful, and more robust than their home-cooked counterparts. That reason actually has very little to do with the spices they use, or even their method of cooking the meat. In fact, most of the intense flavor actually comes in before the steak even hits the pan. Many expensive steakhouses dry-age their steaks, which means they leave them in a controlled environment to age, sometimes for over 28 days. While there is some debate over if the process can be replicated at home, there is no denying that dry-aging steak will yield amazing results, according to Thrillist.

Dry-aging is actually a process of controlled spoilage. Similar to the way certain cheeses are aged to create a rich, distinctive taste, a thin layer of mold is allowed to form over the top of the meat to create a bold, juicy, and uniquely flavorful steak. But the dry-aging process is more complicated than just letting meat spoil. To begin with, each cut of meat is placed in a carefully climate-controlled room and allowed to age for a week or more, sometimes all the way up to six, per Robb Report. The Daily Meal states that the room has to be kept at the perfect temperature of around 35 degrees, which allows the meat to age without becoming warm enough to spoil. Any colder, and the meat will freeze.