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Classic Deviled Eggs the Southern Potluck Way

Classic Deviled Eggs

Cold, creamy, assertively seasoned deviled eggs with firm whites and bright yellow yolks whipped smooth with mayonnaise, mustard and a splash of vinegar. The off-heat boiling method keeps that grey-green ring away entirely. Simple pantry ingredients, but the seasoning is bold enough that the eggs taste like something rather than politely disappearing into the platter.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 24 Halves
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 75
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 large eggs about a week old, at room temperature
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise full fat, added gradually
  • 2 tsp prepared yellow mustard or Dijon
  • 1 tsp white vinegar or sweet pickle brine
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp sweet paprika for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan with lid large enough to hold eggs in one layer
  • 1 Mixing bowl
  • 1 fine mesh sieve optional, for smoother filling
  • 1 piping bag with star tip optional, a spoon works fine

Method
 

  1. Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a full boil.
  2. The moment the water boils, cover the pan, pull it off the heat completely and let it stand 12 minutes. This sets the whites firm while keeping the yolks bright yellow and creamy. Do not keep boiling, that is what causes the grey-green ring and the sulfur smell.
  3. Transfer the eggs straight into a bowl of ice water and leave 5 minutes, until cold all the way through.
  4. Crack each egg all over and peel under cool running water, starting at the wide end where the air pocket sits. Pat dry.
  5. Halve each egg lengthwise with a thin sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts so the whites stay neat. Pop the yolks into a mixing bowl and set the whites cut side up on a platter.
  6. Mash the yolks thoroughly with a fork until no lumps remain, or press them through a fine sieve for a silkier filling.
  7. Work in the mayonnaise a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is smooth and thick enough to hold a soft peak. Add it gradually, you cannot take it back out.
  8. Stir in the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste and keep seasoning. Egg is bland and needs more salt and acid than you expect, so adjust until the filling tastes sharp on its own.
  9. Spoon or pipe the filling back into the whites, mounding it generously above the rim.
  10. Dust evenly with sweet paprika. Chill 20 minutes and serve cold.

Notes

  • Use eggs that are 7 to 10 days old. Very fresh eggs cling to their shells and peel badly.
  • Boil and peel the eggs up to two days ahead, but fill them within an hour or two of serving or the whites turn rubbery.
  • Sweet pickle relish or a spoonful of pickle brine in place of the vinegar gives the Southern church-supper version.
  • Serve chilled on a deviled egg platter with chopped chives, parsley or dill scattered over, and sliced pickles or olives alongside. Old Bay instead of paprika is the Chesapeake habit.
  • Press the yolks through a fine sieve instead of mashing for an exceptionally smooth filling.
  • Store covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days.