Venison ages WELL if kept at about 34 degrees for at least 16 days, and probably much longer. This is called "dry aging," I think. The finest beef is aged for a couple of months (saw this on "Best Steak" on the Travel Channel TV.)
But...you don't cut it in steaks until you're ready to eat it. Why this is, I don't know. The best venison I've ever eaten in my life was aged about 20 days, and it was excellent. I'm not a deer fan, either.
It is, I think, a process where the enzimes break down and it's kept in a limbo bordering on decay. Same with cured ham, too...it's better after a couple of years.
The venison was extremely tender and crusty and black on the outside, just cut it away. The meat smelled fine and fresh. It can grow a green mold on it, but you just wipe it off and eat it so long as it doesn't smell decayed.
Gravity will drain the blood out in the fridge, just put something to catch it beneath the meat and don't place it so no dripping from above gets on it.
I don't think it will age properly if frozen, but if you have a lot of meat, what choice? Just put some back for dry aging.
Last edited by Gene L; 04/21/09.
