Anyone who doesn’t have a secret love for deviled eggs, quite frankly, I don’t trust.
I feel like they are definitely a staple of any pot luck, Easter, or church get-together. The one thing I will say about deviled eggs is that peeling one sucks. Whoever signs up to bring these is a real hero.
My cousin always use to volunteer to bring deviled eggs to family functions, which always boggled my mind. Who signs up to bring them for a group of 15+ people? A madman, that is who. After a few family get togethers, I finally figured out she was being the already peeled eggs from Costco. umm.. I mean, they were still good, but not after I heard that. There is something about preservatives and already peeled eggs that freaks me out a little. I did get chickens so I could have fresh eggs, so the thought of 24 eggs in a pouch of “water” that makes me a little queasy.
Side note: Regardless of my feelings about them, she did make lovely deviled eggs.
I have always thought I would make my kids do a science fair project about hardboiled eggs and which boiled and peeled the best:
old eggs. brown eggs. new eggs. white eggs. 7 minutes. 13 minutes. cold water. hot water.
So many variables and I have never found the right way..until this past weekend.
I went to California where my grandma had hardboiled eggs for a family get together. I applauded the fact that she had made them and they were peeled so beautifully. Not a single nick in the egg. How is this possible? Well, she told me the secret:
- Boil your water
- Put your eggs in
- Bring water back to a boil
- Turn down and simmer for 13 minutes
- Remove immediately and place in an ice bath
- Peel while still warm
I was a little skeptical, but I wouldn’t know until I had the opportunity to try myself. I think I landed around 9 pm back to Houston from my California trip and had the water boiling no less than 20 minutes after returning home. I HAD to try.. and if so, I am forever indebted to my grandmother for her egg knowledge. And to my shock. this was pure GENIUS. The peel just came off. All my eggs looked beautiful. Deviled eggs will now be my signature dish.
When it comes to deviled eggs, I am definitely a purist. Restaurants nearby will try to “elevate” them and put smoked salmon, fried oysters, etc. I really just want a plain old deviled egg. For me, it’s all about the creaminess from the yolk and the tart from the mustard and vinegar. I always love a little spice as well, so I top mine with a little slice or two of serrano peppers. I’m not going to lie either.. I don’t have a real recipe for this as it all depends on how much you like all the ingredients. I pretty much base mine on texture and taste. These are great for parties, or if you’re like me, just lunch.
*One trick to getting pretty deviled eggs: the night before you boil the eggs, take the eggs out of their crate and flip them. This will help the egg yolk to center in the egg.
Ingredients:
eggs
yellow mustard
coarse mustard
mayonaise
distilled vinegar
salt and pepper
paprika
Directions:
to boil your eggs: Boil a pot of water. Add eggs and bring back to a boil. Once there, turn the heat down and let simmer for 12 minutes. Remove eggs from water and place in an ice bath. Peel after they cool a little, but are still warm.
filling: cut your eggs in half and put the yolk in a bowl. Add some mayo and about half the amount of mustard. I really like a good old yellow mustard for the tartness and the bright yellow color. I also like a splash of coarse or spicy mustard for the texture and flavor. Add a splash vinegar and mix together. Add salt and pepper as needed.
You can refill the egg whites in several ways:
- Just use a spoon and scoop back into the hole
- I like to pipe mine using a star tip
Finish off with a sprinkle of paprika, or if you like a spicy kick, some jalapeño or serrano peppers.
a goose and a gangster 