How to cook frozen smoked turkey wings

This Smoked Turkey Wings recipe will show you the best way to make tender and juicy turkey in no time. These wings can be made with any smoker or pellet grill for Thanksgiving, BBQs, summer cookouts, or any occasion!

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Why We Eat Turkey Wings

A lot of us don’t like to make a whole turkey. There are also many of us that do not eat all of the meat on the turkey. We all have our favorites! A recipe like this is perfect for smaller groups. A lot of people also complain turkey is dry! We all know wings aren’t. So these are absolutely perfect for any spread.

Turkey is usually considered lean meat in comparison to most. It has a lot fewer calories and can be paired with just about any side dish.

Where to Buy

Some standard grocers will keep brands like Butterball and Jenni-O on hand year round. Many retailers only carry them seasonally around fall. A local butcher is usually really helpful.

Do You Use Whole Wings or Split?

This is up to you. Split wings (split into drums and flats) will cook at a more even temperature. This is also better for even browning of the skin. I use these cooking shears from Amazon to cut into the wings and split them.

The wing is is made up of 3 parts: the drumette, the wingette, and the wing tip. The drumette looks like a small drumstick and usually has more meat. It’s mostly dark meat, and is slightly juicier than the wingette.

The wingette is often called the flat, is the middle section that is made of two bones running horizontally through the middle of it with meat in the middle. Because it’s thinner, this part normally crisps up easier when cooking them with the thicker drumette portions.

The wing tip doesn’t have much flavor, but you can save it if you plan to make homemade broth.

You can separate the wings yourself by cutting at the elbow joint to separate the drum from the wingette. From there you can remove the wing tip to display a flat if you wish.

How to Season the Turkey

I use my Homemade BBQ Rub and Seasoning for these. It’s a combination of the following:

Brown Sugar or Sweetener
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Smoked Paprika
Salt
Pepper

How to Smoke Turkey Wings

Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Pat the wings dry and rub the spices into the wings.
Place the wings on the smoker. Smoke.
If you like crispy skin, once the wings have cooked, adjust the temperature to 350 degrees. Cook until crisp.

Smoker Temperature

Smoke the wings at 225 degrees.

Cook Time/How Long to Cook

You will need to smoke the wings until they reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. Cook time will vary based on the size of your wings. Flats will cook faster than drums. Keep a close watch and monitor if these need to be pulled from the smoker earlier than the other wings.

What Type of Wood/Pellets to Use

I love to use apple. You can also use the Traeger Signature blend, cherry, pecan, oak, peach, or alder.

How to Tell When the Turkey is Done

You will need to use a meat thermometer. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of one the turkey wings. According to the USDA, Poultry must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.

How to Get Crispy Skin

Once the wings have finished smoking, increase the temperature to 350 degrees. Cook both sides of the wings until crisp.

How to Smother Them in Gravy

Check out the gravy details from my Smothered Turkey Wings recipe here.

Can You Use Turkey Legs or Drumsticks?

Yes. Turkey legs will follow a similar cook time and at the same temperature.

Can You Use Chicken Wings?

Absolutely. You can also use chicken drumsticks. Be sure to test if the chicken is done my inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest parts of one of the pieces of chicken. Chicken must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

How to Store Them

Cooked wings can be stored in the fridge tightly covered for 3-4 days.

Freezer Tips

You can freeze leftover wings tightly covered and sealed. For best taste, they will last up to 3 months. Defrost the wings overnight in the fridge and reheat.

More Turkey Recipes

Smothered Turkey Necks
Slow Cooker Crockpot Boneless Turkey Breast
Baked Turkey Wings
Air Fryer Turkey Wings
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Slow Cooker Crockpot Turkey Breast
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Baked Turkey Legs

Leftover Turkey Recipes

Leftover Turkey Chili
Leftover Turkey Nachos
Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Turkey Bone Broth Recipe
Turkey and Cheese Sliders

Pair this with Oven Baked Roasted Corn on the Cob.

More and Traeger and Smoker Recipes

Traeger Smoked Bacon
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Traeger Smoked Salmon
Traeger Smoked Chicken Breast
Traeger Smoked Turkey
Smoked Salsa
Traeger Chicken Wings
Smoked Lobster Tail
Traeger Smoked Whole Chicken
Traeger Smoked Brisket

Save this recipe here.

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword smoked turkey wings, smoked turkey wings recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 585kcal

3-4 pounds turkey wings Whole or split.
1-2 tablespoons olive oil Use enough to coat each wing.
2 teaspoons brown sugar or sweetener
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat smoker to 225 degrees.
Pat the wings dry. Drizzle both sides of the wings with olive oil and then sprinkle the spices onto both sides of the wings. Be sure to use enough spices to cover the skin of both sides of the wings. Add additional as necessary to prevent bland wings.
Rub the spices into the wings.
Place the wings on the smoker. Smoke the wings until they reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. Cook time will vary based on the size of your wings. Mine took about 2 hours. Flats will cook faster than drums. Keep a close watch and monitor if these need to be pulled from the smoker earlier than the other wings.
If you like crispy skin, once the wings have cooked, adjust the temperature to 350 degrees. Cook for 15-20 minutes until crisp, flipping both sides.
Cool before serving.

You can use whole wings or split wings. I prefer split because they cook at even temperature and will easily fit in the air fryer. I also prefer the wing tip removed.
I love to use apple wood pellets. You can also use the Traeger Signature blend, cherry, pecan, oak, peach, or alder.

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Serving: 0.5wing | Calories: 585kcal | Protein: 60g | Fat: 24g

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Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

Can you cook smoked turkey from frozen?

If your smoked turkey is still frozen on the day of, I would still cook it, It's easer than a raw turkey that has to get to a higher temperature. It's still going to take longer and it's a higher chance you are going to dry it out before its hot enough. Cook it until it hits 140 degrees.

How long does it take smoked turkey wings to cook?

Preheat Smoker/grill to 350 degrees. Pat the wings dry with paper towel and then lightly coat them in olive oil. Season the wings generously with King Shallot. Place the wings on the smoker and cook for 45-60 minutes, flipping once half way through the cook.

Are smoked turkey wings from the store already cooked?

Smoked Turkey wings are an item to try-- fully cooked, so all you need to do is heat, and eat! This item can be baked in the oven, prepared on the grill, or microwaved.

How do you cook frozen smoked turkey drumsticks?

To reheat pre-smoked turkey legs, brush them with oil, then set them on a grill over medium heat until they've reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. This process should take 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how big the legs are.

cook frozen smoked turkey wings