Learn How to Make Soul Food: Turkey Wings

As a child, I was fortunate enough to have a grandmother from the Deep South who was as proficient at cooking Soul food as she was singing in the choir box at church. There was never a time that we ate a meal that wasn’t absolutely delicious. From spicy Collared Greens to beautiful, crispy fried chicken and buttery, warm dinner rolls, everything my grandmother cooked was sheer perfection. Luckily, I was her favorite, and every time she cooked, she allowed me, and only me, to be there in the kitchen with her and watch the magic unfold. I was able to see, step-by-step, how my favorite dishes were made and, as I got older, try and duplicate them in my own kitchen for family and friends. If you love Soul food as much as I do, you’ll love this article. Here is one of my favorite recipes, sure to make you mouth water and your taste buds tingle.

Turkey Wings

As Thanksgiving got closer, my grandmother would always give us a little prelude to the impending feast with her fabulous turkey wings, and we all got just a little more excited. Turkey wings are not just an amazing meaty, juicy, and filling meal, they’re economical as well, and they are so easy to make. My grandmother used to prepare her turkey wings in a slow cooker, which took about 8 hours, but I am a bit impatient, so I tend to make mine a bit faster in the oven. To make the Turkey Wings, you’ll need: 8 turkey wings, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, 2 teaspoons of granulated garlic, 2 teaspoons of seasoned salt, 4 chopped celery sticks, a peeled and chopped 1/2 onion, 4 peeled and chopped carrots, 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, and a 1/2 cup of water.

First, start by preheating your oven to 350ºF. While you wait for the oven to heat up, season the turkey wings with the pepper, garlic, and seasoned salt, rubbing the seasonings over the wings to make sure they are fully covered. Then spread the carrots, chopped onions, and celery evenly around a medium roasting pan and place the seasoned wings on top. Put the roasting pan in the oven and roast the wings for about an hour, until thee wings are a golden brown and the vegetables are softened and caramelized. Then, remove the pan from the oven, lift the wings out and set them aside while you make gravy. Sprinkle the vegetables and turkey drippings with flour and stir them with a wooden spoon over medium heat. Drizzle in the water, continuing to stir the ingredients, and let them simmer until you see a thickened consistency. Now the gravy is ready, so return the wings to the pan and cover them with the gravy.

You can serve your turkey wings over white rice, or by themselves, depending on your taste. To add a bit of extra flavor, try wild rice instead.