Classic Deviled Eggs and an Easy Peeling Method That Really Works

I can’t even tell you how excited I am to have found an easy way to peel hard-boiled eggs. We usually celebrate Easter at our house by going to church, and then having a big Easter dinner with lots of family, and an egg hunt for the kids.  I love tradition so every year I fix the same foods (with the help of my wonderful mom) which includes deviled eggs.  They seem like the perfect Easter appetizer.

Until you try to peel them.  Some years it has literally taken hours to get those pesky shells off.  Not fun when there are so many other things to do to get a holiday meal on the table. That is why I will be forever grateful to Emily at Emily’s Homestead for a completely different method for cooking the eggs which results in the egg peels almost sliding off.  I have tried so many different methods that sounded promising, but didn’t really work.  This one does.  I am almost giddy with happiness.  Another 2 hours in my day.  I’d call that an Easter miracle!

The secret to successful peeling is to steam the eggs for exactly 17 minutes.

I have a steamer, but you can also just use one of those steamer inserts that you place inside a pan of boiling water.  Once the water is boiling, place your cold eggs in the steamer and steam for exactly 17 minutes.  When the timer goes off, take the eggs out and immediately place in a bowl of ice water.

If you steam them for exactly 17 minutes, you don’t get green yolks.  They will be bright yellow, and make the prettiest deviled eggs instead of deviled eggs that look like they were leftover from St. Patrick’s Day because of the greenish colored yolks.

I found out after trying this method several times, that the eggs are easier to peel the warmer they are so don’t wait for the eggs to cool.  Start peeling them right away.  Leave the eggs in the ice water, but take one out at a time and peel it.  The warmer they were, the easier they were to peel, but the ice water is necessary for them to stop cooking and the yolks to stay yellow.  Another great thing about this method is you have perfectly smooth egg whites instead of all the gouges in them from fighting with the peel.

After peeling, give them a quick rinse, slice in half, and pop the egg yolks into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat on medium slow speed for a couple of minutes to break up the yolks.  Then add the other ingredients and mix until smooth.  If you break up the yolks first, you end up with a smoother egg mixture.  You can either scoop the mixture back into the egg halves with a spoon, use a baggy with a hole cut in one end, or a piping bag.  The baggy or the piping bag are definitely the quickest method.  It takes just a few minutes to fill 24 egg halves.  Sprinkle with paprika, chives, or parsley to garnish.  If you cover well with plastic wrap, these will keep over night in the refrigerator and you won’t have to be rushing around at the last-minute filling eggs.

The next time you need to make deviled eggs, give this method a try.  I hope it gives you a little more time to relax  and makes your holidays even happier!

Classic Deviled Eggs

• Servings: 24
• Time: 1 hour
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 12 hard-boiled eggs (bring water to a boil in a steamer or pan with steam insert, place eggs in steamer, cook for 17 minutes, and plunge in ice water before peeling right away)
• 1/2 c Best Foods mayonnaise or your favorite brand
• 2 tsp. vinegar
• 2 tsp. mustard
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• chives, paprika, or parsley to garnish (optional)

1. Halve hard-boiled eggs lengthwise.
2. Pop out yolks and place in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. Mix yolks at medium low-speed for a couple of minutes to break up.
4. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, and salt to yolks.  Mix at medium speed until smooth.
5. Using a spoon, plastic baggy, or piping bag, place egg yolk mixture into holes of egg halves.
6. Sprinkle with chives, paprika, or parsley if desired.
7. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
8. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Recipe from Cook AZ I Do, originally found in Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 1985, page 196