Terrapin wrote on Nov 20^th, 2009 at 3:33am:

Don't mean to change the subject db, but, what is 'proper aging' for venison?

I'm no expert but it's controlled rot. It really is and I mentioned it simply due to the rot factor so...

I grew up in farm country and would always joke about my friend's Thanksgiving decorations - hanging deer carcasses....

When I moved away to become a poor student, I'd go back to visit and everyone felt sorry for me and would offer me venison care packages. Not being the proud sort I'd always gladly accept. Of my three sources, one always had the best although they all decorated their yards about the same way. One year my go to guy apologized saying it wouldn't be very good due to the weather. (I'm thinking too cold.) It might have been the power of suggestion but he was right.

These days I only have one source left for venison. A city kid ... almost brother in law who takes his deer directly to the butcher. I'll still enjoy burgers and sausage but have learned to pass on the better cuts, especially if he tells me he had to track it for a while.

This thread is about fish and from where I sit in WI, a fishy taste is decomposing fish flesh. I do not like the smell or taste of rotting fish flesh so freshness is a big deal to me. Melt in your mouth and go ooooh type red meat requires aging and deficiencies in pre-prep are just as noticeable - in reverse.

Last trip, August, I cleaned and bagged an eye on Jean in the morning and had it for dinner 8-10 hours later on Jessy. I expected it to still be edible but it was actually good! I was truly surprised. Go figure.