 That’s not a typo. Butter just makes food better... everyone knows that. And some trendy chefs around the world are submerging beef cuts in a cocoon of butter to produce obscenely tender and decadent steaks.
Wet-aging is the most common method practice, vacuum-sealing the meat in a bag to retain moisture. It’s preferred by retailers because it only takes a few days to age, however it adds a metallic element and does not soften the meat to its full potential. The alternative (dry-aging) places cuts uncovered in a refrigerator for several weeks. As water evaporates and the enzymes break down the meat, the strong flavours intensify. But the costs associated with storage, and discarding the dry edges, mean a hefty price paid by the consumer. The revolutionary butter method is similar to the dry-aging except there is none of the black crust formed on the surface. The butter acts as a barrier and the juices remain in the muscle - but the natural enzymes still break the fibres down to create tender meat. The meat flavours intensify and absorb some of the rich butter flavourings as well. Less Waste Unlike dry-aging, the meat’s edges are not affected, so very little if any trimming is required. This makes costs more reasonable because none of the meat needs to be thrown away. Butter-aging is a new alternative, so the method is still experimental. How long to age, and what type of butter works best. And which cuts are best to use; most likely tenderloin whose lack of flavour is enhanced by the richness of the butter. It’s certainly a unique and interesting method of preparing meat and only time will tell if it is readily adopted.
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