RETAIL DISPLAY
Meat ageing and
multidecks
Malcolm Harling, sales and marketing director of Williams Refrigeration, looks at two developing areas of specialist display refrigeration, meat ageing and merchandisers, and talks about how they are adding value to retail operations.
T
he demand for aged beef and other kinds of meat has exploded in popularity in recent years, as more
consumers are drawn to the unique richness of flavour and tenderness imparted by the ageing process. What’s more, it is something they are willing to pay a premium for. It has become a regular offering at butchers and supermarkets, but it is also becoming a popular practice in restaurants. With the right equipment, storing ageing meat is easy and safe and provides an eye catching point of interest, allowing customers to see and choose their meat (in the case of restaurants, before it is cooked!), with the story of the ageing process becoming an interesting part of the experience. Ageing meat requires careful management of temperature and humidity, As such, specialist equipment, like as the Williams Meat Ageing Refrigerator, is required to allow the meat to be aged safely. The ideal temperature range for ageing is between +1 to +6°C with humidity between 60-90%. The use of Himalayan salt blocks assists with moisture management as well as helping to improve the flavour of the meat. During the ageing process moisture in the meat evaporates, shrinking it slightly while concentrating the flavour. At the same time natural enzymes and harmless microbes begin to break down the meat’s
24 February 2023 •
www.acr-news.com
structure, allowing natural fats to further concentrate the meat’s taste. On average meat is aged between 21-28 days, but this is barely scratching the surface of what a skilled operator can achieve. For example, Stephen Hill, master butcher at Perry’s of Eccleshall, offers beef aged to both three and six months which has proved extremely popular with his customers but his oldest beef is currently at eighteen months. According to Stephen ‘aged beef is profitable
and £5 can be added onto retail sales. This means’ beef that has been aged for 28 days can be sold for about £80 per kilo, or four month aged beef for £130. While every business will determine the amount of time they wish to devote to preparing the meat before it’s sold, patience can pay dividends as you are able to offer a unique product. The trend is undoubtedly still growing and has a very healthy looking future.
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