Skip the whole bird and make these crispy smoked turkey wings for your next holiday dinner! Thanks to a simple dry brining technique, these wings show off tender, succulent meat with that crispy turkey skin everyone loves. Preparing these wings only requires about 20 minutes of hands-on time, and then they smoke to absolute perfection. You’ll love this new holiday tradition for your delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No gummy skin: With smoking, the low cooking temperature can make it harder to achieve that crisp texture, but we work around that with a couple tricks to ensure you don’t have to cut away unappealing, rubbery skin. It’s just pure crackling perfection with this smoked turkey recipe.
Those baby turkey drumsticks: Turkey wings are just like chicken wings in that we get a flat and drumette, but we’re dealing with a big bird here. That means those drumettes are more like mini turkey drumsticks! Get excited, my fellow drumstick lovers.
Frees up your oven space: The holidays mean your oven is working overtime and space is at a premium. Save the oven space for all those side dishes and pies because these wings only require your outdoor smoker.
Great for holiday dinners and game day alike: For a smaller holiday gathering, cutting up some turkey wings makes for an economical, low-key dinner as opposed to roasting a whole turkey, especially considering the little hands-on time required. At the same time, how fun would these giant turkey wings be for a game day for something different than your standard chicken wings?
Related: If you love these wings, make sure you also try my smoked spatchcock turkey, smoked turkey legs, smoked turkey thighs and braised maple turkey legs.
Ingredients
Turkey wings: Obviously, the star of the show are these wings. You can generally find them packaged next to the chicken at the grocery store. Outside of the holiday season, they’re a little harder to find, but you can usually pick them up without a problem from October through December. If it's outside of the season, I recommend checking with a local butcher — they tend to have more inventory.
Baking powder: If you’ve ever made baked or smoked wings, you may already know that baking powder is the secret to get that extra crispy skin without frying. I figured it made sense to bring that same concept here, and you will love the results.
Salt: We use this to dry brine the turkey wings before smoking. Like the baking powder, it helps achieve that perfect crispy skin.
Olive oil: We use this to brush the wings to promote better browning on the skin.
Spice rub: To make our dry rub, we use a simple mixture of brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Any of your favorite rubs also work.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: The first easy step is to trim our wings. We begin by slicing off the wing tip (photo 1) and then cutting the flat and drumette into two separate pieces.
To ensure you cut at the right spot, find the circular, knob-like bone at the bottom of the drumette (photo 2) and cut right below it to make two pieces (photo 3). If you'd like to see this step in action, check out the video in the recipe card.
Step 2: Now it’s time to dry brine. We pat the wings well with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible, generously sprinkle the wings with salt (photo 4) and let them sit in the refrigerator for at least six to eight hours or up to 24 hours.
Step 3: After dry brining, we coat the turkey wings with the baking powder (photo 5), stir together the spices in a small bowl and then cover them with the BBQ dry rub (photo 6). Make sure you use your fingers to get some of the spice mixture underneath the skin to season the meat as well.
Step 4: Now we place the seasoned wings in a 250-degree F smoker (photo 7), insert a leave-in thermometer and close the lid. While I placed the turkey wings on a baking sheet with a rack, you can also add them directly to the grill grate if you prefer.
Keep in mind, the flat pieces will cook faster than the drumettes, so I recommend monitoring that piece. Or better yet, use two meat thermometers — one for the flat and one for the drumette.
Step 5: Once the internal temperature of the meat hits about 120-130 degrees F, we pull them from the smoker rack and crank up the smoker to 400 degrees. As it heats, we brush the skin with the olive oil (photo 8). When the temperature hits 400 degrees, we put the turkey wings back in the smoker to finish cooking.
Tip: We increase the temperature to a high heat to help crisp the skin. If you don’t plan on enjoying the skin, feel free to continue smoking the wings at 250 degrees F.
And that’s it! Our perfect smoked turkey wings are ready to devour. If you’d like, you can toss them with Buffalo sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce. Some of my favorites include:
But don’t feel like you need to use a sauce. Between the BBQ rub and smoking process, these wings are plenty flavorful on their own. Serve them with your favorite sides, such as some smoked mashed potatoes and smoked mac and cheese, for a great holiday meal.
Note: I prepared this smoked turkey wing recipe on a Pit Boss vertical electric pellet grill, but any kind of smoker works from any manufacturer works.
How to Store and Freeze Leftovers
If you have any leftover meat, simply shred it from the bones and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The leftover turkey should last three to four days.
You can also freeze any cooked meat. Store the meat in a freeze-safe container or freezer bag, and it will keep for four to six months. After that, the turkey is still safe to eat, but the quality will start to diminish over time.
Of course, the leftovers make great turkey sandwiches, and I just used some to make taquitos. It's also perfect in my Thanksgiving enchiladas, or you can use it for tacos, nachos, grilled cheese, pasta bakes, quesadillas, salads, casseroles — there are so many options, so feel free to get creative.
Recipe FAQs
With the dry brine method, we simply salt the meat and allow it to rest. As it rests, the salt draws out the moisture from the skin and meat. That moisture then dissolves the salt, which the meat reabsorbs to give us a more flavorful, juicy meat with a drier exterior to get that crisp skin we all love.
You will love hickory with these wings. It gives these wings a noticeable smoke flavor without overwhelming the meat. For a gentler smoke flavor, you’ll also love apple, cherry, pecan or maple.
For best results, I highly recommend trimming the wings since the flats tend to cook faster. Plus, trimming makes for a more fun presentation and you can feed more people with trimmed pieces.
It may seem a little intimidating if you’ve never trimmed wings, but as long as you have a sharp knife, you’ll see it’s much easier than you’d think. After you trim wings once, you’ll be a pro.
While turkey wings are safe to eat at 165 degrees F, you want to smoke them until the internal temperature reaches 175-180 degrees F. Wings have a lot of connective tissue, and it takes a higher internal temperature to break down those tendons.
Expect the cooking time for turkey wings to take about two and a half to three hours, but remember that smoking meat is not an exact science. The cut of meat, the heat consistency and even the weather can affect the cook time.
You want to have some flexibility on serving time. Fortunately, since smoking frees up your oven, you can set it to 200 degrees to keep any side dishes warm if your smoker needs a little extra time.
Expert Tips
Save the wing tips for making turkey stock: The wing tips don’t have any meat and tend to burn, which is why we cut them off, but that doesn’t mean they’re useless. Keep them to make a wonderful stock for a turkey soup.
Shake off excess baking powder: We just need a dusting, not a heavy coating. Also, make sure you use baking powder, not baking soda. They are not interchangeable. Baking soda will leave you with bitter wings.
Don’t let the meat thermometer hit the bone: If the thermometer hits the bone, you won’t get an accurate reading. Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone.
Let the wings rest: You always want to let meat rest after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute. This avoids dry meat — about 10 minutes does the trick.
Perfect Pairing
A Scotch ale is a favorite with smoked turkey, especially with wings. While turkey wings are technically white meat, they have a richer, gamey flavor that works well with the prominent malt backbone of a Scotch ale.
If wine is more your style, try a pinot noir. Those earthy, herbal notes pair well with not only turkey but also many of your classic Thanksgiving side dishes, and the berry flavors contrast nicely with the smoky preparation. Plus, it has a plenty of acidity to add a little pop.
Whether you’re looking for a holiday dinner alternative or a new option for game day, you will love these smoked turkey wings. They’re tender, juicy and loaded with the perfect touch of smoky flavor.
Cheers!
Enjoy More Smoked Meats
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.
📖 Recipe
Crispy Smoked Turkey Wings
Equipment
- Smoker any kind
- Wood pellets or chunks preferably hickory
Ingredients
- 4 whole turkey wings
- 1 ½ tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons baking powder not baking soda
- 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, slice off the wing tips and discard or reserve for making stock. Locate the circular, knob-like bone on the bottom of the drumette and cut right below that to separate each whole wing into two pieces — the flat and drumette.
- Pat the wings with a paper towel to ensure the skin is as dry as possible. Sprinkle salt all over the wings. Place uncovered in the refrigerator for at least six to eight hours or up to 24 hours to dry brine. This helps get that crispy skin and creates a more flavorful meat.
- Remove the wings from the refrigerator. Coat with the baking powder and shake off any excess powder. Stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder in a small bowl to make the dry rub. Then, rub the spices all over the skin and underneath it to season the meat as well.
- Place the wings skin-side up in a 250-degree F smoker with a water pan. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone. Close the lid and smoke until the wings reach an internal temperature of 120-130 degrees F. This should take about 1 ½-1 ¾ hours, though exact cooking time varies.
- For crispy skin, remove the wings and crank up the heat to 400 degrees F. As the smoker comes up in heat, brush the skin with olive oil. When the smoker gets to 400 degrees F, place the wings back in the smoker, close the lid and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 175-180 degrees F.
- Allow the wings to rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute to the meat. If desired, toss with your favorite sauce, though this is optional. Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep in mind, the flat pieces will cook faster than the drumettes, so I recommend monitoring that piece. Or better yet, use two meat thermometers — one for the flat and one for the drumette.
- We increase the temperature to a high heat to help crisp the skin. If you don’t plan on enjoying the skin, feel free to continue smoking the wings at 250 degrees F.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Terri-Lynn Duque says
We followed this recipe yesterday, and although still tasty, our wings cooked up much faster than expected and there was quite a bit of connective tissue that left them a little tougher than we hoped. I assume we might need to lower the temperature next time?
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Hey, Terri-Lynn! It’s more about the internal temperature than the smoker heat. Wings can handle a pretty high internal temperature, so 190 degrees F may be more to your liking next time. When I smoke chicken wings, I’ll take them that high, and the meat easily falls off the bone, so I’d try that.
Linda Williams says
Can you finish them in the oven to crisp the skin?
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Hey, Linda! That’s totally fine. Most of the smoke absorption happens earlier, so the oven is just fine at this stage.
Evi says
These turkey wings are so GOOD! Smoky and has perfect flavor!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you, Evi!
Hayley Dhanecha says
I shared this recipe with my friend last week, she couldn't stop praising the recipe as her whole family loved it.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks so much for that! Very much appreciated.
Jeni says
I've never made turkey wings alone before, but we made them last night. They were a big hit. I keep seeing turkey wings in the store, so I'll have to make them again while they're available. Thanks!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Love hearing that!
Ann says
These turkey wings turned out delicious! I usually don't make turkey wings often, but this recipe will definitely be a routine recipe!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing, Ann!
Jenny says
Is it Thanksgiving yet? This recipe combines elements of art and science. We appreciated the expert tips section. Crispy smoked turkey wings rock!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Glad that was helpful!
Amy Liu Dong says
I'm hungry just thinking about these turkey wings. Loved how they turned out and the skin was great, which is always my favorite part.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Happy to hear that, Amy!
veenaazmanov says
Loved how quick and easy it was to make. The smoking takes some time, but the prep work goes by fast. Turned out so moist and juicy! I really loved the spices too.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Great to hear, Veena! Glad you tried the recipe.
Alex says
I never want any other kind of wings again! Smoked is definitely the way to go. Can't believe it took me this long to try it. Thanks for the great recipe!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You're so welcome, Alex!
Erin says
YES! These were amazing! Definitely going to make these instead of regular old turkey for Thanksgiving. Thanks!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Sounds like a delicious Thanksgiving!
susan | the wimpy vegetarian says
Dry brining is such a great way to add fabulous flavor to the turkey. This recipe was wonderful!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Totally agree, Susan!
Amanda Mason says
Loved these smoked turkey wings! The rub was phenomenal! So good and a recipe I will absolutely be making in the future!!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks so much for the feedback, Amanda! That makes me happy.