Smothered Turkey Wings

Slow roasted turkey wings, smothered in homemade turkey gravy. Pure comfort food!

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Elise Bauer
Published December 29, 2016
Elise Bauer
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.

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 is 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

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 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.

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Smothered Turkey Wings

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs 40 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 50 mins
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 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Stock:
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 half onion, chopped
  • 1 celery rib, chopped
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Gravy:
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 3 cups of turkey stock (that you make in step...)
  • 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup cream

Method

  1. Prep the turkey wings:

    Use poultry sheers or a sharp knife to separate each turkey wing into 3 segments—drumette, flat, and tip. Set aside the tips for making stock.

    Smothered Turkey Wings
    Elise Bauer
  2. 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.

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    Elise Bauer

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

  3. Make the stock:

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

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    Elise Bauer

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

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    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.

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    Elise Bauer
  4. 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. Reserve the stock for the next step.

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    Elise Bauer
  5. Make the gravy:

    Make a roux by melting 3 Tbsp 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.

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    Elise Bauer
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    Elise Bauer

    Slowly whisk in the turkey stock you made in steps 3 and 4, whisking constantly to break up any lumps.

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

  6. 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 wing skin gets somewhat browned.

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    Elise Bauer
  7. Scrape the wing roasting 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.

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    Elise Bauer

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

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