While we can never duplicate the controlled temperature and humidity conditions of steakhouse restaurant aging rooms and usually do not have the prime cuts of meat that are available to them, we can still improve the flavor of the steaks that we eat at home by the following procedure:
Take steak, any cut but at least 11/2 - 2 inches thick, and wrap single sheets of cheesecloth around the meat to make three layers. Place wrapped meat on a metal rack, put in the rear of the middle shelf of your refrigerator (the coldest area) and leave for three days. On the third day, unwrap the meat, the surface of which will have darkened (don't mind!) and cook the steak in any way you prefer.The steak, treated in this manner, will be as close to the flavor of steakhouse meat as one can get at home.
THE REASON: The cheesecloth will "wick" moisture from the surface of the meat and it will evaporate. Because the meat has been on a rack so air can circulate all around and expose more cheeseclothed surface area to the air, even more moisture will evaporate. The evaporation of some of the meat's moisture serves to concentrate and intensify it's flavor. Too much evaporation, however, will dry out the meat, thus, the three day limit on the drying process.
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