Smoked turkey wings with Louisiana Cajun marinade

Ingredients

• 1600 g whole bone-in, skin-on turkey wings
• 1 piece yellow onion
• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• 60 ml sunflower oil
• 45 ml cider vinegar
• 30 ml Worcestershire sauce
• 30 ml Louisiana hot sauce
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 250 ml chicken broth
• 150 g hickory wood chips for smoking
• 2 sprigs fresh scallions

Method

1. Trim the turkey wings by removing any stray feathers and excess hanging fat, then pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. The skin must feel dry to the touch so the marinade clings instead of sliding off.
2. Grate the onion and garlic into a large bowl, then add the oil, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, black pepper, salt, crumbled bay leaves, and light brown sugar. Stir for 1 minute until you have a glossy, dark red, and deeply aromatic paste.
3. Add the turkey wings to the marinade and massage them thoroughly for 3 minutes, working into the skin folds and around the joints. The surface should be evenly coated in red with no pale patches left.
4. Cover and refrigerate between 35 °F and 40 °F (2 °C to 4 °C) for at least 8 hours or overnight. Before cooking, let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes until the meat no longer feels ice-cold to the touch.
5. Set up a smoker or grill for indirect heat, stabilizing the temperature at 225 °F to 250 °F (110 °C to 120 °C), using hickory wood chips that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained. The smoke produced should be thin and bluish.
6. Drain the wings, keeping only the marinade that clings directly to the skin. Arrange the pieces skin-side up on the grate over indirect heat, away from the coals.
7. Smoke the wings covered at 225 °F to 250 °F (110 °C to 120 °C) for 90 minutes, turning them halfway through (at the 45-minute mark), until the skin turns a deep mahogany brown and an internal probe thermometer reads around 155 °F to 158 °F (68 °C to 70 °C).
8. Transfer the wings to a baking dish, pour the chicken broth into the bottom without splashing the skin, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake at 300 °F (150 °C) for 45 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches at least 180 °F (82 °C) and the meat easily pulls away from the bone.
9. Uncover the dish and continue baking at 400 °F (200 °C) for 10 to 15 minutes to glaze and caramelize the skin, until the juices sizzle and the surface turns dark, sticky, and glossy.
10. Let the wings rest out of the oven, loosely tented with foil, for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and boil vigorously over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until syrupy, glossy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
11. Spoon the reduced juices over the wings, garnish with thinly sliced scallions, and serve piping hot immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

604.7 kcal

Protein

48.19 g

Carbohydrate

4.79 g

Fat

41.75 g

Fibre

1.92 g

Calcium

50.19 mg

Iron

2.58 mg

Magnesium

15.2 mg