Why hang meat?
After slaughter, blood produces lactic acid, tenderising and adding flavour. If the animal is unhappy on death, the lactic acid isn’t formed to the same degree, which is why unhappy meat often tastes horrible.
Hanging gives the enzymes time to work. There is also gradual water loss so the meat is more concentrated. Quality beef is hung for two to three weeks. When shopping, remember a tasty steak is darkish with marbling of fat, not wet and red.
As we stand by the ruby red slabs on his counter at London’s Selfridges, he compares the marbling of the Feather Blade cut (ever heard of it? No, nor me) to the illustrious wagyu beef steak, the posh Japanese stuff. The former is approximately £3 for a humble steak (£11.95/kg) – wagyu (£160/kg) is £40.
From: Steak Secrets
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