Keeping meat unfrozen, exposed, and allowing it to dry in the refrigerator

[Techydude]

I will stick to the fridge.  I have heard that the oven is where cockroaches often live. 

Yep you're correct. But a cabinet or etc is good too.

[magnetic]

Yep you're correct. But a cabinet or etc is good too.

Some on here have suggested storing fat outside the fridge, so I will need something for that.  Maybe a good tight breadbox that I could air out every so often?  I think the critters would get into the cabinet too easily.

[PaleoPhil]

Some on here have suggested storing fat outside the fridge, so I will need something for that.  Maybe a good tight breadbox that I could air out every so often?  I think the critters would get into the cabinet too easily.

If the breadbox is wooden I would think that would work. I wouldn't recommend plastic, though, as the combination of air-tightness plus plastic plus warm temps is potentially deadly.

[magnetic]

If the breadbox is wooden I would think that would work. I wouldn't recommend plastic, though, as the combination of air-tightness plus plastic plus warm temps is potentially deadly.

My folks probably have an old breadbox lying around, they always had wooden ones.  Thanks, I have been cutting down on the plastic, using jars for storage and trasportation of my meats.

I thawed out the fat and opened the vacuum sealed package today.  I laid out the lamb fat, it felt to be around 6 pounds, on a large counter space.  I put some of it in a paper bag and left the rest out, we will see what happens tonight.  Luckily, the cat hasn't gone after it.

[MaximilianKohler]

btw, even though there are a number of variations on how to dry age meat at home http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dry+age+meat&aq=f

you can basically just put the meat on a plate or shallow pan/w.e and leave it open in the fridge. I've been keeping mine in sealed jars which keeps all the moisture/blood in, but I've been taking months(making sure to air it out twice a week) to eat it all so the taste hasn't been great. I'm going to start leaving mine just aired out.

as far as I know the only way that raw meat can become inedible is to seal it air tight and not air it out for months? but then I've also heard that Aajonus says if you do that, the next time you air it out you just start off where you left off... so I dunno. But pretty much there doesn't seem to be a lot to worry about re your raw meat becoming inedible.

[PaleoPhil]

Sheesh, the first Youtube instructions to dry age were so complicated, time intensive and germ-phobic, it would turn me off dry aging if I didn't know that most of that nonsense is not necessary.

I think what Aajonus likely meant is that when meat is sealed off from air, the aerobic bacteria gradually die off and the anaerobic pathogenic bacteria can take over. Then when you expose the meat again to oxygen, it kills of the anaerobic bacteria and the aerobic bacteria can gradually take hold again. Anaerobic bacteria also make the meat taste nasty, which was important for human survival in the wild, and it would probably take quite some time for it to taste good again, if it ever does.

[magnetic]

btw, even though there are a number of variations on how to dry age meat at home http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dry+age+meat&aq=f

you can basically just put the meat on a plate or shallow pan/w.e and leave it open in the fridge. I've been keeping mine in sealed jars which keeps all the moisture/blood in, but I've been taking months(making sure to air it out twice a week) to eat it all so the taste hasn't been great. I'm going to start leaving mine just aired out.

as far as I know the only way that raw meat can become inedible is to seal it air tight and not air it out for months? but then I've also heard that Aajonus says if you do that, the next time you air it out you just start off where you left off... so I dunno. But pretty much there doesn't seem to be a lot to worry about re your raw meat becoming inedible.

I have some on the kitchen counter I have been eating as it dries out.  No problemo.