Heard a weird rumor about a local butcher shop in Vermont yesterday

I was up in Stowe grabbing supplies and this old timer at the feed store told me a place called Green Mountain Meats takes whole sides of beef into a repurposed steam tunnel to age them. Has anyone else heard something like that or is this guy pulling my leg?

4 comments

4 Comments

uma_webb2821d ago

Whoa, I actually read something about that in a food magazine a couple years back. They said some old tunnels in Vermont have crazy stable temps that make them perfect for dry aging, sounds like this guy wasn't bullshitting you.

harper_owens21d ago

The old timer might be onto something real. I've heard about a few places in New England that use old tunnels or cellars for aging meat because the temperature and humidity stay perfect without much effort. Green Mountain Meats has been around forever too, I think they bought up some old railroad property years back. Wouldn't surprise me if there's a tunnel under their shop they use for hanging sides of beef, that's actually a pretty smart way to do it if you ask me.

michael_craig21d ago

Harper hit the nail on the head with the railroad property thing, I've heard that same story from a guy who used to deliver to them back in the 90s. But here's the thing you gotta watch out for - those old steam tunnels can be tricky with moisture levels, so if you're thinking about buying aged beef from them, ask how long they hang it. If it's over 45 days in a tunnel without active air circulation, you're risking some funky mold growth that can ruin a whole side of meat real quick. Best way to check is to just go there and ask to see the setup, a legit butcher will show you their aging room no problem if they're proud of their process. And if they get cagey about it, take your business somewhere else because shady aging practices can make you sick, not worth the gamble for some fancy tunnel lore.

cameronb5221d ago

Haha, I love that "fancy tunnel lore" line, that's gonna stick with me. Honestly, I'd probably go check it out and end up asking them if they age it by the glow of a single flickering bulb like some horror movie setup, because I've got zero chill about dark basements. My buddy tried something similar with a home-built curing chamber in his crawlspace and ended up with beef that smelled like a wet gym sock, so these guys better have their humidity game on lock or I'm out.