Turkey Wings

Doneness

The skin is deep golden-brown and crisp, and the meat at the thickest joint reads 175 °F (79 °C) and pulls easily from the bone with clear juices. Turkey wings are big, dark-meat cuts, so the joint near the bone is the last spot to cook — pale skin or meat still clinging tightly to the bone needs more time. For smothered, braise-after styles you can take them a few degrees higher (180–185 °F) for extra fall-apart tenderness before saucing.

Oil & seasoning

Pat the skin bone-dry, then rub with a little oil — dry skin plus a light oil coat is what crisps. Turkey wings render some fat of their own, but the lean wing tips need the coat to brown.

Season with: Smothered soul-food style (the benchmark): poultry seasoning, garlic, onion powder and paprika, then smothered in onion gravy after air-frying., Crispy dry-rub: a brown-sugar, paprika, garlic and cayenne rub for crackly, well-seasoned skin., Lemon-pepper: tossed in melted butter and lemon-pepper seasoning straight out of the basket., Jerk: a Jamaican jerk marinade (allspice, scotch bonnet, thyme, ginger) rubbed on before cooking..

Watch out for

• !Confirm 175 °F at the thickest joint with a probe. These are big, dark cuts and the bone joint cooks last — the skin can look done while the inside is still underdone.
• !Pat the skin bone-dry and season under the skin as well as on top; dry, seasoned skin is what crisps and flavors the meat.
• !If the skin browns before the inside is done, drop to 360 °F and keep going. Large wings need time at the bone — you don't want scorched skin over raw meat.
• !Don't crowd the basket, flip at the midpoint for even browning, and add any sugary glaze or sauce only in the last few minutes so it doesn't burn.