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

Boston landmark Mike's City Diner has served turkey dinner every day for 27 years

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.  (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. (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.  (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. (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. (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."

Load more..
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
soxtry.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
maw-pr.com
zaaksen.com
ypxsptbfd7.com
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
onlinenewsofindia.com
worldgraphic-team.com
bnsrz.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
webmanicura.com
osostore.com
softsmob.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
odskc.com
inzziln.info
leaiiln.info
cq-oa.com
dqtianshun.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
bartoysdirect.com
taquerialoscompadresdc.com
aaoodln.info
amcckln.info
drvrnln.info
dwabmln.info
fcsjoln.info
hlonxln.info
kcmeiln.info
kplrrln.info
fatcatoons.com
91guoys.com
signupforfreehosting.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
topsedu.xyz
xmxm7.com
x332.xyz
sportstrainingblog.com
autopartspares.com
readguy.net
soniasegreto.com
bobbygdavis.com
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
qazwsxedcokmijn.com
parabis.net
terriesandelin.com
luxuryhomme.com
studyexpanse.com
ronoom.com
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
snn01.com
hope-kelley.com
bancodeprofissionais.com
zjccp99.com
liturgycreator.com
weedsmj.com
majorelenco.com
colcollect.com
androidnews-jp.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
nova-click.com
abeautifulcrazylife.com
diggmobile.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
sizam-design.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
bamthemes.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com
avgo.top