Connect with us

Lifestyle

Thanksgiving master chef Jay Hajj offers amazing secrets for the tastiest, tenderest turkey ever

Beirut-born Boston chef Jay Hajj is America’s turkey master — and thankful every day for his own incredible immigrant success story.

The owner of beloved Mike’s City Diner in Boston’s South End has served fresh-roasted turkey and Thanksgiving dinner to loyal locals, political power brokers and legions of tourists every day for 27 years. 

A frequent Food Network guest, Hajj learned over the years every imaginable trick to cooking the perfect turkey. He offers his three most important tips (below) to make your holiday bird crispier and more delicious than ever this year.

MEET THE AMERICAN WHO GAVE THE NATION OUR FIRST THANKSGIVING ORIGIN STORY: PILGRIM EDWARD WINSLOW

Among his tips: Cook your turkey standing up on its legs, not flat on its back — if you have room in your oven.

“Turkey tastes great, it makes a great meal, it makes a great sandwich, it makes everything smell better when it’s cooking,” Hajj told Fox News Digital.

Mike's City Diner chef-owner Jay Hajj with brined turkey. Mike's City Diner serves turkey every day in many different ways. 

Mike’s City Diner chef-owner Jay Hajj with brined turkey. Mike’s City Diner serves turkey every day in many different ways. 
(Page Street Publishing Co., 2017; photo by Ken Goodman)

“It’s the signature dish of America, and that carries a lot of meaning for all of us.”

Turkey has made Mike’s City Diner an American casual dining landmark.  

The Boston Herald proclaimed Hajj Boston’s “Bird Man!” in a bold front page headline before one recent Thanksgiving. Boston Magazine declared Mike’s Famous Pilgrim sandwich “a restaurant legacy” — and the Food Network named Mike’s Famous Pilgrim one of the five best Thanksgiving meals in America.

THANKSGIVING HISTORY: TRADITIONS AND ORIGINS, WHERE DID IT BEGIN?

Mike’s City Diner serves turkey hash, turkey soup, turkey clubs, turkey meatloaf and complete turkey dinners. 

The diner’s signature Mikes Famous Pilgrim sandwich is an entire Thanksgiving dinner in a single, handheld package. 

Mike's Famous Pilgrim from chef Jay Hajj is the signature sandwich at Mike's City Diner, a Boston landmark famous for its turkey dishes. The Food Network named Mike's Famous Pilgrim one of America's best turkey dishes.

Mike’s Famous Pilgrim from chef Jay Hajj is the signature sandwich at Mike’s City Diner, a Boston landmark famous for its turkey dishes. The Food Network named Mike’s Famous Pilgrim one of America’s best turkey dishes.
(Page Street Publishing Co., 2017; photo by Ken Goodman)

It contains turkey, cranberries, stuffing and the diner’s “fantastic” gravy, boasts Hajj. 

His gravy is made by mixing the drippings with a stock made from a roasted turkey carcass. 

Hajj devotes an entire chapter to turkey in his 2017 cookbook, “Beirut to Boston: Comfort Food Inspired by a Rags-to-Restaurants Story.”

“Turkey’s the signature dish of America, and that carries a lot of meaning for all of us.” — Chef Jay Hajj

The chapter includes Hajj’s amazing secrets to cooking the perfect turkey. 

Among them:  

Turkey tip #1: Brine the bird for 12-24 hours to make it as moist as possible

A basic brine is nothing more than salt and water, plus spices to suit your fancy. 

Hajj’s brine includes orange and lemon slices, plus rosemary, sage, cinnamon and other aromatics. 

Turkey tip #2: Dry the turkey uncovered in the fridge for extra-crispy skin

The refrigerator is a very dry environment. Exposing the skin to the dry, chilly air will make the skin crispier and darker as it cooks. 

Simply put the bird in the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook it.

Chefs (from left to right) Jamie Bissonnette, Ken Oringer, Anne Burrell, Lindsay Slaby and Jay Hajj attend the Wines from Spain Party at the 34th Annual Food and Wine Classic in Aspen - Day 1 on June 16, 2016, in Aspen, Colorado. 

Chefs (from left to right) Jamie Bissonnette, Ken Oringer, Anne Burrell, Lindsay Slaby and Jay Hajj attend the Wines from Spain Party at the 34th Annual Food and Wine Classic in Aspen – Day 1 on June 16, 2016, in Aspen, Colorado. 
(Photo by Nick Tininenko/Getty Images for Food & Wine)

Turkey tip #3: Cook your bird standing up on its legs for extra-tender turkey

Yes, that’s right. Hajj cooks his birds standing up on their legs, held upright by a poultry roaster, rather than flat on their back like mere mortal Thanksgiving chefs.

Of course, he recognizes that not everyone has a home oven large enough to cook turkey standing up straight. 

But if you do, Hajj swears by the method.

Cook your bird standing up on its legs for extra-tender turkey.

“The fat melts in a way that makes the meat more tender,” writes Hajj in his book.

THANKSGIVING DINNER: HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON THE SPECIAL MEAL THIS YEAR

He also cooks Thanksgiving dinner at home every year for 50 guests from his large Lebanese-Irish-American family. 

“We cook thousands of turkeys at Mike’s every year, and this technique is one of our signature secrets,” he says.

A modern recreation of the first Thanksgiving in the autumn of 1621 at Plimoth Patuxet Museums (formerly Plimoth Plantation) in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Only half the Mayflower passengers, about 50, survived the first winter in Plymouth — while at least 90 Wampanoags attended the feast, according to Pilgrim Edward Winslow, who offered the only contemporary account of the first Thanksgiving.

A modern recreation of the first Thanksgiving in the autumn of 1621 at Plimoth Patuxet Museums (formerly Plimoth Plantation) in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Only half the Mayflower passengers, about 50, survived the first winter in Plymouth — while at least 90 Wampanoags attended the feast, according to Pilgrim Edward Winslow, who offered the only contemporary account of the first Thanksgiving.
(Courtesy of Kathy Tarantola/Plimoth Patuxet Museums)

Hajj said he has plenty to be thankful for every year, including the opportunity to call himself an American.

Hajj was born in Beirut in 1970 and was a small boy when the Lebanese Civil War exploded outside his family home in the heart of the city in 1975. His family often hid in the elevator shaft of their apartment building for safety as missiles rained down. 

They fled for the safety of the United States and arrived in Massachusetts, the state that gave birth to Thanksgiving, in 1978.

VIRTUES OF COURAGE, COMPASSION, WORK, FRIENDSHIP – THESE MUST BE TAUGHT, SAY BILL BENNETT, ELAYNE BENNETT

Hajj was a young chef in 1995 when he took over struggling Mike’s City Diner in what was then a down-and-out Boston block. 

He helped turn the diner into a landmark that’s now celebrated across the country for America’s signature holiday dish, while his investment in a downtrodden neighborhood helped turn the South End into one of Boston’s trendiest zip codes today. 

President Bill Clinton talks with Mayor Tom Menino at Mike's City Diner before consuming a plate of eggs, ham and grits, on Jan. 18, 2000. Boston Herald staff photo by Matt Stone.

President Bill Clinton talks with Mayor Tom Menino at Mike’s City Diner before consuming a plate of eggs, ham and grits, on Jan. 18, 2000. Boston Herald staff photo by Matt Stone.
(Photo by Boston Herald/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

Late Boston Mayor Tom Menino rewarded Hajj for his investment in the neighborhood by showing up with a very special guest: President Bill Clinton. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The visit by the then-sitting president of the United States helped put Mike’s City Diner, and its signature turkey dishes, on the national food map.

“How cool is that?” Hajj writes in his “Beirut to Boston” cookbook. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

“This immigrant kid from Lebanon made his name in America mastering the most iconic American meal: Thanksgiving dinner. It makes me very proud.”

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/thanksgiving-master-chef-jay-hajj-secrets-tastiest-turkey

Continue Reading

Lifestyle

Underage drinking dangers: These are the states with the highest rates of teen alcohol use, study finds

A new study done by addiction recovery resource Addiction Treatment Magazine has revealed the states that have the highest and lowest prevalence of underage drinking.

Researchers looked at the number of young people between the ages of 12 and 20 who had consumed an alcoholic drink within the last month and had participated in binge-drinking, which is classified as consuming four or more drinks in one sitting, according to a press release on the publication’s website.

The data was drawn from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) based on the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

DRINKING ALCOHOL WEEKLY COULD BE CONNECTED TO 61 DIFFERENT DISEASES, STUDY FINDS

The study determined that the state of Vermont has the highest prevalence of drinkers between the ages of 12 and 20 in the U.S., according to the release.

Nearly 25% of minors in the state had consumed alcohol, and more than 14% had participated in binge-drinking. 

Teens drinking

A new study has revealed the states in the nation that have the highest and lowest prevalence of underage drinking. (iStock)

Other states with high rates include Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  

In Rhode Island, nearly 22% of young people between the ages 12 and 20 consume alcohol monthly, and 12% of minors consume four or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting, the study found.

In New Hampshire, 20.6% of people between the ages 12 and 20 had consumed alcohol in the last month. 

The share was 20.4% for Massachusetts. 

TEENAGE BINGE-DRINKING: WHY IT’S SO DANGEROUS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO OVERINDULGE IN ALCOHOL

Rounding out the top 10 are the states of Oregon, Iowa, Wisconsin, Colorado, Maine and North Dakota.

At the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi has the lowest prevalence of underage drinking, with only 9.7% of underage people consuming alcohol. 

It also has the lowest binge-drinking rate, at only 5.4%, according to the study. 

College drinking

One possible reason that Vermont has topped the list is that it is a rural state with many colleges and universities — the highest number per capita of any state — said a clinical director of addiction services.  (iStock)

Utah is the second-lowest, at 11% for alcohol consumption and 6.8% for binge-drinking among the underage population. 

Coming in at third lowest is North Carolina, where 11.3% of underage people consumed alcohol in the last month.

Alabama is also on the lower end at 12%, followed by Arkansas at 12.3%.

DRINKING A LITTLE ALCOHOL EVERY DAY WON’T HELP YOU LIVE LONGER, SAYS NEW STUDY

Rounding out the lower 10 are Indiana, Georgia, Idaho, Tennessee and Texas. 

“It’s no secret that underage drinking is a major concern in the United States, as it can pose several significant risks to the well-being of young people, including health risks, impaired judgment and the risk of dependency and addiction,” said a spokesperson for Addiction Treatment Magazine in the release.

Teens drinking

Overall, the findings indicate that the use of alcohol in young people continues to be a concern, said Tuell of the Lindner Center of HOPE in Ohio. (iStock)

“These findings provide an intriguing insight into where underage drinking is the most prominent throughout the country, with Vermont coming out on top. While progress has been made in reducing underage drinking rates, it is still a matter of concern, and ongoing efforts are necessary to address this issue and protect the health and safety of young people,” the spokesperson continued.

Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services for the Lindner Center of HOPE in Ohio, was not involved in the study, but said he wasn’t surprised by the findings.

“A parent’s position on underage drinking is paramount and is one of the strongest protective factors against underage drinking.”

“The Northeast has had a history of higher rates of underage drinking for the past 20 years,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview. “There continues to be no definitive reason why these rates are the way they are.”

One possible reason for Vermont’s topping the list, he said, is that it is a rural state with many colleges and universities — the highest number per capita of any state.

young people drinking beer outside

“The research is crystal-clear that early alcohol use before the age of 15 raises the risk of lifelong problems of addiction and alcoholism,” warned Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services for the Lindner Center of HOPE in Ohio.  (iStock)

Overall, the findings indicate that the use of alcohol in young people continues to be a concern, Tuell said.

“The research is crystal-clear that early alcohol use before the age of 15 raises the risk of lifelong problems of addiction and alcoholism,” he warned. 

“Early alcohol use — drinking at age 14 or earlier — [means a] 7 times greater risk for developing an alcohol problem than someone who begins drinking at age 21.” 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Other possible reasons for the high rates in some states may be related to how the packaging of alcohol is geared toward youth, such as flavored drinks, and the association of alcohol use with sporting events, the expert noted.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“This promotes alcohol use in young people as a necessary part of having fun,” Tuell said.

“A parent’s position on underage drinking is paramount and is one of the strongest protective factors against underage drinking,” he also said.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Continue Reading

Lifestyle

Coffee quiz! How much do you know about the can’t-live-without-it drink?

National Coffee Day is September 29 — and millions of people have recognized the special occasion. 

But no matter what day it is or what season of the year, how well do you know the popular drink that many people consume all year long? 

Test your knowledge in this fun and engaging lifestyle quiz all about coffee!

Mobile app users: Click here to play the quiz!

Have you taken our fall quiz yet? Click here to play it!

To take even more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click on this link.

Continue Reading

Lifestyle

Best buys: 5 affordable wine picks from experts as fall gets underway

There’s a sudden chill in the air as autumn has arrived. 

And as the weather changes, you may be thinking about shifting your wine selections from summer to fall picks when you host friends and family in the autumn season. 

To lend a hand in those pursuits, wine experts from across the country shared with Fox News Digital their recommendations for wines under $50 a bottle for the new season. 

36 HOURS IN NAPA VALLEY: HOW TO PLAN FOR A GREAT WEEKEND AHEAD

Here’s to grape expectations!

2021 Educated Guess Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon, $30

This wine from Napa, California, is consistently picked by wine publications as a best buy and best in class by major wine publications.

That’s according to Amber Carner, tasting room supervisor of River Runs Deep Winery in downtown Napa.

woman drinking glass of wine

“I would pair this beautiful wine with a grilled ribeye steak with green chimichurri, roasted garlic mashed Yukon potatoes and grilled veggies with herbed butter,” said Amber Carner (not pictured), tasting room supervisor of River Runs Deep Winery in downtown Napa, California.  (iStock)

“Since our inception in 2005, we have been producing Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon as an answer to Napa Cabs that are two, three or four times its price,” Carner revealed to Fox News Digital. 

She added, “I would pair this beautiful wine with a grilled ribeye steak with green chimichurri, roasted garlic mashed Yukon potatoes and grilled veggies with herbed butter.”

2022 Sauvage Spectrum Teroldego from Grand Valley, Colorado, $32

Zachary Lewison, beverage manager and sommelier at Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail, Colorado, said this wine is “an excellent and affordable wine, and great for embracing the fall season.”

WHITE POTATOES VS. SWEET POTATOES: NUTRITION AND HEALTH EXPERTS CHIME IN ON WHICH IS BETTER

Lewison added, “As the weather cools off, we start cooking heartier dishes with potatoes, squashes and heavier proteins.” 

Grocery store displays different colors and varieties of potatoes for people to select.

Said Lewison of Vail, Colorado, “As the weather cools off, we start cooking heartier dishes with potatoes, squashes and heavier proteins.” Shown above, an array of potatoes.  (iStock)

So “this wine pairs great with those flavors, as it has notes of blackberry and dark cherry, and has a slightly spiced backbone.” 

2020 Blaufränkisch, Beneduce Vineyards in Pittstown, New Jersey, $42

As the fall weather settles in, Mike Beneduce, vineyard manager and winemaker of Beneduce Vineyards in Pittstown, New Jersey, recommended his vineyard’s signature red wine, Blaufränkisch. 

DELICIOUS AND EASY BACON-WRAPPED APPETIZERS: TRY THE RECIPE

“It’s a savory, medium-bodied red with aromas of wild blueberry, bonfire smoke and dark chocolate that pairs really well with hearty stews and soups, as well as with slow roasted meat and game,” Beneduce told Fox News Digital.

For people who are stuck in a rut of drinking the same wines over and over, this wine can offer a really different sensory experience, he said. 

wine

“It’s a savory, medium-bodied red with aromas of wild blueberry, bonfire smoke and dark chocolate that pairs really well with hearty stews and soups, as well as with slow roasted meat and game,” Beneduce of Beneduce Vineyards in Pittsdown, New Jersey, told Fox News Digital, about his 2020 Blaufränkisch.  (iStock)

“It’s made from sustainably grown grapes entirely from our own farm here in Pittstown,” he said.

“It’s offered in limited quantities to customers visiting our tasting room, online shop and members of our Moonlighter’s Wine Club,” he also noted.

2020 Teroldego, South Shore Wine Company in the Lake Erie AVA, Pennsylvania, $27

Blaine Ballard, brand ambassador of Robert Mazza, Inc.’s Mazza Wineries, said this red variety is a great wine for a hearty fall dinner.  

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

“This wine is full of bright fruit balanced by a vibrant acidity,” Ballard said.

“A bit of earthiness and black pepper rounds out the palate,” she added.

Family has a discussion at the dinner table

Wine experts from across the country shared recommendations for wines under $50 a bottle for the new fall season.  (iStock)

“A careful oak aging approach rounds out the wine, resulting in a wonderful depth of character sure to complement a wide variety of fall dishes. Hearty Osso Bucco or rustic poultry dishes would pair well with this wine,” Ballard also noted.

2017 Krupp Brothers Just Dessert wine, Napa, California, $45

This “Just Dessert” wine is made from Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier grapes, making it the perfect dessert wine to share at the end of a fall meal, said Tyler Hinsley, tasting room manager with Krupp Brothers, in downtown Napa, California. 

“This is a wine that I’ll choose to have at the dinner table for making more holiday memories this year.”

“Pour yourself a small, chilled glass of this wine alongside a warm pecan pie, a créme brûlée, peach cobbler, lemon cheesecake or Grandma’s snickerdoodle cookies,” Hinsley told Fox News Digital. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“It is worth each sip, especially when you see the smiles of your friends and family when you share this wine and pair it with a delicious dessert.”

He also said, “This is a wine that I’ll choose to have at the dinner table for making more holiday memories this year.”

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

Continue Reading

Trending