When you think of cooking meat, the most commonly eaten meats are chicken, beef, or pork. Turkey on the other hand is often forgotten about. Turkey is a completely underrated type of meat. It is super lean and very high in protein.
This is your full guide on the best ways to boil your turkey wings and what are the best seasonings you can put with your turkey wings to truly enhance the flavor. I have also included two different recipes you can choose from, so keep reading to find out more!
Table of Contents
- Firstly, Why Should You Choose Turkey Wings?
- How Long To Boil Turkey Wings
- How To Boil Turkey Wings
- How To Boil Greens With Smoked Turkey
- How To Boil Turkey Wings – Your Questions, Answered!
- FAQs
Firstly, Why Should You Choose Turkey Wings?
While turkey legs are considered dark meat, turkey wings are still considered white meat. Turkey wings are usually cheaper than that of chicken wings, and they come in a larger size than the wings of a chicken.
Turkey wings can be substituted for chicken wings in almost any recipe. If you are doing this, you will only have to cook fewer wings than you would chicken wings because there is much more meat on turkey wings.
How Long To Boil Turkey Wings
Turkey wings don’t actually need that long to boil.
For every pound of turkey, it requires about 13 minutes of boiling to be cooked through completely. If you are cooking 2.5 lbs of turkey, you will require between 30 to 35 minutes of boiling time for your turkey to be cooked through.
How To Boil Turkey Wings
Boiling is a great way of cooking turkey. Sometimes it’s considered a pretty dry meat. By boiling your turkey, you will avoid this from happening.
The meat will maintain moisture within it thanks to the water, leaving you with a super moist result. You can even use the leftover water to make the most delicious gravy which is literally made to go with your turkey wings!
The most important thing to consider when starting off this recipe is ensuring that you have a pot which is big enough for your turkey wings.
You will want to make sure that your pot will fit about 2 to 3 wings while still leaving some space. This is important because you will want to be adding other ingredients and also so that you can stir the contents of the pot.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Paprika Powder
- 1 Tbsp Rosemary
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1Tbsp Ground Chili Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Dry Oregano Leaves
These extra herbs will add serious flavor to your turkey wings and impart a depth to the meat. They will also add great flavor to the gravy after you have removed the turkey and thicken the leftover liquid.
Turkey Wings Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prepare the Water along with the Pot
Firstly, you will want to pour your water over the wings so that they are mostly submerged under the water within the pot. Put your pot over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil.
Prepare your Seasonings and add
Next, you will want to add in all of the seasonings to your pot alongside your turkey wings. Male sure that you give the contents a good stir so the seasonings mix equally around the pot.
Add Your Onions
Next, you will want chop up up the onions to add in to the pot. Chop your onions roughly into 4 to 5 pieces and place them around the turkey wings. Occasionally make sure to give your pot a stir throughout the cooking time.
Boil
After all this, your pot should now have come to a boil! Once your pot has reached the boil, reduce to a simmer and let it cook for 35 minutes. Remember to intermittently stir the pot to ensure the flavor is constant throughout and so that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Check If It Is Ready
After 30 minutes, I like to check the readiness of my turkey just before the recommended level of time. In order to do this, you just need to pierce the met with a knife. If the knife comes out clean then the meat is ready. Otherwise, you can tell by the internal temperature. Cooked turkey should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use the Broth
The broth that is left over within the pot can then be used to make a delicious gravy. Most of the liquid should have reduced by the end of the cooking time.
You can add in a tbsp of all-purpose flour and whisk it vigorously. keep adding 1 tbsp of flour until you have reached your desired consistency. Make sure to scrape any fatty bits from the bottom. These will add to the flavor!
If you would like more information or want a visual description, I have linked a very helpful video below which should help you make the tastiest turkey wings you’ve ever made! The recipe below is for how to make smoked turkey at home, so you are going to want to check this one out!
How To Boil Greens With Smoked Turkey
Another super popular traditional African-American dish is collard greens with smoked turkey wings. This is another super easy dish to make, which is not only bursting with flavor but healthy too!
If you are wanting to smoke your turkey yourself, I have written a separate blog post outlining the best wood for smoking your turkey, so make sure to check it out!
For this recipe you will need the following:
Ingredients
- ⅔ Smoked turkey wings (roughly 2.5 lbs)
- 3 lbs Collard greens (roughly 3 brunches – stemmed and chopped into 1″pieces)
- ¼ cup of Vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- ½ tbsp Crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- White distilled vinegar
- Tabasco
- Cornbread
- Start by placing your turkey wings into your pot and submerging in water. Bring this to the boil. Reduce the heat to a medium-low temperature and let it simmer for 1 hour.
- After this, add your collard greens, oil, sugar, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Make sure to stir well. Return the pot to a high heat so it boils and then reduce back to a medium low heat so it continues to simmer. Simmer until the greens are tender, which usually takes about 15 minutes.
- Next, remove your turkey wings from the pot and pull the meat and skin from bones. Then, you can chop the turkey into small pieces and discard the bones.
- Return your meat and skin to the pot of collard greens and season with salt, pepper, vinegar, and Tabasco to taste.
- Scoop collard greens and their liquid into bowls.
- Serve with corn bread on the side to soak up the juices!
How To Boil Turkey Wings – Your Questions, Answered!
Now you know the optimum length of time you need to cook turkey wings. If you cook them for approximately 35 minutes, you can then check on them to see if they are ready. This is a great one pot meal because you will use up everything within the pot if you use the leftover liquid to make the gravy.
Green collards with smoked turkey is another super tasty alternative you must try. Another super easy recipe made with budget-friendly ingredients.
If you enjoyed this post or think I have left anything out, let me know in the comments section!
FAQs
How long does turkey take to boil?
The rule of thumb when boiling raw turkey is that it should take about 13 minutes per pound. For 2.5 lbs of turkey, you will roughly need between 30 to 35 minutes. Always make sure to check your white meat is cooked before eating it.
How many hours does it take to boil turkey wings?
It should take approximately 13 minutes per pound of turkey!
