Venison Parmesan: Best Venison Comfort Food

Venison Parmesan is one my family’s favorite meals! It’s the first meal using venison I really loved. Making it was a pleasure and got rave reviews from family and friends, so I was encouraged to come up with more great venison recipes, which led to my first book, Tracking the Outdoors In!

Beautifully plated venison parmesan

This is also a great dish for entertaining. You can make it ahead of time, freeze the completed cutlets, and rewarm them in a 250-degree oven while you are making the easy tomato sauce.

Trust me, you can’t go wrong with this super easy recipe!

Why Cook with Venison?

For starters, deer meat is some of the best, healthiest meat available. If you have never tried it, I highly recommend getting your hands on some of this amazing organic protein. You can start by adapting some familiar recipes to venison. Veal parmesan, meet venison parmesan!

Watch me make Venison Parmesan in the video on this page.

Bring Me Some Venison (Parmesan)!

Today, venison usually means the meat of deer or elk. However, it used to mean the meat of any wild game animal. Did you know that Isaac asked Esau to get him some “venison” before he was to give his blessing? Wild game of all kinds has been prized by people since they first learned how to hunt. So deer hunters today are following in a long tradition of harvesting free-range meat for their families.

venison parmesan served with salad

Venison in the modern American sense—deer meat—has an especially fine nutrition profile. Compared to beef, a serving of venison is low in fat, and only one of those three grams of fat is saturated. Venison is also significantly lower in cholesterol than beef.

Parmesan or Parmigiana–What’s the Difference?

Just as an aside: ever wondered what the difference is between venison/chicken/veal parmesan and parmigiana? It turns out that the parmesan refers simply to a “hard, full-fat Italian cheese from Parma or elsewhere.” On the other hand, parmigian refers to a dish “cooked or served with Parmesan cheese.” So parmigiana is technically more correct for this dish, although most Americans will say and probably expect to see parmesan

block of parmesan cheese

Venison Parmesan Cooking Tips

Here are a few tips and suggestions for making the perfect venison parmesan. For more venison cooking tips, check out my Ten Tips to Know When Preparing Venison article. 

When Frying Venison, the Oil Needs to Be About 400 Degrees

What should venison’s internal temperature be? Typically, when cooking Venison rare, it only needs to reach a temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit. If venison reaches 150 degrees, it begins to toughen. However, because the meat is pounded in this recipe, it’s okay to get the meat a bit more done. 

One of the key steps in making crispy venison parmesan is frying it in hot oil. The perfect temperature for frying the meat is when the oil is shimmering, but not smoking. You can tell if the temperature is right by dropping in a dab of breading. If it sizzles, it’s ready. 

I’ve tried alternative cooking methods for this dish, but they’re just not the same. Let me know in the comments if you’ve had success cooking the dish using other methods. 

Most Asked Questions

Can I substitute beef or chicken for the venison in this recipe?

If you don’t like venison, you can certainly substitute beef skirt steak in any of my venison recipes. You can also use chicken; just make sure to get the pieces cooked all the way through.

I’ve tried alternative cooking methods for this dish, but they’re just not the same. Let me know in the comments if you’ve had success cooking the dish using other methods. 

What should I serve with Venison Parmesan?

A crusty bread is a must for this dish. This crispy Venison Parmesan and my No-Knead Artisan Bread make a great pairing. 

To round out the meal with sides, this dish goes beautifully with:
Big Italian Salad
Roasted Asparagus
Rustic Roasted Vegetables
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Stacy Lyn’s Venison Parmesan Recipe

This recipe is actually one of the first dishes I learned to make using venison. It’s one of my favorites from my first book, Tracking the Outdoors In. Be sure to check out my cookbooks here. They’re full of beautiful photos and make great gifts.

Now, for the recipe. Whether you choose to make this dish with beef, venison, or chicken, just make it! I know you won’t be disappointed.

the finished recipe served decoratively on white plate
plated venison parmesan on white plate with blue napkin

Venison Parmesan

This is a delicious, no-fail venison recipe that freezes easily.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs venison loin
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 extra-large eggs
  • 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs, dried and seasoned
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
  • 1 cup basic tomato sauce
  • Parsley, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Slice venison into 1-inch pieces. Pound to 1/4 inch thick.
  • In a plate, mix flour, salt, and pepper. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, mix Panko and Parmesan cheese.
  • Lightly dredge venison in the flour mixture, then the egg wash, and then the Parmesan Panko mixture.
  • Heat oil and butter in large cast iron skillet or sauté pan. Cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat on each side or until browned. Place pieces on cooling rack.
  • Place each piece of venison on a plate and serve with Basic Tomato Sauce or your favorite marinara sauce. Top with fresh parsley.

Notes

Check out my Basic Tomato Sauce here. It’s super easy and delicious!
If you like this recipe, please give it a star rating to help other cooks find it!
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7 Comments

  1. I’m going to give this a shot. It looks delicious. I have never been one who enjoyed the “gamey” taste of venison but there are a few recipes I enjoy…this looks like a new one for me!

    1. Stacy Harris says:

      You will love this recipe. A lot of the gamey taste has to do with the way it is processed. The meat needs to age for at least 5 to 7 days in a refrigerator or walk in cooler before freezing or eating. Let me know what you think of the recipe. Happy Cooking!

  2. When I tried to make deer roasts, they come out very tough. I’m glad I tried this. It tasted as good as it looks. Wonderful!

    1. Stacy Harris says:

      I am so glad to hear that. You are exactly who I created my books for!!! I love hearing those words. That is how making venison used to be for me and I wanted to share my research in what I learned about making venison. I am so excited!! Thanks for sharing. This is one of my favorite venison meals!

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