Make juicy, crispy-skinned smoked turkey wings that are perfect any time of year. These oversized, smoky wings are simple to prepare and make a show-stopping addition to picnics, tailgates, or casual dinners.
Smoked Turkey Wings
If you love chicken wings, these supersized smoked turkey wings will impress. Don’t reserve turkey for the holidays—smoked turkey wings and legs are easy, flavorful, and great year-round. They work on a smoker, a grill, or in the oven when needed.
Smoked Turkey Wings Recipe
This recipe offers two brining options: wet brine or dry brine. Both produce moist, well-seasoned wings. Brining helps the meat retain moisture during cooking and lets the flavors penetrate deeply. A bit of brown sugar in the brine encourages nice browning and crisp edges.
For a wet brine, mix salt, brown sugar, dried herbs, and spices with water, simmer a portion to dissolve the salt and sugar, then cool it quickly before submerging the wings for 12–24 hours. My quick wet-brine method uses one quart of water simmered with the salt, sugar and spices, then poured over ice in a larger container so the brine becomes cold in minutes.
Dry brining uses the same seasoning mix rubbed directly onto the wings. Arrange the wings on a rack over a rimmed sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 8–24 hours to dry-brine.
Note on salt: this recipe was developed with Diamond Kosher Salt. If you use a different kosher salt, measure by weight rather than volume—brands vary. As a guideline, one tablespoon of table salt is roughly equal to 1 1/2 tablespoons of Diamond Kosher Salt or 2 tablespoons of Morton’s Kosher Salt. When in doubt, weigh it.
After brining, you can eat the wings plain or brush them with your favorite barbecue sauce about 10 minutes before they finish cooking. They’re excellent au naturel, too.
How to Cook Smoked Turkey Wings
The easiest method is a pellet smoker set to 275°F for about two hours. A Traeger-style pellet smoker is very convenient: set the temperature and let it run. You can also use a traditional offset smoker, a charcoal or gas grill set up for indirect cooking with a smoke box, or your oven if you don’t have a smoker.
Oven method: place brined wings on a rack over a sheet pan and roast at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. To add a mild smoky flavor in the oven, stir 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke into the brine. For stronger smoke in the oven you’d need specialized equipment like a smoke gun.
How to Make Smoked Turkey Wings
I typically smoke a dozen or more wings at once so there are always leftovers for meals and snacks. Leftover smoked wings freeze well when wrapped individually; they reheat nicely in foil in the oven or air fryer. Pulled meat from the wings is great for salads or sandwiches, and whole smoked wings add wonderful depth when simmered with dried beans, soups, or greens—remove the meat from the bones at the end and stir it back in.
If you’re running the smoker anyway, consider smoking other items alongside the wings for a full spread.
Smoked Turkey Wings
Rebecca Lindamood
Nutrition information is approximate and assumes the brine is discarded.
Equipment
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1 pellet smoker or grill
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1 large container
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1 2 quart saucepan
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1 bag of smoking pellets Recommended woods: apple, maple, or hickory
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup kosher salt 110 grams by weight. Developed using Diamond Kosher Salt; adjust if using another brand.
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 3 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 3 tablespoons granulated onion
- 3 tablespoons dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons dried sage
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon MSG optional
- 2 quarts water divided
- 3 quarts ice cubes
- 12 turkey wings This brine will cover up to 25–30 wings depending on size.
Instructions
To Wet Brine the Turkey Wings
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Combine kosher salt, brown sugar, granulated garlic, granulated onion, thyme, sage, smoked paprika, black pepper, cloves, allspice, and MSG (if using). Reserve 2 tablespoons of the spice mix. Add the remaining mix to 1 quart of water in a 2-quart saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until dissolved, stirring constantly.
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Place ice in a large container, pour the hot brine over the ice, and swirl to cool. If using the oven method you can add 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke to the brine now. Once cold, submerge the wings, cover, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
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Drain and discard the brine. Pat wings mostly dry and sprinkle the reserved spice mix evenly over them.
To Dry Brine the Turkey Wings
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Line a half sheet pan with a wire rack. Combine the same seasoning mix and rub it generously over the wings. Arrange wings on the rack so air circulates and refrigerate uncovered for 8–24 hours.
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Before smoking, brush or wipe off excess spice/salt with a clean cloth. Do not rinse.
To Smoke the Turkey Wings
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Preheat the smoker to 275ºF for at least 30 minutes and load pellets or wood chips. Clean and oil the grates.
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Arrange the wings on the grates, close the smoker, and smoke for about 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
Optional Crisping Step
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For extra-crispy skin, brush finished wings lightly with olive oil and place in a preheated 350ºF oven for 15 minutes.
To Store Leftover Turkey Wings
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Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap individually and freeze in a labeled zipper bag up to 4 months.
To Reheat Refrigerated or Frozen Smoked Turkey
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Reheat wrapped loosely in foil in an air fryer or a 350ºF oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through. Avoid microwaving, which can make smoked turkey rubbery.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Use your own ingredient measurements and a preferred nutrition calculator for exact values.
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