Instant Pot Turkey Wings Smothered With Gravy

Instant Pot Turkey Wings Smothered With Gravy. Southern-style turkey wings from my pressure cooker, ready in under an hour, with gravy from the pot liquid.

A plate of turkey wings smothered with gravy — Instant Pot Turkey Wings

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Now, I'm not a southerner - If I go any farther north, I fall into a lake and come out in Canada - but I know a great recipe when I see one. These turkey wings are delicious and surprisingly meaty for a wing. (I should have expected giant turkey wings to have extra meat, right?)

If you're looking for a recipe for different turkey parts, try my Instant Pot Turkey Thighs with Thanksgiving Flavors or Instant Pot Turkey Legs with Poultry Seasoning for turkey drumsticks. If you're looking for chicken wings, try Instant Pot Lemon Pepper Wings.

Ingredients

Turkey Wing Portions
Fine sea salt
Paprika
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Vegetable oil
Butter
Onion
Garlic
Chicken broth
All-purpose flour

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to Cook Instant Pot Turkey Wings with Gravy

A browned turkey wing — Browning the wings

Season and Brown the Wings: Mix 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder to make a spice mix, and sprinkle the spice mixture over the turkey wings. Heat the vegetable oil in an Instant Pot set to Sauté Mode - High, and brown the wings in batches, 2 to 3 wings per batch, on both sides of the wings, about 3 minutes per side. Move the browned wings to a bowl.

Sauteing the aromatics in an Instant Pot — Sautéing the aromatics

Sauté the Aromatics: Melt the butter in the Instant Pot, add the onion and garlic, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. Sauté until the onions soften, about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring and scraping with a flat-edged wooden spoon.

Browned turkey wings stacked in an Instant Pot — Stacking the wings

Everything in the Pot: Pour in the chicken broth, then stack the wings loosely in the pot.

An instant pot set to pressure cook for 15 minutes — Pressure cook for 15 minutes with a Natural Release

Pressure Cook for 15 Minutes With a Natural Release: Lock the lid. Pressure cook on high pressure for 15 minutes ("Manual," "Pressure Cook," or "Pressure Cook-Custom" mode set to high in an Instant Pot). Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 minutes; you can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes if you're in a hurry.

Whisking flour into melted butter in an Instant Pot — Whisking the roux

Make the Gravy and Serve: Unlock the lid, opening it away from you. Move the wings to a platter and pour the cooking liquid into a fat separator. Set the Instant Pot back to Sauté mode - High and melt ¼ cup of butter. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and keep whisking until the flour turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the defatted pot liquid. Spoon gravy over the wings and serve, passing the rest of the gravy at the table.

What to serve with Instant Pot Turkey Wings with Gravy

I love to serve the wings with mashed potatoes to soak up the gravy. Any starchy side, like white rice or noodles, will also work. And, if you have a second pressure cooker, I suggest serving them with a pot of Pressure Cooker Collard Greens with Bacon.

Top Tip

Make roux for the gravy: The last step of the recipe can look like a bridge too far. Why take the time to pour everything out of the pot, melt the butter, whisk in the flour, and keep constantly whisking for a couple of minutes? Because that's how you make a roux. Roux thickens the gravy and adds a little flavor, elevating the simple pot sauce into a fantastic gravy.

FAQ

What are turkey wing portions?

A whole turkey wing is awkward to brown and cook in an Instant Pot. It's so big that it barely fits and does not want to lie flat on the bottom of the pot and brown. That's why I'm glad my grocery store carries turkey wing portions, already separated into wing drumette and wing flat (aka wingette) pieces. If you can only find whole turkey wings, you can portion them yourself. Cut the wing tip off and discard it. Then, cut between the wing flat and the wing drumette. Voila - a portioned wing.

How can I crisp up the turkey wing skin?

The only downside to this recipe is that the skin is soft after pressure cooking. The wings taste great on their own, but broiling them adds extra flavor. Spread the wings out on a rimmed sheet pan and broil until the skin is browned and bubbling. (The time depends on the heat of your broiler; in my oven, it takes about 5 minutes.)

Can I use smoked turkey wings in this recipe?

Yes, but they're not as good as raw turkey wings for this recipe. But, if that's all you can find, go ahead and use them. Smoked turkey wings are already cooked, and just need to be reheated. Skip the browning step for smoked turkey wings, and cut the time under pressure back to 10 minutes.

Adapted from: Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe - Simple Recipes

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