max808•13d ago

Had to choose between dry aging bags and a dedicated fridge

I was saving up for months to get a real dry aging fridge, the kind with the UV light and the humidity control. Then I saw those Umai bags at a trade show and thought they looked way easier and cheaper. So I went with the bags instead, figured I could just use my walk-in. First batch of ribeyes came out okay, but the bags stuck to the meat and left these weird crease marks. Second time I tried a whole prime rib and the bag leaked a little, lost some good meat to mold. I should have just saved double the time and bought the fridge. Now I'm out $200 on bags and still shopping for the real deal. Has anyone else had better luck with those bags or am I just doing it wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby83613d ago

You saying "the bags stuck to the meat and left these weird crease marks" is exactly what happened to my first batch too. I honestly thought the bags were gonna be the smart play, cheaper and easier like you said. But after dealing with a leaky bag that ruined a whole strip loin, I changed my mind real quick. Now I'm in the same boat as you, kicking myself for not just waiting and getting the fridge. The bags sounded good on paper but they just don't hold up.

nora_barnes13d ago

Oh man, I gotta disagree a little here... I've been using the bags for about a year now and I haven't had any major leaks yet. Maybe I'm just lucky or maybe I'm extra careful about sealing them right. I did have one bag where the crease marks were pretty bad on a chuck roast, but I learned to pat the meat dry before bagging and that helped a ton. The bags aren't perfect, especially if you're cramming them full of big cuts, but for smaller stuff like chicken thighs or pork chops they've been solid for me. I think the trick is knowing their limits and not pushing them too hard.