Wet aged yakiniku? I have heard of dry aged beef, but not wet aged. But yakiniku, or Japanese beef BBQ, is the main attraction.

What is Wet Aging?

If you have ever been to an upper-end steakhouse there is a good chance you came across a dry-aged steak. What exactly is aging of meat and what’s the difference between that steak at the steakhouse and your steak at home?

Aging of meat can sound strange, but it is a fairly simple process that occurs naturally in meat once it is processed. Aging of meat helps to make meat more tender which makes the consumer’s eating experience more enjoyable. Aging meat is the process of allowing time to pass so that enzymes (specifically µ-calpain) can break down ultrastructural proteins, thus reducing the resistance to biting and chewing.

Wet aging consists of vacuum packing beef—either primal or sub-primal cuts—in plastic (cryovac) and letting it age between 21-42 days in a refrigerator. The meat is packed in its own juices, allowing its natural enzymes to break down connective issues…but without the fluid loss or mold growth of dry aging.

So what is the difference between dry-aging and wet-aging?

The main difference in the two methods is a noticeable difference in flavour. During the dry aging process, the fats oxidize and subtlety change in flavor. The lost moisture also causes a concentration of flavour, thus dry-aged meats most commonly have a more intense flavour profile.

The majority of beef is wet-aged because it allows moisture to be retained. The moisture loss of dry-aged beef increases product costs and is typically reserved for high-end steaks.

肉源おすすめ12段盛り 12 premium cuts

The dinner course comes with 12 different cuts of meat that have been wet aged.

Salad

黒毛和キすき焼サーロイン Kuroge Sukiyaki Sirloin

Rolled beef tongue with scallions

厚切り牛タン Thick cut beef tongue

れぎ塩リプカルビ Rib cap with salt and scallions

Chuck flap

First stomach

焼き野菜 Vegetables

ヒレ角 Diced cut kalbi

熟成ハラミ Outside skirts

熟成カルビ Kalbi briskets

厚切り牛ハツ Hearts

旨辛カルビ Red hot kalbi and 味噌ホルモン Miso cow intestines

Crunchy chilled noodles

Wagyu Steak (a la carte order)

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Desserts (a la carte order)

Entrance

This is surprising a very good yakiniku for the budget conscious. For ¥6,000, you get the 12 premium cuts course with all you can drink alcohol. The crowd is mainly office workers from the Akasaka area. Very enjoyable evening.

All you can drink

It is really the place for a rowdy and fun company gathering. The atmosphere is enhanced with the all you can drink wine cellar and other alcoholic beverages. Before long, your colleagues will be very chatty and your Japanese would have improved – kanpai!!

Nikugen Akasaka 熟成焼肉 肉源 赤板店
〒107-0052 東京都港区赤坂2丁目14-33 赤坂三田ビル藤会館2F
Akasaka Mita building Fuji hall 2F, 2-14-33 Akasaka Minato-ku,Tokyo
Tel : 050-5269-7546

https://www.nikugen.jp/

Date Visited : Sep 2019