Pheasant Parmesan


A cozy, homemade meal that brings the hunt back to the table.


There is something special about cooking with food you harvested yourself. Turning a pheasant from the field into a homemade meal keeps the memories of those days outdoors alive. This Pheasant Parmesan is one of my favourite ways to bring that feeling back into the kitchen.


This meal came together with a few ingredients that made it feel extra meaningful. We made homemade pasta for the first time, stirred together our own pasta sauce and used Catch and Cook coating on the pheasant. It is one of my favourite coatings because it gives the meat a perfect crispiness and a flavour that works beautifully in this dish. Creating almost every part of the meal from scratch makes the final plate feel warm, intentional and connected to the story behind it.


If you have never tried pheasant in a classic Italian style recipe, this dish is a great place to start. It is simple, hearty and full of comfort.

A group of hunters in orange safety vests gather outdoors during hunting season.
Raw chicken breasts being prepared on a wooden cutting board with a black knife.
Close-up view of raw eggs and cheese ingredients on a kitchen counter with dark bottles in the background.
A hand dips a taco shell into seasoning with bowls of sauces and a wooden cutting board in moody lighting.

Ingredients



4 pheasant breasts, pounded to an even thickness

Catch and Cook coating mix (Original - Crunchy)

Catch and Cook White Out seasoning

2 eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

Homemade pasta sauce or your favourite marinara

Fresh mozzarella or shredded mozzarella

Olive oil for pan frying

Fresh basil

Fresh pasta or your own homemade noodles


Raw ingredients including citrus, onions, herbs and spices laid out for meal preparation.

Instructions


Prepare the pheasant

Season the pheasant lightly with salt and pepper and pound gently so it cooks evenly.


Bread the pieces

Set up two bowls. One with beaten eggs and one with Catch and Cook coating & seasoning.

Dip each pheasant breast in the egg and then press it into the coating until fully covered.


Pan fry

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the pheasant until the coating becomes golden and crisp. It does not need to be fully cooked through yet because it will finish in the oven.


Build the dish

Place the pheasant in a baking dish. Spoon your homemade pasta sauce over top and finish with mozzarella. Bake at 375 F until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the pheasant reaches a safe internal temperature.


Serve

Serve over homemade pasta and top with fresh basil. Using homemade sauce, fresh noodles and Catch and Cook coating turns this simple recipe into a full comfort meal.


Tips

Catch and Cook coating & seasoning gives the pheasant a flavourful, crunchy crust that holds up well under the sauce.

Do not overcook pheasant as it can dry out quickly.

Fresh pasta cooks fast so keep an eye on it.

Homemade sauce adds a richness that pairs beautifully with the crispy coating.


Final thoughts

A plate of Pheasant Parmesan made from scratch carries more meaning than the ingredients alone. Homemade pasta, homemade sauce and pheasant you harvested yourself all come together with the perfect crispy coating from Catch and Cook. It is the kind of meal that keeps the memory of the hunt alive long after the day is over and makes every bite feel connected to the experience.

If you try this version, I hope it brings the same warmth and satisfaction to your kitchen that it did to mine.

Two people share a casual meal together at a table with plates of food and drinks in a cozy indoor setting.
A sequence of photos showing someone sitting at a table with a plate of food in a dimly lit restaurant setting.
Someone grating fresh parmesan cheese over a plate of fettuccine pasta in a dimly lit restaurant setting.
A person in a dark blue hoodie sits at a table with a large plate of poutine topped with gravy and cheese curds.