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This right here, is the cheat code to fulfilling that turkey craving during the holidays without having to deal with cooking a huge bird and worrying about what you’ll do with all of that leftover turkey. Turkey wings are always a hit, and these braised wings only take 2 1/2 hours from start to finish, so dinner will be ready and on the table in the blink of an eye.
Braised Turkey Wings
Today I am breaking down the braising technique that is used in this recipe. These steps can be used interchanging any protein (beef/lamb/chicken for turkey), wine (red instead of white), or stock (beef/veal/seafood for chicken) to create a whole new dish. I am also breaking down the method of making a pan sauce from the braising liquid using a roux. The use of a roux helps to bind and thicken the liquid into a gravy consistency.
Braising 101
These are the basic steps to braising:
- Sear protein
- Sauté mirepoix (carrots, onion & celery)
- Deglaze pan with wine
- Add aromatics, protein, and enough stock to cover the protein by 2/3rd’s
- bring to a boil, cover, and place in a 300°F to 350°F oven until tender
- Remove protein and serve with a sauce or gravy (often made from the liquid the protein was braised in)
You can use these steps to braise any and everything your heart desires, from vegetables, to meat, to fish. The possibilities are endless.
Pan Gravy
The pan gravy that accompanies these turkey wings is filled with the flavor from the aromatics used in the braising liquid, and is so simple to put together. The only extra step you will have to take after straining the braising liquid is making a roux in a small saucepan. A roux is a mixture of equal parts flour and fat (butter in most cases), and is used as a thickening agent. We’re using it here to turn the braising liquid into a gravy.
You want to add only a few ladles of braising liquid to the roux, whisking vigorously until each ladle is incorporated and you have a smooth mixture. You are then going to add that mixture into the bigger pot with the rest of the braising liquid and whisk until combined. The reason we’re doing this in a separate pot first is so there is less of a chance that the gravy with have lumps of flour. This method ensures a smooth silky gravy every time.
All of Your Braised Turkey Wing Questions, Answered:
No! I cut the tips of the turkey wings off so they can fit in the pot easier. I freeze them and save them for later use. They make a great turkey stock.
You can skip the wine and just use some chicken stock to deglaze the pan, however the wine brings a beautiful depth of flavor to the dish, so I highly recommend using it.
Any dry white wine works great here, and it does not have to be expensive. A $12-$15 bottle of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc is perfect!
No, it would no longer be braising. Pour enough stock in the pot to go up the turkey wings about 2/3rd’s of the way.
Watch The Full Video Tutorial, Here:
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Braised Turkey Wings with Pan Gravy
- Total Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
These Braised Turkey Wings are cooked low and slow in a dutch oven, and served with a pan gravy made from the braising liquid.
Ingredients
- 4 turkey wings
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 large shallots, large dice
- 1 carrot, large dice
- 2 celery stalks, large dice
- 3 thyme sprigs, fresh
- 2 rosemary sprigs, fresh
- 4 sage leaves, fresh
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 4–5 cups chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a Dutch oven or an oven safe pot, sear the turkey wings until browned in canola oil, over a medium-high flame.
- Remove the turkey wings and add shallots carrot and celery. Sauté until the shallots are translucent.
- Deglaze the pot with the white wine, and simmer until the wine is reduced 80% of the way or until the pan is almost dry. Make a bouquet garni by tying all of the herbs together with the kitchen twine.
- Return the turkey wings to the pot, along with the bouquet garni and enough chicken stock to go up 2/3rd’s of the way.
- Bring to a boil, cover and place into the oven for two hours.
- Remove the turkey wings from the pot and in a separate saucepan over medium heat, start to make the roux by melting the butter and sprinkling the all purpose flour into, whisking to create a paste. Start adding the liquid from the turkey wings into the roux a little at a time while whisking vigorously just until it becomes smooth. Once the roux is smooth, add it to the rest of the liquid in the Dutch oven and whisk to combine.
- Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the turkey wings.
- Optional: You can crisp up the skin on the turkey wings by sticking them under the broiler for 5-7 minutes.
- Cook Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Hi Speshyl, Which wine would you recommend to use in this recipe? This might be my Thanksgiving Dinner… Thanks, Donna
Wonderful recipe for fresh turkey wings. Meat is so moist and tender without having to brine. Gravy is smooth and delicious, like a long lost family recipe my mother in law ( deceased long ago) kept in her head. Makes a wonderful Sunday dinner!
OOPS! Just saw the answer to my question, Speshyl. Thanks!
Hi Donna! Please let me know how it turns out if you decide to make them 🤗 Thank you!!
Perfect recipe! I’m going to make right now!
Thanks 🙏🏽