# do you have to age meat for  ground beef



## nana_4708 (Sep 26, 2010)

We have a mean steer about 850 pds and getting meaner by the day if we have to kill him before he hits the weight we want do you have to age him to make ground beef.I know you do for steaks and other cuts to be good .Please let us know.He is a Holstein.


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## WildRoseBeef (Sep 27, 2010)

You sure he's a steer?  He could be a stag with a teste inside of him that is still making him more aggressive.

But since that is not of a concern, you have to age/cure the whole entire carcass for a few weeks in a cold room before he can be cut up into ground beef or steak.


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## jhm47 (Sep 27, 2010)

Your meat will be much more tender and you will like it a lot better if you age the carcass.  However, you certainly can make ground beef without aging, but it will not be as good as it could be if you age it first.


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## cutechick2010 (Sep 27, 2010)

How can you age it if you are having it butchered in a plant and have nowhere you can hang it? I am planning on getting a steer to butcher in the next few months, so I am trying to learn all I can about this stuff.


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## goodhors (Sep 27, 2010)

I posted about aging the carcass on your other question.  So here is the information to read, over there.

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6358

The links have more helpful information, though time hanging seems to vary a bit.


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