Sick of cooking the same old meals for your family? Dry aged pork could be your new favourite source of protein.
Dry ageing pork has been a method used almost exclusively in high-end restaurants and butcheries, but now the Australian product has hit supermarket shelves for the first time.
Ben Williamson, co-owner and chef at Agnes in Brisbane, says dry aged pork is "superior" to regular pork products in supermarkets.
"That dry ageing process, just like beef; it just adds so much flavour and texture to the product."
"You lose some moisture in the process but the more moisture you lose, the more intense the flavour becomes."
"It's not overly porky though; it's a slightly nuttier [taste]."
Dry aged pork retails in the supermarket from $10 a kilo, similar to other pork products.
Most pork is placed into plastic and vacuum-packed soon after butchering, a process known as "wet ageing", but dry ageing requires some days or weeks in a clean, refrigerated environment with no other kinds of food present.
Supporting Australian farmers
Mr Williamson said the protein can be cooked the same ways as any other cut of regular pork.
"But my favourite recipe is a simple roast," he said.
"Season it really well, roast it and serve it up with your favourite vegetables."
Chief executive of Australian Pork, Margo Andrae, said the product's release into supermarkets was timely, as people had been experimenting in the kitchen more over the past few years.
"Consumers want to try new things, but they also want to support Australian agriculture," she said.
"At this stage, it's only Borrowdale Free Range Pork farm in Queensland [selling dry aged pork to supermarkets], but we're expecting more producers to come online, given its success … at this stage it's still niche."
"We hope to see further uptake by more supermarkets of dry aged pork in the future, as consumers become more confident cooking new products at home."
