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Health & Fitness

Blog: Demystifying Deviled Eggs

So, how do you make a perfect hardboiled egg? It took a frustating peeling experience to remind me.

Deviled eggs are a great celebration food. Yet, I rarely make them or think about them until they are presented on the table of munchables at a party or gathering.

On Christmas Eve, my daughter-in-law was tasked with preparing deviled eggs. I heard her complaining in the kitchen about peeling the eggs. I joined her and soon found myself cursing under my breath as I pitted and picked at the eggs destroying their smooth exteriors trying to remove the shells.

I began to think what happened to cause the eggs to behave badly and fight back. Frustrated with the task, I found my mind scrolling back to an article I once read in Cook's Illustrated, which had great egg tips.

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Somehow this batch didn’t quite make an easy run of it. I’m pretty sure it was because the eggs were still warm.

There were a few steps that should have been taken to ensure success. The first is to hard boil an egg so that it has a perfectly cooked bright yellow creamy yolk and a tender white.

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An over cooked egg will have a green ring around the yolk and the whites will be rubbery. An under cooked egg will have dark and undercooked yolk.

So, how do you make a perfect hardboiled eggs? It is a simple process. Give them a quick boil and then allow them to continue cooking without heat.

By following the steps below, one should have a foolproof process. Quick egg tips: It does not matter whether you use room-temperature or eggs straight out of the refrigerator. I tried them both and got the same results. If an egg floats, toss it. It is probably not good to eat.

Deviled Eggs

18 eggs

1/8 teaspoon of salt (optional)

2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of hot sauce

¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

¼ cup of mayonnaise

Place eggs in a sauce pan and make sure they have about an inch of water covering them. Bring the water to a boil. Once at a boil, cover and remove from heat for 10 minutes. To stop the cooking process, place the eggs in an ice bath. If you don’t ice the eggs, they will keep cooking. Don’t skip this step.

To peel the eggs, tap the egg all over until the shell cracks in many places and then gently roll it a few times on a hard surface. Begin peeling at the air cell. The shell should come off in neat strips attached to the outer membrane.

Rinse the eggs to make sure they are free of shells, then using a knife split in half. Place the yolks in a bowl and mash with a fork. Combine salt, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, cayenne pepper and mayonnaise with the egg yolks.

Some people like sweet relish in their eggs, and if you do then this is the time when you add 1 tablespoon. I’m not a fan, so I leave it out. Mix until smooth.

Another variation is to add a tablespoon of capers and a tablespoon of anchovies. I like this variation and think that it would go well with good vodka.

Place mixture in a piping bag and fill eggs. Some garnishes for the eggs include paprika, crumbled bacon, chives, dill, and olives.

Eat and Enjoy!

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