The French Pâté Collection Perfect for a cocktail party or appetizers at a family feast, this trio is a perennial favorite and makes a lovely hostess gift.
Dry-Cured Saucisson SecServe saucisson sec with charcuterie for an ideal and easy party starter.
About D’Artagnan Gourmet Food Products
Fresh...Homemade...Natural. These attributes not only apply to all D’Artagnan products, but translate to the unparallelled taste and quaility that our 4-star chefs (both professional and amatuer) count on. This phrase applies to all of our products. To get the details, simply follow the links provided below.
We believe it’s good business to support small farms that act with respect toward the land and their animals. And we’ve found that these practices of humane animal husbandry result in better taste, flavor, and texture. Beyond our pretty-extensive experience and the testimonials of countless professional and amatuer chefs, however, lies scientific proof as well. Here are links to a few of the studies that have found that moral principles actually make good business (and taste) sense too.Purdue University’s Summary Effects of Stress and Injury on Meat and Biproduct Quality - More information abuotpreslaughter stress and its effects on meat quality. (From Humane Society International - Guidelines for Humane Handling, Transport, and Slaughter of Livestock)Abstract from a study discussed in Poultry Science on the effect of stress on meat qualityAbout D'Artagnan Wagyu Kobe-Style BeefFor the average American who consumes over 50 pounds of beef a year, it's hard to imagine, but once upon a time the Japanese were prohibited from eating beef of any kind. This prohibition, however, has resulted in what many believe to be the most flavorful, succulent beef in the world.
Prior to 1868, eating beef was taboo in Japan due, largely, to Buddhist influences as well as the need to protect draught animals in periods of famine. In 1868, in the interest of reducing Buddhist influences and importing more progressive Western influences, the official ban on eating beef was lifted. Nevertheless, the consumption of meat remained relatively low in Japan until fairly recently. It's in this environment that the Wagyu beef breeding program and Kobe animal husbandry practices began.
The Wagyu breed of cattle, the breed most often used for Kobe beef, is actually the result of cross-breeding with a large variety of Western breeds (including Brown Swiss, Devon Shorthorns, and even Holsteins) with native Japanese cattle. The breeding program is reputed to have started well before the beef ban was lifted in Japan, but was institutionalized in the early 1900's by the Japanese government. It is, in effect, a program designed specifically to increase the flavor and marbling of Japanese beef.
Until fairly recently, the export of these cattle was strictly prohibited. In the early 1990's a few head gained entry into the US and this trend has continued. Currently, most Wagyu beef cattle are raised in California and Australia and, if designated as Kobe, sent back to Japan for finishing.
Although all Kobe and Kobe-style beef is Wagyu, not all Wagyu beef wears the Kobe label. Kobe beef, which now stands for the juiciest, most flavorful beef, is a term used to refer to the feeding and caring of some Wagyu cattle.
The program is designed to supplement the natural propensity of Wagyu to be intensely marbled and high in flavor. Cattle are fed whole grain diets supplemented with beer to stimulate the animals' appetites. In addition, massage and and brushing the animals with sake (rice wine) is claimed to improve the quality of the meat.
The price of Wagyu beef continues to be relatively high (one restaurant was offering Kobe burgers not too long ago for $60 each) largely because supply is still short, especially from the prefectures of Japan. Despite this, demand continues to grow as more and more people learn about (and taste) Wagyu beef.
D'Artagnan sells American, Australian, and Japanese Wagyu beef in grades ranging from Gold (7-9), Mishima (11), and A-5.
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About D'Artagnan Organic ChickenLet’s face it: Chicken is important. On average, each American eats as much as 70 pounds of chicken every year. That’s why we’ve put so much focus on making D’Artagnan Organic Chicken the best it can be in flavor, texture, and health benefits.
Conditions under which chickens are raised make a difference in the quality of the meat, as well as the price you pay. One common misconception is that chickens grown for meat are raised in cages. Even for chickens coming from “factory farms,” this is not true. That does not, however, make all chicken free-range like ours. Large regional and national producers raise chickens in high volume environments in order to deliver a standard product that is safe and inexpensive. However, they are uniformly bland, requiring heavily flavored sauces.
Then there’s D’Artagnan Organic Chicken.
Blind-fold a dozen chefs, food editors, and serious gourmet cooks, sit them down at a table with seven or eight types of chicken and every time they say the same thing: D’Artagnan Young Organic Chicken tastes the best, is the moistest, and has the best texture.
"The flesh was noticeably darker than that of the other chickens, and the legs larger. Our tasters commented on the ‘wonderfully buttery quality of the dark meat’ and the ‘excellent skin flavor.""Is Free Range Better?"The Washingtonian, October 1994
"Last night I ate one of the best pieces of chicken of my life, if not the best…Jessica coated the chicken in one beaten egg (rather than milk) and baked the chicken, also excluding the melted butter from the recipe. It's a goodthing too, this was one of the juiciest chickens either of us have eaten.""D’Artagnan Organic Chicken – Baked"EAT: FoodMayhem.com, August 18, 2007
All this good taste and good for you too!
By all standards, D’Artagnan Certified Organic Chickens receive VIP care. Every one of our chickens is raised in open-coop, stress-free conditions on small Pennsylvania Dutch family farms using practices designed to maintain and enhance ecological balance. Birds are given ten-times the amount of space provided to commercial flocks to roam and grow. Their certified organic feeding program does not include herbicides, antibiotics, growth hormones, or additives at any time during the lifecycle. Diet consists of whole grains, as well as foraged grasses and insects. Birds are also given open access to the same well-water consumed by the farm families.
D’Artagnan offers the following types of chicken:
ProcessingD’Artagnan Organic birds are slaughtered at 7-8 weeks. After slaughter, they are perfectly chilled to minimize water weight while maintaining meat consistency. (If chilled too fast, meat gets spongy and watery. If chilled too slowly, meat dries and becomes off-color.) In fact, this process allows them to absorb 30% less water weight than commercially-raised birds. Each bird is processed by hand – never by machines – to also maintaining delightful consistency and flavor. (Machine processing can cause blood to clot resulting in tough meat with a liver-like flavor.)
Serving D’Artagnan Organic ChickenUnlike commercial poultry, D’Artagnan Organic Chicken tastes, well, like chicken should with an old-fashioned, robust flavor and intensely moist meat. You’ll find you need little in the way of highly-spiced sauces or rubs. Instead we recommend that you enjoy the true flavor of the bird itself. You may want to consider using one of the following recipes from our website:
Crisp Oven-Roasted Chicken with Rosemary PotatoesChicken and TarragonClassic Coq au VinInterestingly, coq au vin is a French provincial recipe developed to tenderize the tough meat from older male birds (a cock or coq), kept as long as possible for their breeding value, using simmering "en casserole" with wine (vin) or broth. The combs and kidneys of the cock were often used as garnish for this dish.
Serving SizesWhen determining the quantity of chicken needed, consider that a chicken has eight pieces--two wings, two breasts, two thighs, and two drumsticks. A whole chicken usually feed four people (two pieces each) if it's the only meat being served, or eight people per chicken (one piece each) if served along with another meat. Is it done yet?Please note that chicken is properly cooked when the breast registers 160-165°F and the thigh registers 165-175°F. Color of any part of the chicken, by the way, is not a good measure of doneness. In the body cavity, the juices are usually pink; at the thigh joint, they are not always clear, even at 180°F. And, even when fully cooked, the meat between the thigh and wing joints and the body will be a bit pink when first cut. If the chicken is properly cooked, the meat will lose its rosy tint very quickly on contact with the air.
The most important factor in preparing a beautifully cooked chicken, remember, is to let the bird rest 10 – 15 minutes prior to carving and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and reabsorb into the meat. If you skip this step, a lot of moisture will end up on the cutting board during carving, not in the meat.Butterflying (Deboning) a Whole ChickenHere are the steps involved in butterflying a whole chicken. By removing the backbone and the breastbone (also called the keel bone), a whole chicken lays flat on the grill and cooks more evenly, since all the meat is about the same thickness. It makes for a nice presentation, too.
Remove the fat from the cavity opening and the neck and giblets, if present, from the body cavity.
Remove the backbone. Position the chicken so that the back is facing up and the drumsticks point toward you. Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut all the way down one side of the backbone through the small rib bones. Cut as close to the actual backbone as possible so that you don’t lose too much meat.
Next, cut all the way down the other side of the backbone, removing it as you go. If you wish, reserve this bone to make delicious soup stock.
Remove the breast bone. Now position the bird so that the drumsticks face away from you. Use a small knife – a paring knife will do – to make a small cut in the cartilage that covers the top of the breastbone. Bend both halves of the bird backward at the cut to expose the breast bone. It will pop up through the cut.
Run thumbs or index fingers down both sides of the breastbone to separate it from the meat. Pull the breastbone out. It may break into two pieces as you pull it out, especially if it’s not totally separated from the breast meat. If this happens, simply pull out the two pieces.
Once this step is done, the chicken will lay flat. To cook the chicken as halves, at this point, simply cut the two breast sections.
Clean the bird. Remove any excess fat from inside the bird. Rinse it thoroughly under cool water. Pat dry before cooking.A Short Summary of the Long History of ChickenWhen you think about it, it’s really no wonder that chickens are one of the earliest domesticated animals. They are a perfect meat. They’re cheap to start and keep, living on stale bread and leftover oatmeal. No storage is necessary for leftover meat. A single chicken can easily be consumed during one meal. That’s why as early as 7000 BC the Indian jungle fowl, Gallus Gallus were domesticated concurrently in China and India for both their meat and their eggs. (There’s also a theory that they were first domesticated not as a source of food, but for divination. Chickens spread to West Asia and then to Africa by 2500 BC.
They are now the most popular type of meat in America, as well as other parts of the world.
Get recipes for preparing D'Artagnan Organic Chicken
Buy D'Artagnan Organic Chicken About D'Artagnan Duck(Excerpt taken from D'Artagnan's Glorious Game Cookbook by Ariane Daguiin, George Faison, and Joanna Priess)
Duck is one of the most delicious birds to eat. It is also one of the most versatile and easiest to prepare. It takes amiably to flavors from around the world, and in spite of what some frustrated cooks might say, duck isn't greasy and fatty if well prepared. To make things simpler, today's shopper can buy different breeds of ducks, ducks that are whole or cut up, duck breasts or duck legs, smoked duck, or duck confit. As the duck recipes on our site illustrate, duck isn't only for "fancy meals."
In Gascony, Moulard ducks are the backbone of all gastronomic traditions. For local inhabitants, there is almost a religious reverence for the birds, with centuries of tradition ingrained in their souls. In fact, one day we will probably discover that Gascons have a region in their brains that preserves all duck lore and recipes. This would include memories of the Gauls who lived just above the Pyrenees who taught themselves how to domesticate these migratory waterfowl.
The Gascon love of duck is centuries old. Before the early Romans set their sights on Gaul, they invaded Egypt. When they returned, they brought back from the rich land of the Nile a very interesting way to care for their web-footed animals: they were separated into pens and force-fed twice or three-times aa day with little balls of cereal or a mixture of dried figs.
The effect of this regime on the birds was the same as what occurs naturally when the air cools and the leaves change color: ducks and geese begin to gorge themselves on any piece of grass, grain, insects, and even fish they can find. Within just 15 days, they double in weight and create a thick layer of fat all over their body; this enables them to withstand the brutally cold temperatures of high altitude during migration. Most important, they also create a magnificent, huge, pale, fat liver that serves as an energy storehouse. It is located exactly in the middle of the body for perfect aerodynamic equilibrium.
Twice a year this happen, with time-clock precision: in the wild, migratory ducks and geese eat and drink like crazy before the long, nonstop flight north or south, depending on the season. Once they arrive, they resume their normal regime and the enlarged liver, which may weigh up to two pounds, shrinks to its normal size, about 2 ounces.
The Egyptians recognized the superiority of fat birds and did everything to promote their growth. Tomb paintings from as early as the Fourth Dynasty (about 2600 B.C.) depict the daily ritual of feeding the domesticated birds. Ducks and geese were considered so important by the Pharoahs and other royalty that they carried the birds with them, as sacred symbols, into the afterlife.
Like the Egyptians, Romans thought the soul of a goose was in its liver. Yet this did not prevent them from eating this foie gras that Apicius and Lucullus prepared and enjoyed in so many ways.
Eventually the custom of force-feeding followed the Jewish exodus and resettlements to pockets in Eastern Europe, Alsace, and Gascony. Following the normal life cycle of the birds, Gascons force-fed ducks and geese in the fall as they reached adult size. The timing was perfect, as provisions were needed to survive the coming winter. And never has the art of preserving foods been more effective or tastier than with the meat of these birds, preserved, or "confited," in their own fat. (Confit is the past participle of the French verb confire, "to preserve.") All parts of the bird, including the giblets and famous foie gras, were salted, simmered in fat, and then stored in big earthenware pots, buried in goose or duck fat, to be eaten much later. Peasants regularly ate slabs of foie gras on bread. Our Gascon king, Henri IV, sent for whole barrels of the stuff, since nobody in Paris made confit.
Buy D'Artagnan Duck Duck ConfitNever has the art of preserving foods been more effective or tastier than when the meat of ducks or geese is preserved, or "confited," in their own fat. (Confit is the past participle of the French verb confire, "to preserve.") This is a classic, centuries-old method of preserving meats without refrigeration. The method takes advantage of the fact that duck and goose fat is impermeable and protect what is stored in it from harmful bacteria.
Confits can be made from any part of the bird. Legs, breasts, giblets and even foie gras, can be salted, simmered in fat, and then stored in big earthenware pots and then buried in duck fat, to be eaten much later. Most confit recipes also call for including some mixture of herbs while stewing the meat. The Gascon king, Henri IV, sent for whole barrels of the stuff, since nobody in Paris made confit.
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Duck MagretD’Artagnan Duck, like all of our meat, comes from small farms committed to the belief that using responsible animal husbandry results in the highest quality products.
Our duck farm cooperative began as a small operation in Indiana, in the mid-1950’s. Today it’s led by the second generation of duck enthusiasts.
Our ducks are raised on small family farms, many of which are Amish or Mennonite, by growers who have been trained and certified concerning duck care and behavior. In addition to equipping them with comprehensive training, we also provide our growers with specific duck care guidelines and personal assistance from animal husbandry staff and veterinarians so that they ensure the well-being of our ducks.
The farms go to great lengths to maintain a healthy environment for the ducks. They are raised in spacious barns that protect them from extreme weather conditions, predators and disease. The ducks have room to roam about and access to fresh water and feed.
Our ducks are not fed antibiotics, steroids, hormones or other growth stimulants. In fact, we have a poultry nutritionist that formulates a natural, grain-based diet for our ducks and oversees the production of that feed at our company feed mills to ensure consistent quality.
Each farm takes great care with the ducks, not just because they're a livelihood, but because it's the right thing to do.
The Choice Cut: Duck Magret (Breast)
A cross between a Muscovy Drake and a Pekin Hen, Moulard Duck Breast – or Magrets as they’re called by the French –are the perfect blend of the two breeds. They provide a moist red meaty flesh with rich flavor, enhanced further by being aged seven days on the bone.
D’Artagnan Moulards, the foundation of many Gascon dishes and the breed used for our famed foie gras, are raised on a small farm in upstate New York committed to their quality care and feeding. The flock is fed high-quality corn and soy with no hormones or antibiotics administered. Because of this feeding program duck breasts are incredibly rich and moist.
Our duck magret, aged to perfection to provide maximum rich flavor, are favored by most of New York’s top restaurants because of their size and moist flavor. In addition, magrets are known to pair extremely well with really red wines.
Often Duck Magret recipes call for a honey glaze to seal in the juice and complement the flavors. In addition fruit compotes are a great accompaniment. D’Artagnan’s marinated, pre-scored magrets make it simple to cook and serve the same quality of duck used by most of New York’s four-star restaurants. This duck breast is also individually packed to serve two perfectly.
Duck magrets – or duck breast – are tender, juicy meat with a subtle rich taste. The Mediterranean marinade uses olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, and thyme to add a sun-kissed taste. The Southwestern marinade combines spice and smoke with paprika, lemon juice, ancho peppers, chili powder, cumin, chipotle peppers, and mustard seed. The Teriyaki marinade uses orange, apple cider, ginger, sesame seeds and onion to deliver a complex sweet-tart-nutty taste to the rich duck breast.
To prepare any of the D’Artagnan Duck Magrets, trim away excess fat that extends beyond the edge of the meat if necessary and then simply sauté quickly until medium rare. Let rest for about five minutes before cutting into 1/8” slices and serving. Or, for a exotic treat, cut magret into cubes and make kebabs with fresh vegetables and dried plums. Additional recipes can be found on the D'Artagnan recipe pages.
Buy D'Artagnan Duck MagretPekin DuckD’Artagnan Duck, like all of our meat, comes from small farms committed to the belief that using responsible animal husbandry results in the highest quality products.
The popular choice: Pekin Duck
All of the Pekin ducks in the U.S. are said to descend from 9 Mallard ducks imported to Long Island, New York in 1873 from China. One Frenchwoman I know (Ariane Daguin, founder and head of D’Artagnan) states that they originally arrived in San Francisco in the 1870’s and made their way (with help from wagons and trains) to the East coast. In any case, from those small beginnings, Pekin has become the best selling type of duck in the U.S. Pekin ducklings are generally raised to 6 to 8 weeks for optimal tenderness. Pekin is known for its mild, satisfying flavor that easily adapts to a number of cuisine and menu categories.
Interestingly, nutritional information released by the USDA in 1997 proves that skinless Pekin duck breast is lower in fat and calories than skinless chicken breast.
Buy D'Artagnan Pekin Duck About D'Artagnan Foie Gras
Foie Gras: What is this gourmet food treat?
Foie gras – or “fattened liver” in French – is one of the world’s most popular delicacies. It combines a heavenly sweet taste with a silky texture that many gourmets find unparalleled. Foie gras is simply the enhanced liver of a duck or a goose. The art of raising ducks and geese for foie gras demands a low-stress environment (birds under stress produce low-quality or no foie gras).
It is produced by a few small farmers here in the United States (and many more around the world, especially France) by tube-feeding ducks or geese by hand twice a day for the two weeks prior to production of the foie gras. This simulates their natural propensity to gorge themselves in preparation for migration and results is an enlarged liver with a sweet, rich taste and smooth-as-butter texture.
A delicacy with lots of history
Ancient Egyptians discovered the secret of the delicacy when hunting migratory ducks and geese in the waters of the Nile River. Uniquely in nature, these birds gorge themselves prior to long migrations. They store the resulting extra calories in their livers as fat and use it as fuel during the journey. After migration, the size of their livers returns to normal.
Egyptians took advantage of this natural behavior and started force-feeding ducks and geese at least by 2500 BC. We know this from an Egyptian relief dated at about this time that shows slaves force-feeding geese by hand. From Egypt the practice spread across the Mediterranean to Greece and Rome. In the third century BC the Romans discovered that feeding some types of fruit to the birds further enhanced the taste of foie gras. Pliny the Elder comments in his Natural History on the practice of feeding figs to geese to fatten them.
From Greece and Rome, foie gras spread to Europe, especially France, largely through the influence of Jews who used goose and duck fat instead of lard or butter. They fattened their birds to produce both foie gras and cooking fat. In the 1500’s foie gras became widely accepted by gastronomes across Europe. The French remain the largest producers (and consumers) of foie gras, and the Southwest of France is well known for traditional foie gras production.
In the 1980’s Ariane Daguin, founder of D’Artagnan, almost single-handedly introduced both French and domestic foie gras to America, first to top restaurants in New York and then to restaurants, retailers, and home chefs across the country.
Preparation of foie gras
Foie gras can be prepared and eaten either hot (usually sautéed over very high heat) or prepared as terrines, mousses, or pâtés to be served cold. The D’Artagnan website provides instructions for preparation, as well as foie gras recipes.
Buy D'Artagnan Foie Gras About D’Artagnan Morel MushroomsMorel mushrooms are a source of passion and culinary wonder for thousands, inspiring poetry, recipes, and annual spring festivals across the United States. They are known as a chef’s mushroom with an opulent, earthy flavor – and texture -- that builds wonderful, rich sauces. Yet, they’re complex enough to be preferred by many simply sautéed in butter with a bit of salt or soy sauce.
Part of what makes them so beloved is the fact that they can be rare and hard-to-find. They are most common in moist woody areas and are often associated with dead or dying Elms, Sycamore and Ash trees, and old apple orchards, but some hunters report finding them frequently in their own backyards. They often blend perfectly with the leaf mold of early spring.
Morels first appear when the snow melts and the sap starts to run. Our first shipments are usually obtained from Turkey, Western Europe, and, then, here in the States. As the season progresses, they are found in diminishing quantities throughout the summer and occasionally the fall.
Three species are generally harvested: Morchella conica, Morchella angusticeps, and Morchella esculenta. (D’Artagnan offers M. esculenta.) All have honeycombed, hollow caps ranging in size from two to four inches.
To date, few morels have been successfully cultivated. Those for sale are gathered painstakingly, but with much love, by individual “hunters.” Hunters await the morel forage with much anticipation. It’s the first of the season and they patiently look for the appearance of these lovely, tasty treats in “secret spots” that they often won’t tell anyone of. But, ah, when morels are found, they are well-worth the wait and the hunt.
Buy D'Artagnan Morel Mushrooms About D'Artagnan QuailAll of D’Artagnan Natural, Free-Flight Quail comes from a small farm located in central New Jersey that’s been in operation since 1973 by a husband and wife team. They began by raising just twelve quail on two acres.
The farm has grown a bit and now covers 75 acres of land and accommodates approximately 70,000 quail, all free-range and all natural.
In its early days, the farm distributed to a few select upscale restaurants in the New York City area. Now, in addition to serving four-star restaurant clients, we also offer quail to retailers and consumers.
All birds are raised in 100,000 square feet of clean barn space where they fly freely and get plenty of light and exercise. The feeding program uses a high-protein vegetable diet with no antibiotics or animal by-products to get in the way of flavor. In addition, the farm is dedicated to raising the Pharaoh breed of quail, a moister, richer tasting bird than the more common Bob White.
D’Artagnan offers two types of quail, packaged in fours – semi-boneless for stuffing and boned.
Quail are one of Ariane Daguin’s favorite game birds. Here’s why:
“Few game birds are as versatile, simple to cook, and easy to enjoy as quail. They make everyone – novice or professional chef alike – look like a champion. Grilled, broiled, or sautéed, they’re almost impossible not do well.
Buy D'Artagnan Quail Heritage & Wild TurkeyBack to our Pilgrim Roots: Heritage TurkeyFor you, who demand an authentic tasting, honest-to-goodness turkey (or simply looking to experience the real thing) a Heritage or Wild turkey is the holiday choice. These birds are descended from original American stock and bred for their fine texture and rich flavor. Each D'Artagnan Heritage or Wild Turkey receives only wholesome grain and fresh spring water in an open, low-stress environment (none of the over-crowding of the large "factory" farms). Diet also includes the same grasses, seeds, and insects the birds would eat in their native habitat. Both the diet and the environment are evident in the taste. Heritage and Wild turkeys deliver a richer, more intense flavor and moist, fine-grained texture, especially when prepared with care.
A short historyThe turkey is native to North America. Long before the Pilgrims landed and started the Thanksgiving tradition, Native Americans of the Southwest had already domesticated the local Mexican breed. Fattened with corn, these domesticated birds fed the Native Americans, and supplied feathers for garments, blankets, baskets, and ritual objects. Tribes of the Plains and East hunted turkey with bow and arrow. Turkeys were brought back to Spain by priests who explored the New World with the Conquistadors in the 1500s. Once introduced to Europe the turkey quickly became a favorite. Charles IX of France, for example, is said to have chosen turkey to celebrate his wedding in 1570. Throughout Europe, turkeys provided a reliable source of meat, and were a common sight in the poultry yard, along with chickens, ducks, and geese.
The English settlers brought domesticated turkeys back to the new world with them when they settled New England in the early 17th century, not realizing they occurred in the wild there. By the early 1900's, there were fewer than 30,000 wild turkeys left due to hunting, deforestation and the westward movement of the pioneers. Happily, federal laws, reintroduction efforts, and conservation have brought the numbers back to about seven million wild birds in the forty-nine states.
The appetite for turkey and the standardization of large scale farming has resulted in the modern commercial turkey which has dominated the market for the last 50 years. Breeds like the Broad Breasted Bronze and the Large White are bred to produce a lot of meat quickly. They are larger with a higher percentage of both white meat and meat-to-bone than organic, heritage, or wild birds. This is due to breeding, diet (most of these birds are fed growth hormones and antibiotics), lack of exercise, and water-processing. These birds cannot mate because of the unnaturally large breast, shorter breast bones and legs. They cannot walk normally, and have very little muscle as a result. Sadly, these are the turkeys most of us are familiar with, and few have tasted turkey as nature intended it.
Heritage Pedigree
With the increasing interest from our client chefs, our demand for Wild and Heritage-breed turkeys has risen over the last several years. Supplying this demand has sometimes been challenging, but the number of farms raising them has increased and it's now possible to offer home chefs access to these old breed birds for the holidays.What sets Heritage Turkey apart from the flock, are these criteria: they must be able to breed naturally, live seven to nine years, and grow slowly. They are old standard breeds, not modern experiments. Today, there are only seven Heritage breeds including Standard Bronze (actually a cross between the Narragansett and Eastern Wild breeds developed by early settlers in Rhode Island in the 1700's), Bourbon Red, Jersey Buff, Slate, Black Spanish, Narragansett and White Holland.
Our Heritage and Wild Turkeys are fed natural whole-grain diets, without any antibiotics or hormones, and are raised free range. The freedom to exercise means they have more muscle than conventional birds. Processing is often by hand instead of machine. The result is a more intense turkey flavor with less white meat and a leaner texture that requires a tad more care in preserving moistness. Especially in the Wild Turkeys, the breast meat will be darker than conventional turkeys. Brining, barding, and basting are common techniques in preparing a tasty heritage bird.
These birds also tend to be smaller. In fact, Heritage Turkeys are largely unavailable in sizes over 20 lbs, and Wild Turkeys rarely grow over 10 lbs. When deciding what size to serve, a good rule of thumb is to have one pound of turkey for each person.
D’Artagnan Organic Turkeys are a delicious alternative to the heritage or wild birds. They are raised on certified organic whole-grain diets, and given lots of room to move around. The key difference between commercial and organic birds is their feeding program, farm environment, and processing. You will find no antibiotics or growth hormones in the diet of these turkeys. They, too, will have more muscle than conventional birds, giving their meat a more intense flavor.Preparation is the key
With their richer tasting meat and moister overall texture, it's easy to assume that preparation techniques for Heritage or Wild Turkey are exactly the same as those used for commercial birds. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that these birds are leaner with a higher percentage of dark meat. This natural balance of dark to white meat actually makes preparation easier. Since white meat always cooks faster than dark, the closer the ratio, the easier it is to roast evenly.
The breast meat is smaller (after all, it hasn't been artificially enlarged) and needs protection during cooking. Covering the breast meat with aluminum foil, or cheesecloth soaked in cooking oil, while cooking is strongly advised. Remove the covering about 30 minutes before the turkey is done so the breast will brown. Frequent basting is a must, unless you rub Truffle Butter or olive oil under the skin over the breast, which makes the birds self-basting. Because they are leaner and tend to be smaller, cooking at low temperatures for longer time is also suggested.
Get recipes for cooking Heritage and Wild Turkey
Buy D'Artagnan Turkey The "Other" Red Meat: Venison I remember the first time I ever tasted venison. I was just a child and my grandfather had successfully shot a beautiful roe deer buck. As was always the case, my father, the chef André Daguin, butchered and prepared the meat. After several days of hanging, the result of this success was a feast featuring a beautiful rack of venison and a daube (red wine stew) that perfumed our restaurant for several days. Friends and family gathered to enjoy it, rather like a traditional hunt must have been in Gascony hundreds of years ago. Like many of my childhood food memories, I've been trying to duplicate it ever since.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a family so adept at turning game into delicious dishes. And for many, venison is associated with a hunter friend who dispenses irregular, butcher-paper-wrapped meat parcels of uneven quality and dubious taste. As a result, venison’s reputation has suffered until recently.
Over the last decade or so, venison has become main stream. The best restaurants in the country include it on their menus, and it can be purchased at neighborhood grocery stores, and local butchers as well as online. Not only is venison easier to procure, but it's more tender and milder in taste than its wild counterpart. Retail availability also means that cooks can pick and choose the best cuts, not just the frozen stew meat left over from Uncle Bob's hunting trip last year. Venison Sources
In addition to venison hunted largely in the Fall and early Winter season, ranches or farms are now located throughout the world. Most of America's supply currently comes from New Zealand ranches and is marketed under the appellation Cervena (see below). This is supplemented by privately-operated local farms. The ready availability has resulted from increased demand for both "exotic" and healthier meats. Game of all types, especially venison, is lower in fat, cholesterol, and calories and higher in the essential nutrients niacin, phosphorus, iron, selenium, and zinc. There is a great appeal, also, for meat raised in sustainable environments without the use of growth hormones, genetic alterations, animal byproducts, or antibiotics. Venison meets all these requirements.
The term venison comes from the Latin verb venari, meaning“ to hunt.” It can refer to meat coming from boar, hares, and certain species of goats and antelopes, but is most commonly applied to deer meat. The meat is characterized by its fine-grain and supple texture resulting from short-thin muscle fibers. Red (the largest type of deer), axis, fallow, and roe are the most common type of deer used for their meat. Because of its large size, red deer are preferred for ranch-raised venison. Occasionally roe venison shot wild in Scotland, can be found.
The introduction of Cervena from New Zealand has added a measure of quality-control to venison around the world. Cervena is a trademarked appellation that certifies that venison has been naturally pasture-raised, grass-fed with only minimal supplemental feed such as hay, and without steroids or growth hormones. Antibiotics are administered only in cases of extreme disease and are its use then tracked by animal. Cervena also requires that animals be under three years of age at time of processing and that processing take place at accredited facilities.Venison Cuts
Cooking today's ranch-raised venison no longer requires the slow-cooking/low temperatures traditionally used for wild deer. Ranch-raised deer meat is most tender and moist when cooked quickly to rare at high heat. It is a red meat that tastes most similar to beef. Following are specific guidelines for preparing different cuts of venison.
Reheating
Ranch-raised venison is best eaten freshly cooked, however pre-prepared dishes (e.g. casseroles) must be reheated thoroughly to 181° F (83° C). Reheat casseroles only once. About Ariane Daguin and D'ArtagnanAriane Daguin was born into a world of great food. Her father, André Daguin, former chef-owner of the Hotel de France in Auch, Gascony, is famous throughout France for his artistry with foie gras and other Gascon specialties. While working part-time for a New York pâté producer, Ariane was in the right place when the opportunity to market the first domestically-produced foie gras presented itself. She gathered her financial resources and love of food and launched D’Artagnan, virtually the only purveyor of game (including domestic, New Zealand, and Scottish venison) and foie gras in the U.S. at the time. Today, her company D'Artagnan offers natural, free-range, and organic meat, truffles, foie gras, mushrooms, and preservative-free charcuterie to not only the world's top restaurants, but also to consumers through quality retailers and directly through their web site at www.dartagnan.com. Click to review available cuts and purchase D'Artagnan Venison
