Deviled eggs are one of those dishes that can be done as simple or as decadent as you’d like. After all, who doesn’t like eggs that have been enhanced with additional fat and seasonings? Maybe you even have a special purpose dish with little divots in it to keep the eggs from sliding around that you only bring out around the holidays. Perhaps you just put them in an aluminum pan for the BBQ or potluck. Or maybe you just put them on a plate in the fridge until you finally give in and devour them all in a late night bout of the munchies. If you need to transport the eggs to a final destination, my advice would be to get one of the stackable plastic cases with a lid and keep your fingers crossed that they don’t get jostled.
Over the years, I’ve tried different additions and variations and I always end up coming back to a very simple recipe and sometimes a piping bag if I’m feeling particularly posh.
The hard boiled eggs
In order to make deviled eggs, you must start by making hard boiled eggs. I’ve listened to many renowned and otherwise professional chefs give their own gospel on the proper “easy” way to hard boil eggs. And much respect to all of them. I’m just a viking in a kitchen that likes to eat good food. Here’s what I have found works for me. If you can make perfect hard boiled eggs another way, great!
First, get one of the little plastic egg timers that you put in the pot with the eggs and turns colors to let you know the eggs are done. Next, get a big pot and fill it about halfway with water and add 2-3 tablespoons of salt. Make sure that the pot is big enough that all the eggs will make a single layer on the bottom. Don’t add the eggs yet! The water needs to be at a full rolling boil before you put the eggs in. If this offends your hard boiled egg sensibilities, I don’t know what to tell you. I’ve always had problems cleanly shelling the finished eggs when starting from cold.
Once the egg timer has turned the correct colors (approx. 10 minutes), pull the eggs and immediately put them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. I find that a completely cooked flakey yolk works best. Once they’ve cooled down, you can put them in the fridge to deal with later, or go ahead and shell them.
The devil’s in the filling
Ingredients
12 Eggs
3 Tbsp dill pickle juice
3 heaping tbsp mayo
2 tsp yellow mustard
½ tsp celery seed
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika
Once you have the eggs peeled and halved, remove all the yolks into a bowl or stand mixer. If you are trying to impress the in-laws and want to make sure you have a Home and Garden looking perfect spread, make a few extra eggs in case there are any oopsies during peeling. It may not be the worst idea to make a few extras anyway until you get a feel for how much you can fill the eggs without running out of filling.
Start by doing an initial mix to break the yolks into smaller pieces. Then keep mixing as you add in the rest of the ingredients in whatever order you desire. It’s all being mixed together anyway. If you’re using a stand mixer, you’re going to want to scrape down the sides once or twice. The goal is a smooth consistent creamy texture that isn’t runny. This means that you should be able to scoop up a spoonful and hold it upside down over your spouse’s head without spending the night on the couch.
If you choose to make a few extra eggs for a fudge factor, you may need to add a little extra mayo and pickle juice to achieve the correct consistency. Add it slowly and in small quantities. You aren’t going to be able to easily make the filling be less runny if you overshoot. Also, don’t forget to taste for seasoning.
If you’ve made it this far, you just need to fill the empty egg whites. If you aren’t concerned about presentation, you could just scoop filling with a spoon. If you’re trying to do your best Martha Stewart impression, break out the piping bag and make pretty little designs. A bachelor pro-tip that I figured out years ago was that a Ziploc or similar bag can be filled up and a corner cut off to make a makeshift piping bag.
Last but not least, the paprika on top. This may take you some practice to get the picturesque light dusting that you may see on pinterest. My best advice is sprinkle from well above the eggs so that it spreads more evenly.
You should by this point have some very delicious deviled eggs.
Printable recipe PDF: