Method of tendering and flavoring meat

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR AGING AND RIPENING MEAT TO IMPROVE ITS TENDERNESS, COLOR AND FLAVOR THE STEPS OF INTRODUCING THE BEEF, AFTER RIGOR MORTIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED, INTO AN ENCLOSED SPACE AND INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MEAT IN THE ENCLOSED SPACE TO APPROXIMATELY 70 TO 75* F., THEN MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MEAT AND OF THE ENCLOSED SPACE AT APPROXIMATELY 70* F. TO 75* F. FOR APPROXIMATELY 36 HOURS, PERIODICALLY INTRODUCING THAMNIDIUM INTOI THE ENCLOSED SPACE DURING BOTH THE HEATING AND HOLDING PERIODS, THEN REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MEAT TO APPROXIMATELY 33 TO 35* F., PERIODICALLY STERILIZING THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE ENCLOSED SPACE DURING THE COOLING PERIOD, AND MAINTAINING THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY OF THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE ENCLOSED SPACE AT ABOVE APPROXIMATELY 90% DURING THE RIPENING CYCLE WHEREBY THE BEEF BECOMES PROPERLY AGED OR RIPENED AND IMPROVED IN TENDERNESS AND FLAVOUR WITHIN AN APPROXIMATE 48 HOUR PERIOD UNDER THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED.