Expert Tips
Adjust the Cook Time to the Wings’ Size
Turkey wings vary in size depending on the size of the turkey they were taken from. While a 4-pound package of wings will typically contain four medium wings, it can also contain two huge ones, as shown in the photo below. In these wings, each of the drumettes weighed nearly a pound when raw (14 ounces), and the wingettes weighed 10 ounces.
Medium wings need around 60 minutes in the oven. The huge ones will need 75-90 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs. The wings I cooked today needed 75 minutes.
Cutting the Wings
Turkey wings are usually sold whole. As shown in the photo below, they have three parts – drumette, wingette, and tip. Unlike chicken wings that can be cooked whole, these are big, so you’ll want to split them. Ideally, your butcher will do it for you, but if you bought a package at the supermarket, the wings are likely whole, and you’ll need to split them yourself.
To cut the wings, cut the skin flap between the drumette and wingette, and then locate the joint between them. You’ll want to cut through the joint and cartilage, not through the bones. As you cut, adjust the knife to make sure you’re cutting through the joint and not attempting to cut the bone. The photo below shows that I cut the drumette away from the wingette through cartilage, not through the bone (that would be impossible!).
It’s Best to Use a Baking Dish
I experimented with baking the wings on a sheet pan fitted with a rack, as shown in the image below.
While the skin turned out crispier, and we did enjoy the wings, you can see in the photo comparison below that the meat was a bit drier, especially the drumettes.
So, I recommend baking the wings in a baking dish, not on a sheet pan. When you bake them in a baking dish, they’re baked in their own juices, which helps keep them moist.
