Smothered Southern Turkey Wings
This is a recipe that I have received many compliments on. It is also one of my boyfriend's favorite recipes. When we first met, he (a butcher) was very much into beef and of course, being a southern bread man - fried foods. Well, that all changed when he met me. I enjoy an occasional steak and I love my fried chicken and catfish, but I also reminded him of "OTHER" great recipes...
This is a recipe that I have received many compliments on. It is also one of my boyfriend's favorite recipes. When we first met, he (a butcher) was very much into beef and of course, being a southern bread man - fried foods. Well, that all changed when he met me. I enjoy an occasional steak and I love my fried chicken and catfish, but I also reminded him of "OTHER" great recipes...
- Carbohydrate 15.7537703601767 g
- Cholesterol 193.61025 mg
- Fat 68.5773288900261 g
- Fiber 0.958919703389647 g
- Protein 60.8168501381916 g
- Saturated Fat 25.8492563578042 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (472g)
- Sodium 12994.2186731458 mg
- Sugar 14.7948506567871 g
- Trans Fat 4.71326805819134 g
- Calories 936 calories
Step-by-step
- Thaw wings prior to cooking.
- Preheat over to 275° degrees.
- Take all seasonings and combined into small bowl.
- Cover wings with olive oils (using clean hands and/or gloves) and place in baking pan (do not stack wings)
- Sprinkle seasoning generously over Wings
- When finished pour 1/4 cup water at base of pan with out sprinkling on turkey.
- Bake wings for 5-6 hours - to desired tenderness.
- When finished cooking take wings out of oven and let stand while you make the gravy.
- Pour drippings from pan in sauce pan, add 1/2 cup water. Bring to medium boil and add flour slowly while stiring (with wisk) into pan. When flour is stirred to desired look (lumpy - not too much stirring), bring heat down to a low simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- When finished drizzle over wings in current pan or place in new pan or plate and serve.
Unlike a quick-roasting turkey breast that dries out above 165 degrees Fahrenheit, large turkey wings demand a completely different thermal approach. These joints contain dense collagen and tough connective tissue requiring hours of sustained heat to break down into gelatin. Cooking at a low 275 degrees for five to six hours allows the intramuscular fat to render slowly while keeping muscle fibers from seizing up and tightening.
Resting the roasted wings before gravy construction serves a crucial physical function. As the meat cools slightly, the relaxed muscle fibers reabsorb escaping moisture rather than bleeding out onto the cutting board. This thermal rest also allows the pan drippings to separate cleanly from the rendered fat, ensuring the base for the flour slurry achieves the correct viscosity without greasiness.
Stirring flour directly into hot liquid creates an emulsion where starch granules swell and trap liquid to thicken the sauce. Whisking moderately rather than aggressively prevents the starch networks from over-developing into a gluey paste. Simmering this mixture for precisely two minutes cooks out the raw flour flavor while activating maximum thickening power from the starches.
Leftover turkey wings actually improve on the second day as the gelatinized collagen cools completely into a solid, protective matrix around the meat. Reheating these leftovers gently in a covered pan with a splash of water prevents the exterior from drying out. This trapped steam rehydrates the meat evenly without melting away the rich gravy coating.
