To age or not to age?

[zaida]

I am looking at getting half or a whole elk butchered. I have a rough idea what to tell the butcher as far as specifications go for the cutting. I am stumped on the aging though. I have read through the post as far as aging meats. Most butchers tend to age their meats for a few week or so before cutting to make it tender is my understanding. Should I get the butcher to age the elk meat or should I get it fresh and maybe age some of it myself if I want to?

[TylerDurden]

I am looking at getting half or a whole elk butchered. I have a rough idea what to tell the butcher as far as specifications go for the cutting. I am stumped on the aging though. I have read through the post as far as aging meats. Most butchers tend to age their meats for a few week or so before cutting to make it tender is my understanding. Should I get the butcher to age the elk meat or should I get it fresh and maybe age some of it myself if I want to?

AFAIK, virtually all butchers age their meats  a couple of weeks(for high-quality meats like elk, they usually age the meats for 3, and occasionally, even 4 weeks). Just buy the meats and age them yourself if you want high-meat. The sort of aging that butchers do is only generally done at very low temperatures(just above freeezing), from what I've heard.