Southern Soul Food Turkey Wings
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Whoa, baby – these Southern soul food turkey wings will make your taste buds gobble-gobble with joy!
A healthy alternative to fried chicken without breaking the calorie bank, these succulent turkey wings are smothered in an apple cider brine, flavor-infused, air-fried to crisp perfection, and served with a seasoned soul food side!
These smoked turkey wings are the perfect slow-simmered savory dish for simple Sunday dinner comfort. Basted with a mouthwatering blend of roast chicken seasoning and garlic and herb spices.
It’s hard to believe these savory and yummy wings are air-fried instead of deep-fried. They’re so good!
You’ll love how tender the dense meat of these soul food turkey wings becomes! Thanks to modern cooking appliances for boiling and frying, there is no need to splatter grease or stand over a hot stove all day.
What are baked turkey wings?
Baked turkey wings are simply a preparation of turkey wings, seasoned with poultry seasoning, possibly boiled first with a turkey wing brine, and then placed in a baking dish in the oven until the meat is tender.
But with an air fryer, the instructions are the same, but the turkey wing skin is crispy, and the flesh is juicy and tender.
Air frying this soul food turkey wings recipe is a straightforward way to keep the original taste of the food while keeping the oily mess and calories away from it.
Why you’ll love air fryer turkey wings
- Cooking a whole turkey can be a hassle, but turkey wings are much easier to handle!
- You don’t have to worry about thawing a whole turkey for your Thanksgiving meal.
- Turkey wings offer a lot of value, both in flavor and price.
- Best of all, this recipe is pretty hands-off and comes together quickly!
How do you cook soul food turkey wings?
Many people agree that turkey wings are the most delicious part of the turkey. Many say they taste very similar to soul food chicken wings if seasoned properly!
Turkey wings are one of the leanest meat options and a healthier alternative to other poultry. Even with a lower fat content, turkey wings have just as much flavor – when seasoned and served the soul food way!
Kitchen equipment
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker (optional) or a large stock pot
- Instant Pot Omni Plus air fryer
- Colander
Ingredients for the soul food turkey wings brine
- 2 lbs. of turkey wings (2 turkey wings)
- 3 quarts of water
- 2 tablespoons of salt
- 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Ingredients for the soul food turkey wings
- 1 tablespoon of smoked salt (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon seasoning
- 2 tablespoons of Famous Dave’s Country Roast Chicken/Poultry Seasoning (or similar)
- 2 tablespoons of Weber Seasoning Roasted Garlic & Herb (or similar)
Instructions for the Southern soul food turkey wings
- You can use a large pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat or open the Instant Pot lid and pour the water, salt, and vinegar into the stainless-steel inner pot.
- Add the turkey wings to the salt brine inside the inner pot.
- Turn on the Instant Pot sauté setting for 30 minutes. (This is because the max amount of time using the sauté setting is 30 minutes.) You’ll need to add 10 minutes immediately when the first 30 minutes finish for a total of 40 minutes on sauté.
- With the Instant Pot lid off, allow the turkey wings to come to a boil on the sauté setting. (It will take approx. 18-20 minutes for the pot with the turkey wings to get to a slow boil/simmer.)
- When the cooking time is finished (after 40 minutes), drain the water by gently sliding the turkey wings from the inner pot into a colander.
Instructions for Southern soul food turkey wings in the air fryer
- Mix the salt, chicken bouillon, poultry seasoning, and roasted garlic & herb spice in a small bowl to create a Southern soul food spice rub for the turkey wings.
- Rub on and coat the turkey wings with the seasoning mixture.
- Spray the air fryer basket or tray with olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
- Place the seasoned turkey wings in the air fryer basket or on the air fryer tray (Instant Pot Omni Plus air fryer), careful not to overcrowd the wings.
- Air fry at 360 degrees F for 20 minutes.
- Halfway through, after about 10 minutes, flip the turkey wings over in the air fryer and return to cooking.
- Serve soul food turkey wings right away, and enjoy!
What do you serve with turkey wings?
Like their counterpart, turkey legs, soul food turkey wings are usually served with mustard, turkey broth, gravy, or hot sauce, making for a great appetizer or main dish.
What are the best sides for turkey wings?
Serving them with finger-licking soul food sides. Some of the best options are soul food collard greens, Southern black-eyed peas, Southern creamy mashed potatoes, fresh cranberry sauce, Southern cornbread dressing, and homemade cornbread.
Soul food turkey wings FAQs
Where do you buy fresh turkey wings?
You can buy turkey wings already cut and pre-packaged from your local butcher or grocery store.
What do turkey wings taste like?
Turkey meat is similar to chicken in flavor, but it has no spectacular flavor on its own, unseasoned. So, it’s essential to pump up your turkey wings with complementary flavors.
Marinating or brining them helps tenderize the large wings for the flavors from seasoning and spices to absorb.
Are turkey wings white meat or dark meat?
Turkey wings are dark meat like turkey legs and turkey thighs. It makes them ideal for soaking up flavors.
How to season turkey wings?
- Create a Southern soul food spice rub for the turkey wings and mix the salt, chicken bouillon, poultry seasoning, and roasted garlic & herb spice in a small bowl to create a Southern soul food spice rub for the turkey wings.
- Rub on and coat the turkey wings with the seasoning mixture.
Do you wash turkey wings before cooking?
The USDA warns of washing poultry. “Washing raw poultry before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination.”
Do you cook the whole turkey wings or halved wings?
There is no need to separate thee flat and drumette for this Southern soul food turkey wings recipe wingtip from th.
How long do you boil turkey wings for?
Boil this soul food turkey wings recipe in a salt and vinegar brine for 40 minutes.
How do you make turkey wings fall off the bone?
For fall-off-the-bone turkey meat, brine in boiling water for 60 minutes without air frying the turkey wings afterward. Or pressure cook the wings.
How can you crisp up the turkey wings’ skin?
The air fryer will take care of crisping the turkey skin.
How do you fix dry turkey wings?
If you end up with overcooked, dry turkey meat, add gravy to your finished meat or baste it with the turkey broth.
What can you do with leftover turkey broth and pan drippings from your turkey wings?
You can use them with flour to make gravy. Or baste the turkey wings with the drippings.
Can you use other turkey parts like turkey legs?
You probably want to know, can you use turkey legs or drumsticks? And the answer is yes, this recipe works for turkey legs, drumsticks, or thighs, just the same and delicious.
Which are healthier chicken wings or turkey wings?
Overall, turkey is a much leaner meat than chicken. So chicken wings’ calories, sodium, and saturated fat are slightly higher than in turkey wings.
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Have you had it?
Would you make it?
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Equipment
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker or a large pot
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Southern soul food turkey wings brine
- 4 turkey wings
- 3 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Ingredients for the Southern soul food turkey wings
- 1 tablespoon smoked salt optional
- 2 tablespoons seasoning Famous Dave’s Country Roast Chicken/Poultry Seasoning (or similar)
- 2 tablespoons seasoning Weber Seasoning Roasted Garlic & Herb (or similar)
Instructions
Instructions for the Southern soul food turkey wings brine
- You can use a large pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat or open the Instant Pot lid and pour the water, salt, and vinegar into the stainless-steel inner pot (the brine).
- Add the turkey wings to the salt brine inside the inner pot.
- To boil the turkey wings in the brine, turn on the Instant Pot sauté setting for 30 minutes. (This is because the max amount of time using the sauté setting is 30 minutes.) you’ll need to add 10 minutes immediately when the first 30 minutes finish for a total of 40 minutes on sauté.
- With the Instant Pot lid off, allow the turkey wings to boil on the sauté setting. (It will take approx. 18-20 minutes for the pot with the turkey wings to get to a slow boil/simmer.)
- When cooking is finished (after 40 minutes), drain the water by gently sliding the turkey wings from the inner pot into a colander.
- Set the turkey wings aside and allow them to cool.
Instructions for the Southern soul food turkey wings
- Mix the poultry seasoning and the roasted garlic & herb seasoning in a small bowl to create a Southern spice rub for the turkey wings.
- Rub on and coat the turkey wings with the seasoning mixture.
- Spray the air fryer basket or tray with olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
- Place the seasoned turkey wings in the air fryer basket or on the air fryer tray.
- Ensure the turkey wings are skin-side up, and be careful not to overcrowd the wings.
- Air fry at 360 degrees F for 18 minutes.
- Halfway through, after about 9 minutes have passed, flip the turkey wings over in the air fryer and return to cooking.
- Serve this Southern soul food turkey wings recipe right away, and enjoy!