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Wild Game Cuisine

Wild Turkey Parmesan Sandwich

Chicken parmesan is tough to screw up, so it’s always a pretty safe bet to order if you’re testing the waters at a new Italian eatery. That means swapping out the chicken for wild turkey is a no-brainer for an easy at-home meal, no matter the dinner guests. But let’s get creative and transform it into a sandwich!

Josh Dahlke •October 6, 20222 min read

Fresh ingredients will bring this recipe from good to great, but you can rely on canned pasta or marinara sauce, bagged French bread, and dried seasonings with acceptable results if you’re in a pinch.

The finished product is a fat stack of hearty goodness, so don’t be shy about smashing it down before you attempt stuffing your face. Also … this one isn’t for calorie counters.

Ingredients

  • 1 wild turkey breast
  • Buttermilk
  • Flour
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Shredded parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 large loaf French bread
  • Romaine lettuce

Sauce

  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • Large fresh tomato
  • Large red bell pepper
  • 4-6 large cloves fresh garlic
  • Fresh basil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Always start with a sharp knife. Manicure turkey breast to remove undesirable textures. Pound to even thickness of approx. 1/2 inch with a meat mallet. Slice into sandwich-sized cutlets. Submerge cutlets in buttermilk and place in fridge for 8-12 hours.
  2. Remove cutlets from fridge, pat dry, and leave out to reach room temp.
  3. While cutlets are resting, start working on marinara sauce. Dice tomato, onion, and red pepper. Chop basil and mince garlic (keep in separate piles). 
  4. Melt 1 stick of butter with half of your minced garlic in microwave. Slice French bread into sandwich-sized servings and coat interior faces with garlic butter.
  5. Prepare sauce: Sauté diced onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic over medium heat in a buttered deep skillet until lightly browned. Add tomato paste and chopped basil to skillet and stir to combine ingredients. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and balsamic vinegar to taste. Leave on low heat to simmer.
  6. Combine salt, pepper, and shredded parmesan with panko bread crumbs to taste. 
  7. Bread cutlets using three separate bowls: Coat in flour, dredge in beaten eggs, and coat in panko bread crumbs. 
  8. Place garlic bread face down on a sheet pan in a 350-degree oven. Bake until golden while frying cutlets.
  9. Fry breaded cutlets over medium heat with 1 stick of butter in a deep skillet. Turn only once, being careful not to burn the breading. (Butter has a low smoke point, so be sure to keep the heat at medium or lower!)
  10. Build sandwiches with baked French garlic bread and fried turkey parmesan cutlets. Smother with sauce. Finish with a pinch of parmesan and basil, and romaine lettuce.
Filed Under:
  • Field to Fork
  • Healthy Harvests