Smothered Turkey Wings

These slow-roasted turkey wings smothered in gravy are comfort food at its finest.

Smothered Turkey Wings
Elise Bauer

Smothered turkey wings. Think biscuits and gravy, but with turkey wings instead of sausage, and mashed potatoes instead of biscuits, and you'll be in the vicinity of how gloriously rich and delicious this dish is.

Turkey Wings: a Must-Try Recipe If You Love Turkey (or Chicken)

Do you love turkey? Do you find chicken wings irresistible? Have you ever picked up a package of turkey wings wondering what wonderful goodness you could make with them? That's me, by the way, and here's what I made with the turkey wings that were calling my name in the store the other day.

My father liked them so much, he begged the recipe from me just so he could eat them again. Even though he forgot to tent the wings with foil until halfway through (don't do that), they still were amazing.

Smothered Turkey Wings
Elise Bauer

How to Make Smothered Turkey Wings

Smothered turkey wings are a staple of the south. And as the case with most regional specialties, everyone has their way of doing it.

In this recipe, we slow roast the wings in a low oven for a couple of hours, until they're fall apart tender, and then finish them in the broiler for some crispy skin and browning. While the wings are roasting, we make stock from the wing tips (or an extra wing if your wings didn't come with tips). We make a roux gravy with this stock to smother the turkey wings when done.

It's rich, crazy good, and definitely not diet food. But for comfort on a cold day? The best!

How to Store and Use Leftover Turkey Stock

Leftover turkey stock is a smart cook's favorite bonus. You can just put the entire strained pot of stock into the fridge (after it has cooled down to room temperature, of course). Then, skim off the fat before pouring the stock into smaller portions for easier storage.

The stock will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator, and 6 months in the freezer.

Turkey stock is great for soups, sauces, gravy, whenever you need extra liquid for an Instant Pot recipe, or anytime you would use chicken stock.

What to Serve with Smothered Turkey Wings

More Turkey Recipes to Try!

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Smothered Turkey Wings

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs 40 mins
Total Time 3 hrs
Servings 6 servings

You'll need the turkey wing tips to make turkey stock for the gravy. If your turkey wings didn't come with the tips, use an extra turkey wing (drumette and flat) for making the stock.

Ingredients

Turkey Wings:

  • 6 whole turkey wings (about 5 pounds), or 7 turkey wings without the tips

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  • Salt

Stock:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 carrot, chopped

  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped

  • 1 rib celery, chopped

  • 3 cups water

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Gravy:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1/4 cup cream

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Preheat the oven to 275°F.

  2. Prep the turkey wings:

    Using poultry sheers or a sharp knife, separate each turkey wing into 3 segments—drumette, flat, and tip. Set aside the tips (if you have them) for making stock.

    Smothered Turkey Wings
    Elise Bauer
  3. Slow roast the turkey wings:

    Place turkey wing drumettes and flats, skin side up, onto a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt.

    Cover with aluminum foil and put into a 275°F oven for 2 1/2 hours.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-2
    Elise Bauer
  4. Make the stock:

    While the turkey wing drumettes and flats are roasting, make stock with the tips. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium, thick-bottomed pot on medium high heat. Add the turkey wing tips and let them brown on all sides.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-4
    Elise Bauer

    Add the chopped carrot, onion, and celery, and sauté them for a few minutes with the wings.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-5
    Elise Bauer

    Add 3 cups of water, enough to cover the wings and vegetables, and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to a low simmer on the lowest setting. Cover and let simmer while the wings roast in the oven, a couple of hours.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-7
    Elise Bauer
  5. Strain the stock:

    When the wings are close to being done, strain the stock so you can start making the gravy. Remove and discard the largest solids from the pot. Then strain the rest of the stock through a fine mesh strainer. You should have about 3 cups of stock. Reserve for the next step.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-8
    Elise Bauer
  6. Make the gravy:

    Make a roux by melting 3 tablespoons butter in a medium sized, thick-bottomed pot, on medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Let the roux cook and bubble for a minute or so.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-9
    Elise Bauer

    Slowly whisk in the turkey stock you made in steps, whisking constantly to break up any lumps.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-10
    Elise Bauer

    Whisk in the mustard, salt, pepper, and thyme. Whisk in the cream. Let simmer on low heat to thicken.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-11
    Elise Bauer
  7. Broil the wings to brown them:

    After 2 1/2 hours of slow cooking in the oven, the turkey wings should be fall apart tender (if not, you can leave them in longer until they are).

    Remove the foil and place the wings on a rack a few inches under the broiler. Broil for 5 minutes or so, until the skin gets somewhat browned.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-12
    Elise Bauer
  8. Scrape the pan drippings into the gravy:

    You don't have to do this, but it will add even more flavor to your gravy. If the drippings are really stuck to the pan, place the roasting pan on your stovetop and turn on the burners under the pan.

    Add a cup of water to the pan and use a metal spatula to scrape up the drippings. Pour them off into the gray pot.

    smothered-turkey-wings-method-13
    Elise Bauer

    To serve, pour the gravy over the wings. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes, root vegetables, or cauliflower.

  9. Serve the turkey wings with gravy:

    To serve, pour the gravy over the wings. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes, root vegetables, or cauliflower.

    Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below! 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
328 Calories
27g Fat
8g Carbs
14g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 328
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 10g 51%
Cholesterol 74mg 25%
Sodium 602mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 213mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.