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How much does dry-aging cost?
A piece that dry-ages for three weeks loses about 15–28 % of its weight: 10–15 % evaporates and another 5–15 % is trimmed off with the dry crust. That makes a kilo of finished meat cost 1.2 to 1.4 times what you paid for the fresh piece. Enter the weight, the days and the price.
These are estimates for planning, not guarantees: every piece, butcher and grill is different. Nothing you type leaves this page.
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The numbers at a glance
| Days | Evaporation | Total loss with trimming | Cost of finished meat vs. fresh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 days | 7–10 % | 11–24 % | ×1.13–1.31 |
| 21 days | 10–15 % | 15–28 % | ×1.17–1.38 |
| 28 days | 13–18 % | 18–31 % | ×1.21–1.44 |
| 35 days | 17–22 % | 21–33 % | ×1.26–1.50 |
| 42 days | 20–25 % | 24–36 % | ×1.32–1.57 |
Questions
How much weight does a steak lose in dry-aging?
About 10–15 % evaporates in the first three weeks and 20 % or more by six weeks; trimming the dry crust takes another 5–15 %. In total, roughly 15–30 % of the starting weight.
Why does dry-aged beef cost more?
Because you pay for the weight that disappears: if a piece loses 25 %, each kilo you sell costs 1.33 times the fresh price, before the room, the energy and the weeks of waiting.
Do bone-in pieces lose less?
Usually, yes. Evaporation happens through the surface, so small or boneless pieces lose proportionally more than bone-in ones with a fat cover.
Where the numbers come from
- Field data: the Steakpedia Field Kitchen, seven years of whole pieces weighed in a working butchery (how we measure). The yield by cut is for members.
- Loss ranges: Dry aging (the literature reviews cited there). The 42-day upper bound is an estimate.