Turkey wings are just about the only part of the bird that's tough, which means they're not ideally suited to quick meal preparation. However, you can enjoy a tasty meal by making Crock-Pot turkey wings.
This is good news for frugal cooks who appreciate the wings' economical pricing and the Crock-Pot's convenience. Simmering the wings simply in broth for several hours leaves them tender and flavorful, and produces potent soup stock as a side benefit.
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Read more: How to Cook Turkey in a Nu-Wave Oven
Step 1: Cut Up the Turkey Wings
Place the turkey wings on a cutting board, and cut through the joints with a sharp knife. Reserve the pointed wing tips for making broth on another occasion.
Step 2: Place Veggies in Cooker
Include vegetables in you turkey wings in a Crock-Pot recipe. Place veggies on the bottom of your slow cooker. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, veggies take longer to cook than the meat.
Cover the bottom of your slow cooker with coarsely chopped onion, celery and carrot — a mixture known to professional chefs as mirepoix — and stack the slow cooker turkey wings on top of the aromatic vegetables.
Mirepoix should be half onion, with the other half divided evenly between carrots and celery. Too much mirepoix gives broth a vegetable rather than a meat flavor, but In this case you can use up to a cup of mirepoix with 2 to 4 cups of broth. The turkey wings have a strong enough flavor to dominate the vegetables.
Step 3: Add Some Liquid
Pour in 2 to 3 cups of turkey, chicken or vegetable broth, enough to make a pool 2 inches deep in the bottom of the slow cooker. Season the broth with black pepper, but no salt unless it's a low-sodium broth. Cover the pot and plug it in, then turn the cooker on.
It's best to use turkey broth, but either vegetable or chicken broth will absorb turkey flavor from the Crock-Pot turkey wings.
Step 4: Simmer Your Wings
Simmer the wings on high for two to three hours, or on low for five to six hours, whichever suits your schedule best. The wings should be very tender, with the flesh almost falling from the bones. Remove the wings from your Crock-Pot carefully with tongs or a slotted spoon.
Check the internal temperature of your meat prior to serving. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the minimum safe temperature for consumption of turkey is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 5: Serve With Sauce
Serve the slow-cooker turkey wings as they are, or try smothered turkey wings with gravy. Alternatively, let the wings cool and become firm. Brush them with barbecue sauce or other glazes, and grill or broil them quickly for a bolder-tasting entree.
Read more: How to Cook a 25-Pound Turkey
Things You'll Need
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Chopped onion, celery and carrot
Turkey, chicken or vegetable broth
Black pepper
Tongs or slotted spoon
Tip
For a more savory flavor, brown the turkey wings first in a heavy skillet.
Warning
For food safety, it's best to start the turkey wings on high for one hour and then turn the cooker down to low for longer cooking, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.