How To Use Turkey Wings and Drumsticks
Turkey wings are huge, and if cut apart at the joints, could almost pass for chicken drumsticks.
Each wing should net you a wing tip (toss in the stock pot), and two “drummette” pieces. One will be similar to a chicken drum, with just one bone. The other will have two smaller bones as well as a good amount of meat.
You can cook these using your favorite chicken wings recipe (allow extra cooking time as they are bigger), or cook as you would chicken legs.
Turkey drumsticks are a little more complicated, but they are worth the time for the flavor!
The legs contain the darkest and most richly flavored meat on the bird, lending themselves well to soups and sandwich meat.
The biggest consideration with the turkey legs is that small bones take the place of tendons. These are easiest to remove after cooking.
I usually grab the ends of these little bones from the narrow end if the drumstick, pulling them gently out and away. The meat can then be served as is or flaked off the main bone and added to soup or sandwiches.
Below is a simple way to cook up a “mess” of drumsticks 🙂
- Brown turkey drumsticks in a hot skillet. The fat from the skin should be enough to keep them from sticking.
- Toss them in the crock pot, season to taste, and cook on low all day ( or overnight) or on high for half a day.
If you prefer to cook them on the stovetop:
- Brown, then add a little water (about halfway up the legs).
- Cover and braise at a very low heat for 1-2 hours or until the small bones slide out easily.
- Add a little water if needed to keep the skillet from cooking dry.
- After cooking, remove meat from bones, and serve. Or freeze them in some of the broth for later use.