Hi! I'm Mark Kranenburg with Steak University TV. I'm so excited to do this video with you guys today, because we're unlocking the secrets of dry-aged beef. When it comes to dry-aged meat, there's nothing more prized than a tasty dry-aged steak. When it comes to steaks, dry aging creates a tenderness, richness, and depth of flavor that you just can't find in other cuts of meat.
嗨!我是 Steak University TV 的 Mark Kranenburg。我很興奮今天要和你們大家做這部影片，因為我們要來揭開乾式熟成牛肉的秘密。說到乾式熟成肉，沒什麼比一塊美味的乾式熟成牛排更有價值。說到牛排，乾式熟成能創造出你在其它肉中絕對找不到的柔嫩、濃郁，以及有深度的風味。
Dry aging takes time, care, and craft, which is why supermarkets rarely sell dry-aged beef. Instead, dry-aged steaks are usually found in five-star restaurants and high-end steakhouses, many of whom have their own custom-built dry age lockers. So how does dry aging happen, and what makes a great dry-aged steak? To start with, you need great beef. The USDA has three top grades for beef: USDA Prime, USDA Choice, and USDA Select. If you want a truly steakhouse-quality steak, you need to stick with USDA Prime, which has the best marbling and tenderness of any USDA grade.
乾式熟成需要時間、照料，以及工藝，那就是為什麼超市很少賣乾式熟成牛肉。乾式熟成牛排通常在五星級餐廳和高級牛排館中出現，那些餐館許多都擁有自己的訂製乾式熟成廚櫃。那麼乾式熟成是怎麼發生，又是什麼造就一塊出色的乾式熟成牛排呢？首先，你需要很棒的牛肉。美國農業部有三個頂級的牛肉等級：USDA 極佳級、USDA 特選級，以及 USDA 可選級。如果你想要貨真價實的牛排館品質牛排，你需要堅持選用極佳級牛肉，它擁有美國農業部任何牛肉等級中最出色的脂肪紋路和柔嫩度。
Next comes the dry aging itself. Dry aging takes place in specialized refrigerators called aging lockers. These lockers are precisely controlled for temperature and humidity. Butchers use racks or hangers so that air can flow over the meat surface, which is essential for the dry-aging process. Beef is then left to age for multiple weeks at a time, usually 21 to 28 days. During this time, three things happen to make dry-aged steaks extra flavorful. First, moisture starts to evaporate. With less moisture, flavor becomes more concentrated, meaning each steak has a more intense and beefy taste. Second, enzymes in the beef start to break down tough muscle fibers. This tenderizes the beef, which creates a steak so tender you could cut it with a fork. Finally, these same enzymes create new, richer flavors. This is why dry-aged beef has a more indulgent, umami-rich, and complex flavor profile than unaged or wet-aged steaks.
接下來是乾式熟成本身。乾式熟成在一種叫乾式熟成櫃的專門冰箱中進行。這些櫃子精準掌控溫度和濕度。肉販們利用架子或掛勾，好讓空氣能通過肉品表面，這在乾式熟成過程中是不可或缺的一環。牛肉接下來會一次被放置好幾星期來熟成，通常是二十一到二十八天。在這段期間，有三件事會發生來讓乾式熟成牛排的滋味更為豐富。首先，水分開始蒸發。肉的水分變少了，風味就更為集中，代表每塊牛排有著更強烈且牛肉味更重的滋味。第二，牛肉中的酵素開始分解粗韌的肌肉纖維。這使得牛肉變得柔軟，創造出一塊軟嫩到你用叉子就能切下的牛排。最後，同樣的這些酵素打造出全新、更為馥郁的風味。這就是為什麼乾式熟成牛肉擁有更讓人沉迷、鮮味豐富且複雜的風味特性，相較於其它未經熟成，或是濕式熟成的牛排。
Because of their superior tenderness and flavor, dry-aged steaks have become a luxury item among steak lovers and gourmets around the world. If you're looking for an amazing, truly steakhouse-quality steak at home, be sure to look for dry-aged USDA Prime beef.
因為它們上等的柔嫩度與風味，乾式熟成牛排成為全世界牛排愛好者和老饕們心中的奢華聖品。如果你期待在家就能料理出驚人、真正牛排館品質的牛排，一定要尋找乾式熟成的 USDA 極佳級牛肉。
I'm Mark Kranenburg. For more Steak University TV, be sure to subscribe to our channel or check us out online at mychicagosteak.com.
我是 Mark Kranenburg。想看更多 Steak University TV 影片，務必訂閱我們的頻道，或到 mychicagosteak.com 了解我們。
- 「當談到...時」- When It Comes To
When it comes to dry-aged meat, there's nothing more prized than a tasty dry-aged steak.
說到乾式熟成肉，沒什麼比一塊美味的乾式熟成牛排更有價值。 - 「首先、一開始」- To Start With
To start with, you need great beef.
首先，你需要很棒的牛肉。 - 「發生」- Take Place
Dry aging takes place in specialized refrigerators called aging lockers.
乾式熟成在一種叫乾式熟成櫃的專門冰箱中進行。 - 「分解」- Break Down
Second, enzymes in the beef start to break down tough muscle fibers.
第二，牛肉中的酵素開始分解粗韌的肌肉纖維。
