Recipe: Wild Turkey Cutlets with Tonkatsu Sauce

Spring turkey season provides the opportunity to get back outdoors and enjoy time in the woods. Harvesting a mature bird is always a bonus, and fresh turkey breasts deserve a hunter's utmost attention. There is something about a meal of fresh turkey that inspires a person to want more. There is no better way to formulate a plan to return to the turkey woods.

I like to brine fresh turkey breast with a mild salt solution. It helps keep the meat moist and brings out natural flavors. Make sure to rinse it well and pat it dry with a paper towel to finish.

It is easy to cut the breast meat into small ½-inch medallions and trim out any of the silver skin and connective tissue that could be tough to chew. Cutlets can then be prepared with a tasty sauce to bring everything together.

The recipe is quick and easy to prepare and can be done at camp, in the backyard on the tailgate, or wherever you can fry with shallow oil and make a sauce.

Cutlet Ingredients

• 1 wild turkey breast (skinless, boneless)
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups breadcrumbs or panko
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 cup frying oil
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Sauce Ingredients

• ½ cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp mirin
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 clove garlic, minced

Sauce Directions

1. Stir together sauce ingredients in a bowl and leave at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving. Alternatively, for enhanced flavors, place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Cutlet Directions

1. Trim the silver skin and connective tissue from the turkey breast and cut the remaining portions into 2- to 3-inch medallions about ½-inch thick.
2. Place the medallions on a plastic wrap, fold the wrap over the turkey, and pound each piece with a meat mallet until ¼-inch thick.
3. Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and seasoned salt in a shallow bowl.
4. Dredge each cutlet in flour, dip in the beaten eggs and press into the crumbs until fully coated. Place the cutlets in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the egg to set so the crumbs do not fall off during cooking.
5. Add the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat so it is about ½-inch deep.
6. Add the cutlets to the hot oil and fry on each side until golden brown, about 2- to 2 ½-minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan and cook in batches to maintain heat in the oil for crisp cutlets.
7. Serve the cutlets hot and drizzle with the tonkatsu sauce. If desired, garnish with chopped parsley.