A goal of cartilage tissue engineering is the production of cell-laden constructs possessing sufficient mechanical and biochemical features to enable native tissue function. This study details a systematic characterization of a serum-free (SF) culture methodology employing transient growth factor supplementation to promote robust maturation of tissue-engineered cartilage. Bovine chondrocyte agarose hydrogel constructs were cultured under free-swelling conditions in serum-containing or SF medium supplemented continuously or transiently with varying doses of transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3). Constructs were harvested weekly or bi-weekly and assessed for mechanical and biochemical properties. Transient exposure (2 weeks) to low concentrations (2.5–5 ng/mL) of TGF-β3 in chemically defined medium facilitated robust and highly reproducible construct maturation. Constructs receiving transient TGF-β3 exposure achieved native tissue levels of compressive modulus (0.8 MPa) and proteoglycan content (6–7% of wet weight) after less than 2 months of in vitro culture. This maturation response was far superior to that observed after continuous growth factor supplementation or transient TGF-β3 treatment in the presence of serum. These findings represent a significant advance in developing an ex vivo culture methodology to promote production of clinically relevant and mechanically competent tissue-engineered cartilage constructs for implantation to repair damaged articular surfaces.