Best Birds for the Holidays
For over 35 years, we have been dedicated to bringing the world’s finest natural and organic meats to four-star chefs and home gourmets alike, and our holiday fare is no exception. We are proud to continue this tradition by presenting our exclusive selection of the season’s best birds to grace your family’s table.
We believe that sustainable farming is simply the responsible practice of meeting our common need for wholesome and delicious food without endangering the future. D’Artagnan has always carefully selected and vetted our suppliers, and worked with small family farms that practice sustainable farming. The many benefits of their devoted stewardship are self-evident, not the least of which is producing animals that yield the best quality meat with superb flavor and texture.
Read on to learn about the holiday birds we offer at D’Artagnan, and place your pre-order to guarantee that you have the best bird on your table for the holidays. Download our handy Turkey Roasting Guide for a quick reference.
Our certified-organic, free-range turkey is a naturally delicious, healthy and nutritious choice for your family. These Broad-breasted White turkeys are farm-raised in the Midwest in adherence to the strict USDA standards required for organic certification. The grain they eat is certified 100% organic to ensure that the birds are free of pesticides and other chemicals, and they drink pure well water. The meticulous farming methods and high-standard breeding practices result in a turkey that is healthier for you and for the environment.
Buy Organic Turkey
Buy Organic Turkey Breast
D'Artagnan Heritage Turkeys are from Narragansett and Bourbon Red stock, which are breeds known for their heavy breasts and richly-flavored meat. Unlike their modern cousins, the heritage breeds grow at a slower pace, which is inconvenient for factory farms on a strict schedule. These old breeds have largely been displaced by Broad-breasted White turkeys. They have dark feathers, which can result in noticeable pinfeathers in the flesh. And they are not as large as the modern birds, engineered to grow to enormous size.
Our heritage turkeys are raised on small farms, with great care and attention paid to their welfare. They eat a non-GMO corn and soy diet and are air-chilled during processing. This translates to a superbly clean bird that yields a naturally firm and moist meat with authentic turkey flavor, and extra crispy skin. If you believe, as we do, that a happy turkey is a tasty turkey, then a heritage bird is the one for your table.
Buy Heritage Turkey
Our wild turkey is the real deal, descended from the same breed that has long roamed the woodlands of the United States. These beauties are farm-raised in upstate New York, in near-wild conditions; their foraged diet is supplemented by alfalfa, hay and barley. Wild turkeys have naturally rich and intensely flavored meat that cooks up firm and moist with a fine-grained texture. A slightly gamey undertone makes it a perfect choice for sophisticated palates. Since wild turkeys rarely grow over 10-pounds they are also great for smaller gatherings. And don’t expect a plump breast—these unimproved, wild breed turkeys offer less white breast meat than their domesticated cousins, but make up for it in lean, dark, flavor-rich meat.
Buy Wild Turkey
Our Green Circle turkey is a very special bird. Certified humane, free-range, and exclusively available at D’Artagnan, every turkey that bears the name is raised on a diet of surplus vegetables. The Green Circle program revives the methods of family farms from over a century ago, when poultry ate vegetable scraps while roaming freely in farmyards and pasture. Our Amish and Mennonite partner farms adhere to strict standards in the care of these Broad-breasted White turkeys, and no antibiotics, hormones or arsenicals are ever used. From start to finish, these birds are treated and fed well, and the result is an exceptionally tender, moist and tasty turkey on your holiday table.
Buy Green Circle Turkey
This deliciously juicy, tender and full-breasted bird is a holiday tradition in France and a great alternative for your holiday table. Specially raised for us on small family farms in South Dakota that offer a complete farm-to-table audit trail, and focus on best animal welfare practices. These hefty birds have characteristically white flesh generously marbled with fat, making them a tremendously succulent bird with exceptional flavor and tenderness. Smaller than a turkey, but larger than a standard chicken these birds are perfect for an intimate holiday dinner for two, or up to six.
Buy Capon
Our white Embden geese are raised on a small farm in the Mid-West. The geese live in open barns and small flocks until they are six weeks old. From then on, the birds range free in natural pastures with access to fresh spring water, natural light, and fresh air. Their feed consists of corn and soy meal, with added vitamins and minerals. Juicy and distinctively flavored, it’s no wonder that geese are widely held as the best bird for Christmas.
Buy Goose
