I think of deviled eggs as an old fashioned picnic food. The kind of food I’d expect to find at my grandma’s family reunion, where the median age ran north of 60. Despite it’s fuddy duddy status, it’s a perennial favorite.
Whenever I set out to make deviled eggs, I pull out the trusty teaching cookbook I got from my mom. It was her text book when she taught Home Economics. Talk about old school.
Cold Water Method for Hard Cooked Eggs
- Place eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water.
- Bring water quickly to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Cover the pan and let it stand 10-12 minutes.
12 minutes is perfect for my extra-large eggs.
- Fill another bowl with ice cubes and cold water and transfer the cooked eggs to the cold water.
I use a slotted spoon so I don’t transfer the hot water, and then transfer the cold bowl into the fridge.
Peeling the eggs can be a pain, it’s probably my least favorite part of making deviled eggs. BUT, immediately transferring to cold water helps the shell separate and makes peeling them better. I usually do the tap, crack and roll with my palm method. However, I see there are a bunch of options out there, including a guy who blows his eggs out of the shell!
Once the eggs are peeled, it’s time to get down to the devil’s business. Ever wonder why they’re called “deviled”? The answer is not as exciting as you might think.
Old Fashioned Deviled Eggs
- 12 hard boiled eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- dash of pepper
- 1 Tbsp vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
- 6 Tbsp mayonnaise (tip: use homemade mayo to keep these Paleo!)
- Cut eggs in half lengthwise.
- Slip out yolks into a bowl.
- Press yolks through a sieve, or mash them with a fork.
- Add seasonings, vinegar and mayo to mashed yolks.
- Blend until smooth.
- Scoop mixture into a plastic baggie and snip the end off. Use the bag to pipe the eggs into each open egg white shell.
- Garnish with paprika, a small piece of parsley or a thin slice of stuffed olive.
- Chill the filled eggs until ready to serve.
The original recipe only yields 12 halves, but I always double it (which is reflected in the measurements above). If just making for your family, you can half the amounts above.
Also, I often boil an extra egg to account for any difficulties peeling and to add a little more filling.