Yrs ago worked for an attorney. Jack of all trades. He'd buy prime beef at the state fair, send to a GOOD, TRUSTED, slaugheter house/processor. One of the guys would call: "Beef's been hanging 6 weeks, can we cut it up before it falls off the hook?" "Yeah, save me the briskets and tongues, steaks 1.5 inches, grind everything else!"
Briskets I corned, ain't any better!!!!!!!!!!!! Tongue boiled in pickling spices, skinned and sliced: GREAT sandwich makings!!!!!!!!!!
Elton Brown did a seg on ageing beef cuts in the fridge. Seach on Foodnetwork.com
Smoked trout, anybody?
Bob