I love me some smothered turkey wings. I love how tender the meat gets and that gravy is just next level. I season it just right y’all, and it thickens up perfectly. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes, and get your whole life.
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How to make smothered turkey wings
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup seasoning salt, 1/2 cup pepper, the granulated onion, granulated garlic, sage, and thyme, and stir to mix well.
Pat dry the turkey wing pieces with paper towels. Season liberally on all sides with the seasoning mix.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and butter. When the butter has melted and the fat is hot, working in batches, add the wing pieces in a single layer, being careful not to crowd that pan. They should sizzle the moment they hit the pan. Cook turkey wings, keeping an eye on the heat and adjusting it if needed to make sure they don’t burn until they are golden brown on the underside, about 4 minutes. Once browned, flip them and cook the second side until golden brown, about 3 minutes more. As the wing pieces are browned, transfer to a large roasting pan or baking dish, arranging them in a single layer and leaving the fat in the pan. Brown the remaining wing pieces the same way. If they don’t all fit in a single layer in the roasting pan, you can stack them a bit; just make sure the biggest pieces are on the bottom.
Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the chopped onion, celery, and chopped garlic to the fat remaining in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, just until translucent, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift the vegetables out of the pan and sprinkle them over the turkey wings. Set the skillet aside.
Pour 2 cups of water evenly over the turkey wings. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil, then transfer to the oven and cook until the wings are nearly tender about 2 1/2 hours.
Make the gravy
While the wings are cooking, return the skillet to medium-low heat, add the bouillon powder to the fat remaining in the pan, and whisk to combine. Add the flour and whisk constantly just until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 6 cups of water, a little at a time, while whisking constantly to prevent lumps and build your gravy.
Add the cream of chicken soup to the skillet, turn the heat to low, and then whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened to a medium gravy consistency, about 8 minutes. Taste this gravy and adjust with seasoning salt and pepper if needed. Set aside until the wings are ready.
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When the wings are tender, remove the pan from the oven and, using a slotted utensil, transfer the wings to a large plate. Add just enough of the gravy to the broth in the pan to be able to partially submerge the wings and stir to mix. Then return the wings to the pan, flipping them so the side that was up on the first cook is now facing down in the gravy. Re-cover the roasting pan, return it to the oven, and cook the wings until completely tender, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on their size.
Spoon the turkey wings and gravy over rice and serve immediately, with any remaining gravy on the side.
Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe
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Equipment
- Large skillet with a lid
- Large roasting pan with lid or foil
Ingredients
- 1 cup Seasoning salt
- 1/2 cup Ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Granulated onion
- 1/4 cup Granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon Ground dried sage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground dried thyme
- 8 large Turkey wings split into flats and drumettes, 16 total
- 1/2 cup Vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons Salted butter
- 1 cup Yellow onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Celery finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic finely chopped
- 8 cups Warm water
- 2 tablespoons Chicken bouillon powder
- 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 10.5 ounce Can of condensed cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup
- 8 cups Cooked extra long-grain white rice or cornbread dressing.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup seasoning salt, 1/2 cup pepper, the granulated onion, granulated garlic, sage, and thyme and stir to mix well.
- Dry off the turkey wing pieces with a paper or kitchen towel. Season liberally on all sides with the seasoning mix.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and butter. When the butter has melted and the fat is hot, working in batches, add the wing pieces in a single layer, being careful not to crowd that pan. They should sizzle the moment they hit the pan. Let them cook, keeping an eye on the heat and adjusting it if needed to make sure they don't burn, until they are golden brown on the underside, about 4 minutes.Once browned, flip them and cook the second side until golden brown, about 3 minutes more. As the wing pieces are browned, transger to a large roasting pan, arranging them in a single layer and leaving the fa in the pan. Brown the remaining wing pieces the same way. If they don't all fit in a single layer in the roasting pan, you can stack them a bit; just make sure the biggest pieces are on the bottom.
- Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the chopped onion, celery, and chopped garlic to the fat remaining in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, just until translucent, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift the vegetables out of the pan and sprinkle them over the turkey wings. Set the skillet aside.
- Pour 2 cups of the water evenly over the turkey wings. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil, then transfer to the oven and cook until the wings are nearly tender, anout 2 1/2 hours.
- While the wings are cooking, return the skillet to medium-low heat, add the bouillon powder to the fat remaining in the pan, and whisk to combine. Add the flour and whisk constantly just until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 6 cups water, a little at a time, while whisking constantly to prevent lumps and build your gravy.
- Add the cream of chicken soup to the skillet, turn the heat to low, and then whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened to a medium gravy consistency, about 8 minutes. Taste this gravy and adjust with seasoning salt and pepper if needed. Set aside until the wings are ready.
- When the wings are tender, remove the pan from the oven and, using a slotted utensil, transger the wings to a large plate. Add just enough of the gravy to the broth in the pan to be able to partially submerge the wings and stir to mix. Then return the wings to the pan, flipping them so the side that was up on the first cook is now faving down in the gravy. Re-cover the roasting pan, return it to the oven, and cook the wings until completely tender, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on their size.
- Spoon the turkey wings and gracy over rice and serve immediately, with any remaining gravy on the side.
Notes
- Leftover smothered turkey wings will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
Tip: Use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the turkey meat. The best reading will be an internal temperature at the thickest part of the wing. 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celcius is the ideal and safest temperature.
Tip: Freeze leftover turkey bones along with the wing tips to add flavor to any future soups or stocks you make.
Can I use chicken wings? Of course! Make this recipe as you would with chicken wings. The cook time may vary depending on the size of the wings. Turkey wings are on the larger side and take longer than chicken. Check out my Southern Smothered Chicken or even this Chicken Liver and Onions if you’re wanting to make smothered chicken breasts.
Serving Suggestions
My Auntie Rose’s Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe along with Cranberry Sauce pairs perfectly with these turkey wings or these baked turkey wings. Sour cream mashed potatoes and green bean casserole are always in play, giving us Thanksgiving vibes.
More turkey recipes
- Turkey Pot Pie
- Turkey and Dumplings
- Turkey Chops
- Roasted Turkey Legs
- Fried Turkey Recipe
- Baked Turkey Wings
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What can I use as a substitute for cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup?
You can create more of a classic gravy with a roux and add in some heavy cream to thicken it.
THIS RECIPE MADE MY MOUTH WATER JUST READING IT. I CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE THIS FOR DINNER TOMORROW. MAYBE A LITTLE DRESSING AND THOSE DELICIOUS GREEN BEANS YOU SHOW US HERE. SOUNDS LIKE SUPPER TO ME. THAT YOU SO MUCH.
This is my husbands favorite meal. It just makes the soul happy. Seasoned well and balanced flavor.
Awe, thanks boo!!
These are smothered in goodness. So delicious!
Excited to try your seasoning mix! I love sage but don’t have nearly enough recipes to use the dried herb!
Try McCormick Montreal Chicken Seasoning in place of the sage. It works and is delicious!
I’m here for this recipe! Made these turkey wings for my family and they were raving about the flavor and asked when this was going to be on the menu again! Wow!
These smothered turkey wings are fantastic! I’m not usually a big fan of turkey, but these wings are so flavorful and juicy. They’re the perfect size for a small meal or snack.
This is the ultimate turkey wings recipe! That gravy is just incredible. I can’t wait to have these with some cornbread dressing!