A:   It’s very unlikely the meat is tough because of the butcher shop. This sounds like a large animal, which might contribute to the chance for less tender beef (because large animals typically are fast growing and don’t have enough subcutaneous fat and marbling). Although 24 months is not too old, cattle harvested at 12 to 14 months of age are measurable more tender.

It’s not clear how long the meat was aged before freezing. Ten to 14 days is about right to get optimal tenderization in carcass form; beef aged longer will be more tender. The first week is most critical. The same biological process makes meat tender when it’s aged in steak form, but there are some considerations to be made before deciding to age thawed steaks in the refrigerator. Having been cut and wrapped, the meat has now been exposed to bacteria - it’s not possible to avoid this. So time spent aging is also time spent growing bacteria. These bacteria can cause spoilage. Cold temperatures will retard microbial growth. Unfortunately, they also retard the aging process. I would suggest you thaw the meat in a refrigerator a day before use, leaving it in the air-tight package to maintain the low-oxygen atmosphere and contain the drip. Opening the package with accelerate the spoilage process by letting oxygen get to the meat. Many, but not all, of the spoilage bacteria are aerobic - meaning they require oxygen to grow. For food safety reasons, I would not recommend holding the meat longer than that in the refrigerator.