Here’s an unexpected holiday dish. Our Baked Stuffed Turkey Wings are a new addition to our Thanksgiving meal line-up.
We took turkey wings and deboned them; it is a delicate process but stay with me.
Next, we stuffed each turkey wing with chopped meat and homemade cornbread dressing.
We baked them, and the most delicious golden brown turkey wings came out of the oven!
The verdict. Savory. Tender in all the right places and so incredibly good!
Baked Stuffed Turkey Wings
It’s late September, and I already got turkey on my mind.
Thanksgiving was my mom’s favorite holiday because it was the only time of year we got together with her side of the family and ate like kings and queens. Oh, the memories!
Of course, the turkey was the meal’s centerpiece, and that’s where I am drawing inspiration, in part.
The other part of my inspiration equation comes from South East Asian cuisine, namely Vietnam, Cambodia, and, further west, Thailand.
There are fried and steamed stuffed chicken wings Thai versions of this dish—our Stuffed Turkey Wings are adapted from these traditional Asian recipes.
Here we go!
What You Will Need
Four Turkey Wings. We special-ordered our turkey wings from one of our favorite local butchers because turkey wings are not an item most grocery stores or butcher shops keep on hand. They were pricey, but they are well worth it! No worries, you can also use chicken wings if you cannot find turkey wings.
Homemade Dressing. My answer to making easy homemade cornbread dressing uses a couple of boxes of Cornbread Mix (or homemade cornbread works too), a few eggs, olive oil, chopped celery, green bell peppers, and onions.
Chicken Stock. The chicken stock is what binds the dressing ingredients together. You can also use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or stock.
Seasoning. This recipe’s Thanksgiving flavor profile is based on southern dressing recipes, so there is plenty of ground sage; I add crack black peppercorns, sea salt, and Old Bay seasoning.
That is everything you need: turkey wings and your favorite dressing or stuffing recipe!
Tips on deboning the turkey wings
- You will need a sharp deboning knife and a pair of sturdy and very sharp kitchen or butcher shears.
- Deboning a turkey wing is an exercise in patience and surgical precision. Not unlike a chicken wing, turkey wings have three (3) major bone structures: the wing tip bone, the middle bone, and the inner bone or drummette, which attaches the turkey wing to the body of a turkey. You will need to remove the wing-tip bone and the middle bone while keeping the skin of the turkey wing intact.
- To start, you will make an incision along the tip of the turkey wing down to the first joint; the key is to keep the knife’s blade right up against the bone.
- After deboning your turkey wings, you can ensure a deeper flavor by brining the turkey wings for a few hours or overnight. We love this World Market Turkey Brine Mix.
- To get crispy turkey wings, dry the turkey by removing as much moisture/water as possible. Drier skin translates to crispier turkey skin. This also works for chicken, duck, or Cornish hens.
- After you stuff the turkey wings with the dressing mixture, brush or rub the skin with butter or oil. I prefer extra virgin olive oil because it doesn’t contain water, unlike butter, which contains around twenty (20%) percent water.
- Adding a mixture of sea salt and cracked black peppercorns to the skin adds flavor, and the salt also helps with the crisping process.
Equipment
You are going to need a sharp deboning knife. Here are two knives we highly recommend:
- Hammer Stahl 6″ [we have this one.]
- Shun Cutlery Premier Boning & Fillet Knife 6″
Baked Stuffed Turkey Wings
Ingredients:
- 4 turkey wings, deboned with the skin intact
- 2 cups of semi-homemade cornbread dressing
- cracked black peppercorns
- sea salt
- Old Bay Seasoning
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Debone the turkey wings using a sharp deboning knife and a pair of very sharp kitchen sheers. [use the tips above to help you get through this part.]
- Brush each turkey wing top and bottom with extra virgin olive oil.
- Season the turkey wings with sea salt, cracked black peppercorns, and Old Bay seasoning. Add fresh herbs or garlic powder for extra flavor if desired.
- Stuff each turkey wing with our semi-homemade cornbread dressing or your favorite stuffing or dressing recipe. Ensure the skin covers the stuffing to seal it in.
- Place the wings on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper on the center rack.
- Bake the wings for 1½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove from the oven and let the turkey wings rest for 10-15 minutes.
*Note Even when you leave the skin intact, you may still see the dressing bursting out of the turkey skin. No big deal because it is still delicious!
Additional Tips:
If deboning turkey wings is challenging, ask your butcher to do it. Alternatively, watch online tutorials to get a good visual guide.
Distribute the cornbread dressing evenly inside each wing to avoid overstuffing, which could lead to uneven cooking.
You can prepare the stuffing or dressing a day ahead to save time and enhance flavor. Let it come to room temperature before stuffing the wings.
How long can I refrigerator?
You can keep leftover stuffed turkey wings in your fridge for up to four (4) days.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
You can store any leftover stuffed turkey wings in the freezer for two (2) to three (3) months.
How do I reheat stuffed turkey wings?
In a microwave, spray the stuffed turkey wings with a bit of cooking spray or water and place them on a microwave-safe plate; microwave for four (4) minutes.
If you’re using an oven, preheat the oven to 190°, place the stuffed turkey wings onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and reheat the chicken for up to thirty (30) minutes.
What sides pair with turkey?
There are several recipes you can pair with turkey. Here are some of our favorites:
- mashed potatoes
- green beans
- rice
- cranberry sauce
- sweet potatoes or sweet potato casserole
- Creamy Potatoes Au Gratin with Onion + Squash
- Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe
- Cheesy Spinach Mashed Double Potatoes
Now that you have the recipe, all you need is to gather the ingredients, and it’s on!
Drop us a line in the comments section if you have any questions.
More Holiday Recipes:
Leftover Turkey Idea | Instant Pot Stir-Fry with Turkey + Brown Rice
Baked Stuffed Turkey Wings
Ingredients
- 4 turkey wings deboned with the skin intact
- 2 cups of semi-homemade cornbread dressing
- cracked black peppercorns to taste
- sea salt to taste
- Old Bay Seasoning to taste
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Debone the turkey wings using a sharp deboning knife and a pair of very sharp kitchen sheers. [use this tips above to help you get through this part.]
- Brush each turkey wing top and bottom with extra virgin olive oil.
- Season the turkey wings with sea salt, cracked black peppercorns, and Old Bay seasoning. Add fresh herbs or garlic powder for extra flavor if desired.
- Stuff each turkey wing with our semi-homemade cornbread dressing or your favorite stuffing or dressing recipe. Ensure the skin covers the stuffing to seal it in.
- Place the wings on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper on the center rack.
- Bake the wings for 1½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove from the oven and let the turkey wings rest for 10-15 minutes.
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