Heritage Turkey (Narragansett, Bourbon Red)

One of the most compelling reasons to choose a heritage turkey is the flavor. These old breeds are known for their heavy breasts and rich-tasting meat. At D'Artagnan, we offer true heritage turkey, never hybrids of heritage or modern breeds. Our turkeys are either Narragansett, the oldest turkey breed in the U.S. and renowned in New England, or Bourbon Red, named after Bourbon County in Kentucky, where the breed originated.

Another reason is to choose heritage is to preserve the old breeds. The "eat them to save them" approach may seem counterintuitive, but the only reason a breed survives is its usefulness.

These Narragansett and Bourbon Red birds were the prized turkeys of yesteryear, but are no longer common, having been largely displaced by Broad-breasted White turkeys in the last century. Unlike their modern cousins, heritage breeds grow at a slower pace, which is inconvenient for factory farms on a strict schedule. This slow, natural pace means that they eat more food, and cost the farmer more in the end.

Heritage breed turkeys 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 (so large that they cannot naturally mate, unlike heritage birds, which can, and do, mate).

Our heritage turkeys are raised on small farms, with great care and attention paid to their welfare. Antibiotics and hormones are never used, and their feed is non-GMO. They are air-chilled, which preserves flavor and texture, and doesn't add water weight to the bird. This translates to a superbly clean bird that yields a naturally firm and moist meat with authentic turkey flavor, and a 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.