Antique egg scale from Debbie H's grandmother
Since eggs are usually on sale around Easter, it’s a good time to make one of my favorites, deviled eggs. These little jewels are mild with a sweet-and-sour twist and almost everybody loves them. I guarantee if you tote them to a potluck dinner, the plate will be licked clean and you won’t even have to wash it.
Don’t worry. I usually wash it anyway, just for good measure.
I made deviled eggs for years without a recipe–tried to imitate my mom’s. The results were unpredictable and not always that great. Then my older sister whipped up a batch for us to snack on during a car trip home from her house back to Texas. They were so delicious I couldn’t stop eating them until my cholesterol level set off an alarm. I was astounded when she recently sent me the recipe and I saw how simple it was.
Before I get to it, I’m taking a momentary detour. If you’re not a food blogger who photographs everything you eat, feel free to skip the next few paragraphs and go straight to the recipe.
Kay's Deviled Eggs
Thanks in part to Paula at Still Life Style, I’ve become obsessed with props for my food photography. Not just plates but all kinds of vintage cookware, utensils and linens. There are many in this post alone:
- My friend and co-worker, Debbie H. loaned me her egg scale for the post picture. She recently inherited it from her grandmother’s estate. Love the colors and design.
- I found the crinkle cutter on a recent trip to Canton (a once-a-month humongous flea market here in Texas). The orange handle sold me. Now what else can I use it for besides eggs? Carrots maybe?
- The wire egg basket came from Hobby Lobby. Fake vintage. Sometimes that’s the best kind. No rust.
- See the plate with a gold rim in the picture below? Found it at Canton too–part of a huge lot of restaurant china the vendor had bought out of a barn. I purchased several thick, white plates and cups for less than 50 cents a piece–most with a subtle color on the rim. Perfect for pictures.
- The ceramic egg holder came from Jo-Ann Fabrics. Curiously, they were clearing their Easter merchandise at half-price 3 weeks ago when Easter was still more than two weeks away.
Preparing the cooked eggs
Just in case you don’t have your own method, this is the way I cook eggs so I won’t get that icky green layer around the yolks caused by over-cooking.
How I hard-cook eggs:
Place eggs in large pot–don’t crowd. Cover with 1-2 inches of cold water. Heat on high until water is just short of a rolling boil. Remove eggs from heat and cover. Allow to sit for 12-15 minutes. Drain and fill pan with ice cold water to stop cooking immediately.
| Deviled Eggs the Whole Family Will Eat |
- 6 hard-boiled eggs
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 tablespoons Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise or Greek Yogurt)
- Salt
- Paprika (if you can get smoked paprika, it will add a bacony kind of flavor)
- Remove shells from eggs. Slice in half and remove cooked yolks to a small bowl.
- Add vinegar, sugar, Miracle Whip and salt to yolks that have been mashed with a fork. Mix and mash with a spoon or spatula until yolk mixture is as smooth as possible. (If you happen to be making a double batch, a food processor might be more efficient). If eggs are too stiff, add more Miracle Whip to suit your preference.
- Spoon or pipe egg yolk mixture back into egg whites. Garnish with paprika if desired.
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
yum! is that the pampered chef icing shooter i got you a while back? whatever it is, it makes pretty eggs!
Yes, it is Susie. Works perfectly for the filling. Almost easier than two spoons.
Mmmm. . . .one of my favorite foods to eat!! Gatherings just aren’t complete without deviled eggs. Thanks for sharing!!
We love deviled eggs at my house- there are seldom any leftovers. If we do have leftovers, they’re egg salad the following day. Those eggs of yours look delicious! The vinegar and sugar would give them just the right sweet tangy flavor. I love your props too- I’m coveting that egg scale!
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Hey Paula,
Just got off the phone with my daughter and we had just been talking about deviled eggs for Easter dinner. She thought it was a great idea. Then I pulled up your new post. If mine could look half as good as yours I would be soooooo very happy. I need to check into that icing shooter. Perfect look!!!
Love the stories of your great finds as well as the family recipes that your share. Thanks Kay for sharing
Sandy, the icing shooter is from Pampered Chef I think (it was a gift). You are welcome to borrow it anytime. See ya Sunday.
Great eggs and a super presentation! Have a wonderful Easter weekend.
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I have never seen a more beautiful egg.
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Instructions on how to eat my mom’s deviled eggs.
1. Grab one with your hands (attempt to not get any yoke mixture on your hand… good luck with that!)
2. Squeeze the top of the sides of the egg together and use your top lip to rake the excess yoke mixture into your mouth.
3. Finish off the rest of the egg in one big bite.
4. Lick your fingers. Yummy!
Paula, those pictures are gorgeous! I love the sunny, springtime yellow of those eggs–they made me smile.
I haven’t made (or eaten) deviled eggs in decades– they usually look unappealing, squishy, overly “handled.” But THESE– wow! They’re beautiful! Must make for our Easter get-together. Hope I can find a crinkle cutter!
Love the slicer trick for leaving the pattern cut marks…stealing that idea for sure! Thanks…they all look just lovely.
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i agree! since i don’t have this nifty gadget, another thing that works well is a ziplock bag with a small hole cut in the corner…a disposable pipet for deviled egg filling, works great!
I absolutely love your pictures (as always)!
I didn’t know there was room for creativity with deviled eggs:+)
Now I have requested my mom make these for Easter:+)
My mother-in-law taught me to make a single deviled egg by simply mixing a spoon of O’Charley’s honey mustard with the hard-boiled yoke, and it is very similar to mom’s eggs!
Love the single deviled egg idea! But I’ve never seen O’Charleys. Will be on the lookout.
You’ve never had O’Charley’s honey mustard??!!!!
Your fancy/healthy grocery stores might not have it. It is in the cold salad dressing section at Walmart. You can get the low-fat, but I don’t recommend it:+)
You take the most amazing pictures! These are beautiful and look divine! I love deviled eggs.
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I am so thrilled to find your blog!! I’m also one of those who love to cook and trying to watch what I eat kind of girls….you have soooo many great things that I can’t wait to try!!! I am a Texan living in Nebraska so it does my heart good to read about “Canton, Hobby Lobby, Apple Bueno, etc.” and Oklahoma Christian! Off to experiment, once I decide which recipe to try first!!!
We love deviled eggs, always a part of our family feasts:) These are beautiful! Wish mine looked as pretty!
Happy Easter to you, Paula!
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I will be deviling my Easter eggs in the next day or two. I’m curious about which direction you cut your eggs–looks like you have cut them in half width-wise–I’ve always cut mine length-wise.
Hi Brooke, I have always cut mine length-wise too. That’s the only way they fit in most egg plates. But I like the look of the cross-wise–it’s different. Tastes the same, so why not? You just have to cut a little off the bottom to make it flat so they’ll sit up. (And that’s the only way they fit in my new little ceramic dish you see in the picture.)
The piped filling makes it so much more aesthetically pleasing to look at!!
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Paula,
This is a gorgeous post and recipe. Count me in as a true fan of the deviled egg. Also, Canton? I want to go. I’d pretty much give up everything to go to a huge flea market in Texas. How fun! xo
Robin
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Yum!! I’m a huge fan of deviled eggs, and Easter is the perfect excuse to make them. I love all your pretty props, Paula (and of course your beautiful photos!).
Beautiful! And I’m like you, I love to make food look pretty whether with props or fun arranging and garnishing. Your photos are incredible….. and thanks for a great sounding recipe also, perfect for the picnic, party season coming up!
The Café Sucré Farine recently posted..Tartine with Pesto- Prosciutto and Asparagus Salad
That top egg is the prettiest dang egg…ever! Now I want deviled eggs and chili.
I use sweet pickle juice instead of vinegar and sugar. I use a plastic bag with a small corner cut off to pipe the yolk mixture into the whites. Makes clean-up easier.
My mom always used pickle or olive juice for her eggs. She also had a crinkle cutter. She cut eggs and carrots, but her favorite thing to cut was Colby cheese midget rounds, in December. She referred to it as her “Christmas Tree Cheese”. Nice triangles of scallopped cheese that fit a cracker perfectly. She is 90 now and unable to cook but dreams of cooking for us all at least once a week. I’m sure she was a Foodie, long before
the web brought you into my home!
Eat Well.